‘Less is more’ is going to be the beauty motto this year. In the last few years, the market witnessed the increasing popularity of this trend which was completely in contrast to the idea of “ideal beauty” that existed a few years ago. What’s in store for this year? Minimalistic beauty trends, waterless products, ugly beauty and many more.
Korean beauty products have been ruling the market for the last few years. Innovative packaging, hybrid ingredients and a highly personalized approach to skincare usage took over the market by storm and it will continue to stay steady this year. Brands like Innisfree & face shop have inspired several other companies to come up with creative ways for increasing their popularity. However good the quality or famous the brand, a good packaging has become extremely important for the brand to gain popularity, especially amongst the youth. Well-known brands like Lakme have altered their packaging giving it a complete makeover. Rice, green tea, bamboo and other Korean ingredients have proved effective on different skin types and are here to stay. It wouldn’t be surprising if a brand comes up with a unique combination of Korean, Indian and say Greek ingredients… you never know! This is going to be a year of experimenting with new trends, innovation and redefining beauty in a new way. But this year, these Korean brands would certainly have to compete with emerging Japanese brands like Shishedo, SK-11 and Biore.
Speaking of ingredients, hemp has taken over the market off lately. Gone are the days when argan oil was a thing and every brand came up with new products containing this new ‘elixir’ for good skin and hair. Though it hasn’t completely gone out of trend, it’s interesting how new ingredients replace the older ones. Be it lip balms, highlighters or moisturizers, hemp is on fire.
Asian beauty products have been dominating the European market for a while now. Skin care and beauty is no longer limited to one popular brand. The market has digressed and several smaller brands guaranteeing quality have stood up against these popular faces. Purearth, an Indian beauty brand guarantees 100% natural ingredients, of being cruelty-free and vegan, eco-friendly packaging and unique ingredients. This proves that not one but multiple factors are deemed necessary in today’s times. Consumers are fighting for sustainability and lesser pollution even in the smallest way possible. The beauty industry now seems to have united to fight the impact of pollution. Waterless products have become a thing. Lush is pioneering the movement for zero packaging by making products in solid form, from shampoo to make up. This January, Lush come up with the first packaging free cosmetic shop in the United Kingdom. One has to agree, it has been a great start!
A beauty product has become synonymous to one’s ideals and values. As I open up the Glossier website, a dark-skinned model with no flawless skin or perfect teeth greets me with the warmest smile. ‘Beautifully ugly’ is seen as desirable and credible. Previously, the brand only had four shades for its perfecting skin tint. But now, they have come up with a range of skin shades as if accepting beauty in different forms. ‘Skin care first, make up second’ as the brand thoughtfully puts it, has attracted the new age men and women for whom the tint is not merely a thing to be applied on their faces. It means much more. People have started thinking, becoming more aware each day. The consumer likes to be informed and to have complete knowledge of what he or she is using.
Thick brows and brow stencils will continue to stay. What else?
Who wouldn’t want to use face masks and face massage tools. Surprisingly, dying hair with shades of silver and grey might be considered trendy. According to Pinterest, the searches for ‘going-grey’ had gone up by 879% in 2018. Wonder what’s going to happen this year! As we wait for new surprises to unfold, one thing is for sure- the definitions of health and beauty will converge further.
