Handbag real estate is in short supply. Women carry around 40 items in their bags – from iPhones, to spare knickers. Stowaway makes ‘right sized’ cosmetics; small enough to be slipped into a clutch. Can this tiny beauty brand disrupt the big players in a $60 billion beauty industry?

From food and fitness products to books and booze, subscription boxes are disrupting the traditional way in which many consumers experience goods. With Sephora set to jump on the subscription box bandwagon, subscription-commerce competition in the beauty arena is set to hot up.

Online beauty retailer Birchbox has opened its first store in New York City's SoHo. With over 400,000 active subscribers, Birchbox's store aims transpose its online success to the real world by combining the best elements of both online and offline retail experiences.

Often described as having flawless, porcelain-like skin, Japanese women have long been the poster models for luminous Asian complexions. Tapping into this perception among US women, Tatcha is a geisha-inspired skincare line. But can it change American attitudes to skincare?