Makeup Industry in Bloom

"Wow, she beats her face every day," is an insult turned compliment in current times by Kylie
Jenner, Jeffree Star, James Charles, Patrick Star and so many other make-up influencers. They
have become household names that we hear on a daily basis. Whether we realize it or not, this
is a big deal because they have made wearing make-up a normal, every day deed - even for
men. In recent times, we have YouTube and Instagram personalities keeping us posted on new
products launches, techniques, and styles. With all the technology in today’s society, the big
make-up influencers have left a mark in the glamour industry, which has normalized drastic
change in health, business, history, and the culture of cosmetics.

Dressing up and putting make-up on has been prevalent since the historical periods. Both men
and women used stones and bones of dead animals to make assorted jewelery pieces of
different sort. Females used berries to tint their lips. The production and use of make-up and
cosmetics increased during the Elizabethan era where the higher class women were expected to
have pale skin and red cheeks. As technology was not in its best form during that time, many
harmful chemicals like lead, mercury and carbonate which had their own side-effects. However,
with the advancement in science, the cosmetic industry has made a stark differences in how
products are made more 'friendly' for user. the world market.

During the 90's, women were guided in fashion and beauty by what they saw in the magazines
and on the fashion show catwalks. But as with everything else, influencers change. Now women
and men are influenced by what blogs they read or what by what manufacturer is using social
media the most. The use of the internet has made everything more accessible. Looking to take a
new direction in reaching the masses, specialty retailers led by Sephora, appeared in malls with
the concept of self-sevice, "try before you buy". Here consumers can 'play' with cosmetics,
fragrances and skincare products before deciding if it was worth the purchase. Initially, the idea
only resonated with Generation X and Millennials. Eventually though, the concept did catch on
with consumers that didn't have the limit on spending like the Millennials.

But with the introduction of mass marketing on the internet and through smartphones, the
personalized shopping experience has taken a bit of a hit. Online beauty subscriptions and
companies like FunFitFab, BirchBox or other 'beauty boxes", have made it fun and easy to
receive 'trial' products at home. Beauty retailers are still trying to make the shopping experience
personal by having consumers chose their favorite looks, so they get a personalized suggestions
in their emails monthly. By doing this, e-commerce companies are able to monitor spending
behaviors of their consumers. So this information is assisting brands in looking for way
customize the shopping experience even more. This area will of course continue to grow, as the
competition from smaller, 'cooler' companies grows also.

Even with all the effort put into e-commerce, the struggle is still real for mass-market cosmetics
and personal care. The challenges from the smaller, independent brands, as well as shoppers
moving towards Ulta Beauty and Sephora, did not bring in the dollars that the retailers were
trying to cash in on. Sales were down across the board for many popular brands in a recent
study. Revlon sales declined by 11%; e.l.f sales down 14% and Coty was down as well by 13%
for the ?????? sales quarter. TABS Analytics 5th Annual Color Cosmetics Study suggested
the beauty industry in general is about to hit a wall. The research survey of 1,000
consumers showed that the heaviest beauty enthusiasts are buying less. “This sector is
clearly in decline and will soon be in recession- a state that retailers and product
manufacturers can expect to last for several years,” said Kurt Jetta, president and
founder of TABS Analytics. That being said, mass brand manufacturers and retailers
remain optimistic, convinced that this year will show a turnaround in volume and
consumer expectations. (Source: Follow the Leaders)

As we move forward, we also notice a very remarkable change in who gets to wear makeup. It has always been expected of
“women” to look their best and hence, splurge in cosmetic products. In recent times, however, men have shun the shelter
and come out into the world as individuals who like to wear makeup. In an interview with Vogue, the very talented and
popular James Charles said that he wants to keep on creating makeup videos unless it becomes common and not
obligatory for young boys and men to paint their face. Likewise, Manuel Gutierrez, stage name Many MUA has in his
Instagram bio written “I think boys deserve just as much cosmetic recognition”. As the society is trying to come out
genderless, we have more individuals who are taking up the art of makeup as a weapon.

In the past, when a consumer was concerned about what was in a product, they had beauty
advisors, who were educated by the brands to guide them. But now consumers are becoming
more aware and questioning the ingredients that go into the making of the products. Products
containing paraben or alcohol have been pushed to the side, for more natural or organic brands.
Consumers are becoming educated on raw materials and ethical and environmental issues, as
well. Brands are now highlighting their products as natural, as well as, 'free' from assorted
chemicals and additives. (Source: Changing Face of Cosmetics) Brands are also under the
pressure of not testing their products on animals or use their fur, and skin in the
production of any cosmetic product. For instance, ColourPop comes clean as not testing
on animals. Other cruelty free brands include The Body Shop, Tarte Cosmetics and many
more.

Skincare regime has also become a factor in the cosmetic industry. Korean style make-up
and skincare has taken the internet by storm. Korean modeled products are made from
traditional Korean ingredients, such as: pearl powder, snail secretions, starfish extracts,
bee venom, ground bamboo, seaweed and Tremella mushrooms. Kline, a world-wide
research group said that U.S. K-beauty sales totalled $ 225 million in 2016, up 30% over
2015. Ingredients have been popular in Korea for years, but social media exposure has
given the products worldwide attention. Even a major retailer like CVS Pharmacy features
a K-beauty section in 2,000 stores. Products are affordable, easy to use and have eye-
catching colourful packaging. (Source: A Whole New Makeup World)
Cosmetic marketing and education has turned to digital platforms, as opposed to
traditional beauty counters. (Source: Changing Face of Cosmetics) Makeup is considered to
be more of an art now than it was before. The cosmetic industry has gained so much recognition
worldwide that it has become a full-time job to be a social media makeup influencer. Companies
are ready to collaborate with well-established influencers in order to promote their products
where PR packages play a very important role. It is no more closed within a given boundary-
makeup has more meaning than just simply painting one’s face to look presentable. Initiatives
taken by individuals like Deepica Mutyala in creating a platform that is named Livetined allows
women, big or small from all over the world to showcase their talents, irrespective of their skin
tone. Brands such as Maybelline New York and Fenty beauty have a wide range of foundation
shades to choose from that enables women of every skin tone to try their makeup products. The
cosmetic market now provides a common platform for individuals who are willing to experiment
with colors.

Works Cited
Garbato, Debby. “A Whole New Makeup World: Social Media, Influencers and Online Threats Change How Retailers
Approach Cosmetics.” Drug Store News, vol. 41, no. 1, Jan. 2019, p. 88. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=f6h&AN=133741314&site=ehost-live.
Yarussi-King, Karen1. “Changing Face of Cosmetics: Global Trends Push Personal Care Back to Basics.” Cosmetics &
Toiletries, vol. 133, no. 3, Mar. 2018, pp. DE1-DE6. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=bft&AN=128324968&site=ehost-live.
ROBEHMED, NATALIE. “MONEY FOR NOTHING... AND THE CLICKS FOR FREE. (Cover Story).” Forbes, vol. 201, no. 6,
Aug. 2018, pp. 66–72. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bft&AN=130535182&site=ehost-live.
Mendelson, Seth. “Follow the Leaders: What Innovation Will Some of the Largest Names in Beauty Roll out This Year?”
Drug Store News, vol. 41, no. 2, Feb. 2019, p. 86. EBSCOhost,search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=f6h&AN=134752599&site=ehost-live.

In the 90's, supermodels from the glossy magazines were considered to be trendsetters
in beauty and fashion. However, with the increasing scope in media, we now have
influencers who are sponsored by brands to promote their products. For years,
individuals visited make-up stores for face-to-face service (Source: A Whole New Makeup
World). But over the last few years, the cosmetic industry has undergone a massive
makeover- a global transformation with each region of the world contributing in different
ways. The biggest driver has been from outside the industry, namely the Internet and
smartphones. The Internet in particular has made the world smaller and more accessible,
but it also has been the source of both positive and negative changes. In the late 1990's,
speciality retailers led by Sephora, appeared in malls with a new one-stop, self-service,
try-before-you-buy model dedicated to selling only cosmetics, fragrances and skincare,
but with the addition of toiletries, hair care and later, beauty tools. Initially, only
Generation X and Millennials, with limited time and money embraced this new model,
while many baby boomers continued to shop at department stores. Speciality retailers
had an allure: the ability to play with and compare hundreds of products in a no-pressure
atmosphere, since the beauty advisors were not paid by any one brand. As a result,
smaller, “hipper” brands launched and found success in speciality retailers without the
costs associated with paying beauty advisors or counters, as in the department store
model. (Source: Changing Face of Cosmetics)

Ironically, the much-desired, personalised shopping experience appears to have been

replaced by the impersonal nature of the Internet and smartphone apps as the future of
how we are buying cosmetics has shifted again. The growing cadre of online beauty
subscription services allows women to test new makeup regularly from brands large and
small. E-commerce retailers include Sephora and Ulta Beauty where from consumers can
buy products with just one click and enjoy personalised shopping. In place of traditional
marketing, consumer e-commerce behaviour is being monitored. The information
collected is allowing many brands to look for ways to customise both product offerings
and personalise the online shopping experience. This area will continue to grow in the
future with increased global competition, creating a new cosmetic landscape with a level
playing field where traditional brands will need to either acquire indie brands or find
alternative ways to remain relevant. The infusion of smart digital technology will be the
key. (Source: Changing Face of Makeup)

With all good news being bandied around, it seems that the mass-market cosmetics and
personal care businesses are struggling a bit, and it may get worse before it gets better.
A heady combination of increased challenges from independent brands and a shopper
drain away from mass to such speciality doors as Sephora and Ulta Beauty caused some
angst for retailers looking to cash in on this key segment.
Before the internet, consumers learned about the benefits of ingredients and product
performance from beauty advisors- who were educated by the brands themselves.
However, now that the cosmetic industry has become as important as any other
business, people are becoming more aware of the ingredients that go into the making of
these products. Consumers are no more inclined to products that include alcohol and
paraben in them. Via the Internet, natural/ organic brands and certification bodies are
gaining respect and influence while continuing to educate the consumer on raw
materials, as well as environmental and ethical issues. As evidence, free- from claims,
novel/exotic alternatives to traditional cosmetic ingredients and new natural ingredient
claims are now the crux of most marketing stories. In response to this, even brands
previously opposed to this movement are adding “cruelty-free” to their packaging or
highlighting the natural component in their formula.

Skincare regime is also considered as an essential wing of the cosmetic market in today’s
world. Korean style makeup and skincare has taken the internet by storm. Korean
influenced products are made from traditional ingredients like