A recent survey found that 82% of women believe social media drives the definition of beauty. This is incredibly powerful. It represents a dramatic change from a time when established industry tastemakers set the trends. Today, through selfies and influencers who’ve established themselves on social networks like YouTube or Instagram, women are seeing beauty through an entirely new lens. Marketers are already responding with an inclusionary approach to imagery, selecting diverse models and celebrity endorsers. As we approach 2016, Women’s Marketing takes a look at more trends that are poised to change the beauty industry’s perspective.
Experience at Retail
Sephora’s innovative TIP (Teach, Inspire, Play) concept stores aim to create a dynamic interactive experience for consumers by offering a vast array of services and classes that will make a visit to the retail store a fun, individualized experience. We can expect other retailers to follow in Sephora’s footsteps, creating experiential venues for women to learn and experiment with the latest beauty products.
Continued Asian Innovation
Cosmoprof Asia celebrated its 20th anniversary with a record number of international visitors. This suggests that the interest in Asian beauty products is only increasing. This year, we can expect to see continued innovation from Korea, Japan, China, and India as these markets expand into the U.S.
Family Beauty
While the majority of men use grooming products, facial skincare is the category with the biggest opportunity to expand usage. As there is an increasing acceptance of facial skincare products among Millennial men, there is an opportunity to educate them on the preventive benefits of skincare. Likewise, there’s an opportunity to reach Millennial moms with natural and organic skin care products for babies and children. Sunscreen, moisturizers, and lotions and creams that address specific childhood skin issues offer another area of growth for brands.
Multi-Tasking Products
As women lead increasingly busy lives, products that do double or triple duty will appeal to them. Makeup formulas that contain SPF, have moisturizing properties, and brightening benefits and color cosmetic crayons that can multi-task are among the trends that will continue to intrigue women in 2016.
At Home Beauty Devices
Market research projects that the beauty device category will grow at a compounded annual rate of more than 18% through 2020. New products, especially the buzzed-about LED/light therapy masks and cleansing brushes, are bringing spa-like treatments into the home. As the price point for these products fall into a more affordable range, more women will invest in this category.
Natural
Researchers found that 49% of Millennial women prefer natural or organic skin care products and intend to purchase them in the future. As concerns about endocrine-disrupting chemicals and the environment grow, women are selecting products with fewer, more natural, but equally effective, ingredients.
Social
Social media, including YouTube, will continue to be a leading factor in how women discover and engage with beauty brands. Researchers found that 54% of women say branded visual content makes them feel interested in a product. Brands should consider stepping up their content programs, engagement, exploring hot platforms such as Snapchat Instagram and YouTube, or partnering with influencers to bring their brand to a larger audience.
Indie Brands
Long-established beauty giants hungry for innovation and the coveted Millennial demographic continued to acquire a record number of independent beauty brands. Analysts expect this trend to continue as there’s a growing interest among Millennial women in unique products and brands with an intriguing point-of-view and voice.
Cultural Marketing
In the past, marketing lines were drawn around ethnicity, effectively silo-ing Latina and African American women. Today, as our country grows more diverse, marketers will have to shift their messages from speaking to specific demographics to “culturizing” their communications to create inspiring experiences and content that resonates with their audience.
Individualism
From the ability to craft one’s own perfume to individualized cosmetic palettes, Millennials and their younger cohorts, GenZ expect they will be able to customize almost everything. Brands that make their products about their consumer and are able to react nimbly to her desires will be ahead of the game in 2016.
In an expanding global market, women have more choices in the beauty category than ever before. Trying to keep up with all the innovation in the marketplace has even the most devoted consumer’s head spinning and marketers wondering what happened to loyalty. In 2016, brands will have to re-define how they engage their consumer and find innovative ways to remain top-of-mind. Targeted advertising, social promotion, and influencer programs will allow brands to stand out among their competition. Contact Women’s Marketing today to learn how we can help your brand to be heard…in 2016 and beyond.
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