With tattoos increasing in popularity, more people are looking for better ways to care for them. Enter Foreverist, a collection of creams produced with the needs of tattooed people in mind – helping them navigate issues from fading to sun protection, and opening the industry up to all. 

Foreverist helps people navigate tattoo care

How is Pantene helping disabled people feel seen in the beauty industry?

With many disabled people still feeling left out of typical beauty narratives and mainstream conversations, some brands are hoping to diversify the landscape. Hair-care brand Pantene is driving inclusivity through product innovation and partnerships with key voices in the disabled community.

Pantene: creating a more inclusive beauty landscape

Despite rising inflation, sales of beauty products in the US are on the up. As people look for ways to benefit their mental health and self-esteem in uncertain times, there's an opportunity for brands to provide and promote products that can boost moods and provide escapism. 

Inflation sees Americans turn to mood-boosting beauty

In China, Gen Z are giving 'ugly cute' gifts during Valentine's Day, also known as Qixi Festival. With aesthetic fatigue growing and many looking to reject unrealistic social expectations, there are opportunities to offer quirky and unique products to connect with rule-defying gifters.

'Ugly cute' gifts offer Gen Z escape from beauty ideals

Abandoning meticulous curation and idealisation, TikTokers are using beauty recommendation videos to address and uncover hidden truths. Focusing on openness and vulnerability, these posts transform the online beauty space into one of authentic connection, as opposed to perfect presentation.




TikTok users reinvent beauty to uncover imperfections

e.l.f. cosmetics is the first beauty brand to jump on the BeReal bandwagon, promising users of the app previews of product releases and BTS exclusives. With people expecting unfiltered authenticity and insider access from brands, BeReal's candid model offers a novel solution for brand engagement. 

BeReal helps e.l.f. give beauty fans insider access

Newly packaged beauty products used to be prime social media fodder, but people are now emphasising items they've used up over new ones. As concerns around product waste grow increasingly front of mind for consumers, 'empties' are gaining traction online as beauty frugality takes centre stage.

Beauty fans embrace frugality with 'empties' trend

Brands like Malin + Goetz offer gender-neutral or unisex fragrances

The pandemic introduced a new world of possibilities in terms of wellbeing, as people had more time to explore online retail in the self-care industry. With perfume marketing evolving from selling sex to promoting wellness, how can brands cater to consumers’ desire for feel-good fragrances?

How are mood-hacking scents becoming a wellness tool?

What’s driving the increase in non-invasive cosmetic procedures in the US?

Non-surgical cosmetic procedures are on the rise, but what is driving Americans to choose to enhance their natural looks with ‘tweakments’? After diving into this in our Beauty Sector Snapshot, Canvas8 spoke to 11 people about the procedures they’ve had done and why they made that decision.

Why are US beauty fans opting for cosmetic ‘tweakments’?

What’s driving the rise in non-surgical procedures in the UK?

With non-surgical cosmetic procedures on the rise, what’s driving UK beauty fans to experiment with temporary ‘tweakments’? After looking into this behaviour in the Beauty Sector Snapshot, Canvas8 spoke to seven Britons about the procedures they’ve had done and why they’ve gone down that route.

Why are UK beauty fans opting for cosmetic ‘tweakments’?

Why are beauty fans looking to simplify their skincare routines? What does allyship look like in the beauty industry? How are trust and transparency playing an important role for beauty consumers? Why are people getting comfortable with altering the way they look through 'tweakments'?

Beauty Sector Snapshot: July 2022

With women of color facing unique challenges when building and buying wigs, Parfait is blending artificial intelligence with stylist recommendations to streamline the process. It's demonstrating how technological innovation can help address long-standing gaps in textured hair care.



Parfait uses AI to tailor wigs for Black women

Estée Lauder is solidifying its place as an ally in the Indian beauty market by partnering with Nykaa, the country’s biggest beauty and wellness e-commerce platform. But rather than promote its own products, the brand is launching an incubator to nurture and support homegrown beauty.

Estée Lauder nurtures homegrown beauty talent in India

How is Gabar appealing to those who feel underrepresented by the beauty industry?

With representation for minority groups lacking in beauty, some are taking the matter into their own hands to diversify the space. Gabar is a fragrance brand with roots firmly embedded in Myanmar, taking inspiration from the country's heritage in everything from its fragrances to its imagery.

Gabar: fragrance innovation inspired by Myanmar

American singer Halsey has launched her second beauty brand – af94 – which targets Gen Zers with its extensive range of affordable and experimental beauty products. With Gen Zers spearheading the maximalist beauty trend, they're looking for playful products that help them express their identity.

Af94 speaks to experimental Gen Z beauty enthusiasts

Hally Hair is an ammonia-, parabens-, and sulfates-free cloud foaming hair color line, offering consumers a clean hair-dyeing experience. As people continue to seek hair color and care products that offer cleaner ingredients, brands can step up to offer safe and natural options for hair rituals.

Hally hair ammonia-free dye courts clean beauty buffs 

RTFKT and Byredo’s wearable digital aura collaboration ‘ALPHAMETA’ leverages playful, personalised worldbuilding and closes the sensory gap between IRL and URL with cutting-edge tech. Building on gaming culture and ASMR, it invites people to playfully explore multisensory digital experiences.




Phygital scents cue multisensorial metaverse engagement 

As lockdowns continue in China, beauty influencers and brands are using their platforms to combat the 'emo' sentiment that’s arisen among China’s youth. The movement encourages wellness practices in beauty routines and demonstrates how parasocial relationships play out with beauty brands.

Anti-emo beauty soothes Chinese youth's lockdown mood

Body-positivity movements are making strides in challenging unrealistic body ideals - for women, that is. But idealised imagery is having a negative impact on young men, too, meaning that being inclusive of men and the challenges they face within body positivity spaces is key.

‘Picture perfect’ standards fuel men's body insecurities

Why are people prioritizing beauty ingredients?

People are prioritizing beauty product ingredients over brand names, since the pandemic allowed for time to research what was really working in their lives – beauty, skincare, and make-up included. What can less-established brands do to account for these factors as they enter the marketplace?

Amid the rising cost of living, Aldi’s fragrance dupes are getting a lot of attention for mimicking popular designer fragrances. With luxury aspirations competing with money concerns, these dupes are perfect for giving people that indulgent feeling without breaking the bank.

Aldi courts cost-conscious with dupe designer scents

With mask mandates a thing of the past and the world returning to conventional working and socializing, women in America are getting back to their former make-up habits. But rather than simply wanting to look good, people are increasingly using cosmetics to spark joy and boost their confidence.

Make-up usage on the rise as Americans seek mood boost

With global biodiversity in peril, Lush has launched a campaign that spotlights the alarming decrease in pollinators. As the effects of climate change intensify, brands are scaling up their responses, with some shifting focus towards the sustainability of ecological systems at large.

Lush spotlights pollinator crisis for the eco-minded 

John Lewis and the Cavendish Clinic have teamed up to provide skincare, facials, and aesthetic treatments at clinics inside some of the retailer's stores. As the popularity of 'tweakments' persists post-lockdown, the move aims to provide a trustworthy avenue to access these services.

John Lewis aims to make ‘tweakments’ more accessible

Temporary tattoos have emerged as a popular form of self-expression among commitment-phobic Gen Zers 

Catering to self-expressive yet commitment-phobic Gen Zers, Inkbox’s temporary tattoos offer short-lived and customizable body art without risk of regret. For an impulsive generation keen on flexibility and keeping up with trends, can brands offer the fleeting fun that today’s young people are after?

Inkbox: temporary tattoos catering to commitment-phobia

Pharrell Williams’ Humanrace is hoping to dispel the notion that people with deeper skin tones don't need sunscreen with the launch a range of daily SPF products. By helping to bridge the diversity gap in the beauty industry, it may nudge people into adopting healthy skincare habits.


Humanrace boosts sun safety for people with darker skin 

Around 6,000 women in the US reach menopause every day, but many still lack access to products to treat related symptoms. Enter Womaness, which has partnered with Ulta, the largest beauty retailer in the US, to make it easier to find relief while addressing the pervading silence around menopause.

Womaness and Ulta increase access to menopause care

Conversations around male self-care have been growing, with masculine stereotypes continually being challenged. But while these improvements have helped men feel more open to addressing their beauty concerns, many still have lingering insecurities that are weighing them down.

Beauty insecurities are impacting men in the US 

Black women in the UK have long struggled to fulfil their hair care needs through conventional channels, with big brands and salons often falling short. This Hair of Mine (T.H.O.M) aims to fill this significant gap in the market with high-quality, targeted products for texture-rich hair.

T.H.O.M. brings high quality to textured hair care

How is The Ordinary appealing to an increasing demand for simplified skincare?

In the face of inflation and online misinformation, The Ordinary brings authenticity to clean skin and hair care through effective, easy-to-use, and affordable products. How can brands satisfy the pandemic-driven skincare boom using scientifically-proven ingredients that beauty consumers can trust?

The Ordinary: science-backed beauty for skintellectuals

P&G is introducing shampoo and conditioner bars across Europe, creating a plastic-free alternative to conventional shampoo bottles. As eco-conscious individuals look to reduce their consumption of single-use plastics, they're turning to brands that limit wasteful packaging.

P&G's shampoo bars offer plastic-free hair care

How has Madonna’s use of anti-aging social media filters been received?

Madonna has been celebrated as the Queen of Pop for decades, but in recent years has received backlash for her prominent use of anti-aging social media filters. As people seek ways to express their identities online, what do people’s attitudes toward AR tell us about shifting beauty ideals?

Madonna: stoking debate around online expression

Enjoying an increasing global appetite for British beauty, UK brand No7 is carving out a footprint in the American market. Courting people’s desire for simplicity, scientific backing, and value in their beauty buys, No7 is proving that achieving beautiful skin doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

'Brit Beauty' boom in US courts budget beauty buffs

How is social media driving the tweakments boom in Australia?

More young Australians than ever are turning to high-tech beauty and laser treatments, injectables, and fillers to prevent ageing. Body image concerns and the influence of social media have a stronghold over purchasing decisions. How can the market shift the rhetoric on beauty ideals?

What’s behind Australia’s Gen Z tweakments boom?

Through its ‘Big Groomed Energy’ campaign, Manscaped – whose products focus on the pubic region – emphasizes how regular grooming can foster a sense of confidence. By drawing attention to the role of daily routines in self-care, the campaign may encourage men view beauty through a mindful lens.

Manscaped emphasises habitual self-care for men

Savvy beauty buyers are paying close attention to what ingredients go on their bodies, with many taking cues from influencers instead of in-store assistants. French social media personality Garance Doré’s skincare line caters to these habits with simple ingredients and no-frills messaging.

Doré caters to cautious beauty fans with simplicity

Dewy skin and barely-there make-up defined 2010s beauty looks, but people are having more fun with cosmetics as they return to IRL experiences post-pandemic. Enter the party girl aesthetic, in which smudged eyeliner and glittery lids channel the glitz and messiness of in-person partying.

Party girl beauty reflects Gen Z's anti-aestheticism

How can skincare brands resonate with those seeking a self-love moment?

The educational online beauty space has become open to toxicity as skincare vigilantes criticise others for their self-care regimes and habits. How can brands make sure beauty continues to be a space that allows for experimentation while remaining positive, educational, and enjoyable?

How can beauty brands overcome skincare shaming?

As the cost of toiletries rises in line with inflation, the use of hygiene banks is growing in the UK, providing a lifeline for households struggling to afford personal care basics. Superdrug has responded to this mounting problem with a promise to freeze the prices of over 130 own-brand products.

Cost of living crisis reveals the privilege of hygiene 

Make-up artist Bobbi Brown’s response to a negative video of her Jones Road foundation on TikTok has raised questions about how influencers review products. Influencer marketing is ubiquitous, but many feel there's not enough awareness of how they relate, or don't, to specific audiences. 

TikTok review raises doubt about influencer trustability

Beauty brand Starface has partnered with Instagram account @afffirmations, creating posts featuring ironic inspirational quotes around people’s experience with acne, such as "my breakouts are iconic." Getting Gen Zer humour right is a fine art, but it can pay dividends with a young audience. 

Starface taps Gen Zer humour with ironic affirmations

As the beauty industry grows to encompass values of wellness, uniqueness, and acceptance, it’s vital that it leads the way in inclusivity and action. So how can brands focus on product development and design that appeals to people with disabilities, ensuring across-the-board representation?

How are beauty brands designing for inclusivity?

Why are Gen Yers seeking hair care that is both personalized and sustainable?

Pandemic and stress-induced hair and scalp issues are on the rise – and women are turning to direct-to-consumer brands to get back on track. This market is booming, thanks to its ability to deliver customizable formulas for a wider variety of hair types at an attractive price point.

Why is D2C changing Gen Yers' shampoo shopping habits?

Challenging gendered expectations, Chinese male celebrities are opting for womenswear and driving a new genderless-chic movement. Despite the government's push for conservative values, gender norms are being challenged in China, and brands have the opportunity to be savvy allies in a new ecosystem.

Genderless-chic Chinese men defy conservative rules

Laundry and home cleaning brand Blueland has launched a first-of-its-kind body wash that uses powder and refillable packaging to limit waste. With many people looking to minimize their impact on the planet, this approach to personal care offers an easy way to adopt a greener lifestyle.

Blueland body wash reduces waste in daily routines

How is LYS tackling the concerns that women of color have around cosmetics?

LYS Beauty is filling the clean beauty equity gap, catering to Black women and diversifying the clean beauty sector by making it more accessible and representative. How can beauty brands ensure that their products welcome diverse communities and meet shifting consumer expectations?

LYS Beauty: clean beauty for Black women

As the ‘Kardashian effect’ transforms perceptions of beauty, some are thinking twice about the wider implications on body image and class segmentation. Conscious of how celebrity culture influences unrealistic beauty standards, they’re turning to humour as a coping mechanism.

‘I’m not ugly, I’m poor’ meme lets people embrace flaws 

How is technology helping L’Oreal match people with their ideal fragrance?

L’Oreal has partnered with neurotech company EMOTIV to create a futuristic perfume consultation that's a first of its kind. Combining the power of science and AI, the tech provides precise fragrance recommendations based on a person’s mood and feelings. Is this the future of luxury perfumes?

L’Oreal x EMOTIV: tech-enhanced perfume personalisation

Circular beauty has become an expectation for eco-minded consumers. But K-beauty brand Longtake is taking a novel angle. Using upcycled oakwood to create the core scent in its sustainable products, the brand is hoping to tap desires for sensory-rich lifestyles while helping to tackle natural waste.

Upcycled wood scent adds eco value to sensory beauty

Fragrance house Le Jardin Retrouvé has adopted blockchain technology to ensure that authenticity and sourcing expectations are met by its customers in China. Blockchain-driven beauty is increasing the trust of shoppers, particularly in markets that are familiar with counterfeit products.

Le Jardin Retrouvé tackles counterfeit beauty concerns

Benefit Cosmetics is hosting an esports tournament series for women, aiming to strengthen the link between gaming and beauty. While the number of female gamers is on the rise, this venture is addressing the fact that they remain underrepresented in competitive environments.

Benefit tournament brings more women into esports

Milani Cosmetics' response to the Amber Heard and Johnny Depp trial has prompted social media users to remind brands not to overstep boundaries around sensitive issues. While disarming brand personas can make digital comms more resonant, there's a fine line between irreverent and inappropriate.

Milani oversteps meme limits for brands in Depp trial

Dr. Barbara Sturm is looking to change coming-of-age skincare rituals with an eco-friendly product line and skincare education for Gen Zers. The brand recognises that connecting with Gen Z means aligning with their values while overcoming their scepticism of the info they encounter online.

Dr. Barbara Sturm lures Gen Z with education and ethics

‘Scenario planning’ has become more of a trend for brands

French design studio, Imprudence, is creating visionary, hypothetical products that question current beauty ideals and highlight the possibilities of our future. As tech rewrites beauty standards and inspires people to get creative, can ‘scenario planning’ help brands to create and innovate?

Imprudence: navigating beauty through speculative design

Dove has rolled out a campaign to expose the effect of 'toxic' influencer content. As influencers' impact on purchasing decisions continues to grow, these figures provide brands with a vital way through which to reach audiences – but people won't accept messages that don't align with their values.

Dove campaign looks to combat toxic influencer content

Curbing water footprints and tackling fatbergs is Aussie waterless beauty brand Conserving Beauty, which has created the world’s first dissolvable make-up wipes. As hygiene worries compete with eco concerns, finding a way to make single-use beauty products more sustainable is key.

Conserving Beauty offers eco wipes with hygiene in mind

Vaseline is aiming to make the beauty and dermatology industry more inclusive by introducing a database that connects people of color in search of information on skin conditions with dermatologists who understand their specific needs. It's a sign that one-size-fits-all beauty may be on its way out.

Inclusive online skincare database tackles beauty bias

How is the digital world impacting beauty in the US?

The increased usage of Zoom and face filter apps has led to rising interest in skincare, beauty treatments, and plastic surgery. But, while the body positivity movement and no make-up looks remain popular, the demand for cosmetic products and procedures has seen no reduction.

How is American beauty changing in the digital world?

Space NK is partnering with emerging beauty brands, making entry into the UK market easier for them by hosting pop-up stores while benefiting from exclusive brand deals. The initiative utilises the hype around brand collaborations to help drum up interest with both new and existing customers.

Partnerships ease discovery for beauty enthusiasts

To address the stigmas surrounding menstruation, Boots will stop using words like 'hygiene' or 'sanitary' to describe period products. With periods often spoken about negatively, recognising how language can challenge perceptions is a powerful way to resolve menstruation misconceptions.

Boots drops 'feminine hygiene' to tackle period stigma

Australian clean beauty brand Grown Alchemist has been acquired by L’Occitane Group as it expands its product portfolio to appeal to Gens Yers and Zers. With inner-outer wellbeing now a goal for many, people are thinking more about what's inside the products they put both on, and in, their bodies.

L’Occitane lures Gen Yers and Zers with clean beauty

German personal care brand Biersdorf has become the first brand to launch a men’s skincare product made from recycled carbon dioxide. By repurposing CO2, it’s heeding calls for brands to go beyond greenwashing tactics, creating a product that’s circular and recognising men’s eco shopping behaviours.

Nivea Men responds to call for greener skincare products

As the beauty tech market grows, Japanese brand Shiseido has unveiled the world’s first AI-powered make-up advisor. With tech blending further with beauty, brands have the opportunity to innovate around product discovery, help people better understand their skin, and use AI to tailor products.


AI make-up advisor brings personlisation to cosmetics

Starting in May 2022, Ogilvy UK will stop working with influencers who edit the appearance of their face or body in marketing content. With research showing that idealised beauty standards are damaging young Britons’ self-esteem, the brand is responding to a need for realistic representation online.

Ogilvy UK champions appearance honesty in marketing 

What demands are Boomers and Gen Zers making of the beauty industry?

With the unstoppable rise of Trinny London, and over-50s influencers hitting the million-follower mark, Boomers and Gen Xers looking for beauty tips and advice are disrupting the business. Now too hard to ignore, will beauty brands begin to recognise this overlooked audience?

What do Boomers and Gen Xers want from beauty brands?

Beauty gurus are treating the body as a connected system, favoring a holistic approach to health and abandoning the mentality that the body is something to fight against. TikTok’s #scalpcheck reorients hair care towards the scalp, encouraging people to take a look at the roots of their hair issues.

#scalpcheck gets to the root of Gen Zers’ hair problems

People are becoming increasingly aware of the injustices inflicted on minority groups and expect brands to play their part in redressing them. Responding to this, Zara's beauty campaign expands the scope of diverse representation by showcasing Indigenous models with face tattoos.

Zara honours beauty diversity across cultures

Beauty brands have responded to Britons’ calls for action against social inequities and climate change with mixed results. A survey has revealed that many purpose initiatives don’t resonate with Britons who are looking for long-term commitments to support instead of inconsistent virtue signalling.

Britons call for accountable CSR from beauty brands

Self-care is now a social phenomenon backed by apps and podcasts

With the outside world becoming less predictable, Americans are seeking stability within themselves by focusing on self-care. But as this social phenomenon spills into multiple health and beauty categories, how can beauty brands deliver meaningful propositions around personal wellbeing?

How is the self-care landscape evolving in the US? 

How are people looking to ‘rewild’ their skincare routines? 

Throughout the pandemic, skincare companies benefited from consumers having more time on their hands for elaborate self-care routines. As the crisis has abated, people are looking for simple solutions and are moving towards ‘skin rewilding’ – resetting their natural microbiomes while saving time.

Why are people 'rewilding' their skin?

Lizzo has officially stepped into the fashion game with the upcoming launch of Yitty, a shapewear and undergarment brand rooted in body positivity and size inclusivity. As people continue to challenge beauty ideals and champion self-love, they're seeking out brands that mirror their values.

Yitty shapewear offers redefined, body-positive comfort

Sulphates get a bad rep for being irritating and drying, but The Ordinary has come out as pro-sulphate with its shampoo launch. Despite people's distaste for sulphates, they do want active ingredients in their hair care, pointing to a need for more education and myth debunking.

Low-sulphate shampoo nudges a clean beauty rethink

Beauty start-up Skin Match has developed an AI-powered search tool that aims to make the search for beauty products a more transparent and inclusive experience. With unbiased and science-backed skincare a priority for beauty buffs, tech is being leveraged to help the industry work for more people.

Skin Match's AI search tool lures digi-beauty fans

When deciding what brands to support, authenticity is what consumers want most

Since its launch in 2018, Augustinus Bader has become a popular name in the world of luxury skincare thanks to organic fanfare led by celebrities and beauty experts. How does the brand’s success point to consumers’ desire to connect with luxury products through new beauty habits and rituals?

Augustinus Bader: cult skincare for beauty enthusiasts

Skin conditions are often ignored in the skincare industry and information on how to treat them is difficult to find on the high street. Superdrug is working to address this by launching a free online hub where users can access educational expert-created videos on a variety of skincare topics.

Superdrug free online hub democratises skincare know-how

Grimes is stoking interest in alien beauty and body enhancement with alternative white ink tattoos. In a period filled with pessimism due to a war and global pandemic, more beauty and fashion fans are turning to retrofuturistic fantasy and sci-fi for escapism and optimism.

Beauty behaviours are leaning into the Y2K zeitgeist

In support of Ukraine, Procter & Gamble is stripping back its Russian operations and providing humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees. Neutrality is no longer an option in the face of the attack, and people are calling on brands to show their support for Ukraine in tangible ways.

Public scrutiny pushes P&G to limit activity in Russia

Coming-of-age teen drama, Euphoria, has resonated with a throng of Gen Zers

HBO’s hit-show Euphoria is a coming-of-age teen drama that illuminates the experiences of Gen Zers as they navigate life. Exploring themes such as drug abuse, mental health, sexuality, and friendship, does this cultural touchpoint resonate through the characters’ fashion and beauty choices?

‘Euphoria’: character-inspired aesthetics for Gen Zers

To align with industry regulations in other marketing channels, the Australian government is prohibiting influencers from using personal testimonials in their social media. Adapting to these updates could be an opportunity for brands to formulate even more authentic and fan-led comms strategies.

Promo regulations push for more trustworthy content

Following the UK scrapping its COVID-19 restrictions, Lush is signalling its commitment to people’s health. While encouraging staff to continue self-isolating, it’s putting protection first, and by offering free soap to customers, its approach is tapping people’s continued desires for safety.

Lush puts safety first with continued COVID protections

How is NYX supporting and improving diversity in the LGBTQIA+ community?

NYX Professional Makeup’s PROUDLY PRO-YOU campaign is an extension of its staunch commitment to diverse representation and inclusivity within the world of beauty. How are the brand’s direct and practical actions reflective of new consumer expectations around allyship and authenticity?

NYX: authentic LGBTQIA+ allyship in the world of beauty

How is Mojo tackling the shame around erectile dysfunction?

Social taboos have long made it difficult to get men talking about sexual wellness, but subscription-based platform Mojo wants to change that. By connecting subscribers with professionals and a dedicated community, it’s going beyond short-term solutions to tackle long-term problems.

Mojo: an empathetic approach to men’s sexual health

For international brands, appealing to local audiences requires a nuanced understanding of culture and influence. The Beijing Winter Olympics has provided an opportunity to form strong relationships with people in China, in this case, through partnerships with Olympic athletes.

Global luxury brands align with local Olympians in China

Offering semi-permanent tattoos for the North American market, the LG Household and Healthcare printer caters to Gen Zers, who place a high value on self-expression. As the beauty tech market grows and enters the home, brands are offering people moments of novelty, creativity, and play.

Mini tattoo printer brings playfulness to beauty tech

German beauty might be the regional influence that supersedes the longstanding popularity of K-beauty. As people place more value on high regulation standards for ingredients and production practises, they're looking for brand transparency and a convenient buying process.

German regulations meet beauty buffs' transparency needs

User-generated content holds the most influence over people's purchasing decisions. As brands and mega influencers lose clout but more people still want guidance when it comes to purchase decisions, it's leading them to look within their social circles authentic and trustworthy advice.

Peer-to-peer interactions hold most sway on purchases

Social media is full of ‘empowering’ and ‘positive’ catchphrases that encourage self-love, but these shallow epithets can often make matters worse. A satirical scene in HBO’s Euphoria expresses Gen Zers’ frustration within toxic positivity and their desire for honesty around negative emotions.

Gen Zers satirize toxic positivity and call for candor

People are more and more comfortable calling out brands’ hollow commitments to making the world a better place and they're prioritising brands that share their ethical values. Tapping in this, Dove’s spot highlights the problem of discrimination against Black hair and calls for making it illegal.


Dove ad advocates for hair equality

With Chinese Gen Yers and Zers facing increased stress and anxiety, they're turning to Ayurvedic beauty practices to find peace. As Chinese people turn inward, brands can help explore the link between spirituality and beauty, giving people the chance to restore themselves via the Indian practice.

Ayurvedic beauty offers restorative regimens

Why might algorithms entrench colorism in beauty?

The discussion around colorism in the US is moving beyond skin-deep ideas of representation and visibility to structural and even technological change. How much are beauty brands catching up to this cultural conversation and ensuring their products and marketing are as inclusive as possible?

How can tech tackle colorism in beauty?

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