Despite the ever present concern about the economy, American beauty consumers are spending more. They are spending more on prestige products and trading up. There’s a significant “premiumization” of what would normally be considered commodity products:  toothpaste (Aurezzi toothpaste & mouthwash $39 each), deodorants (LeLabo for $37) and household cleaning products.

Dr. Barbara Sturm, DedCool and Bath & Body Works are recent entries in this category. Unilever’s Dove just launched a collection of Plant Based Cleansing Bars in the premium space providing “a new standard for what consumers should expect from a premium bar—an elevated sensorial experience.” As the US accounts for about 25% of the global beauty market, what happens here is important to monitor.

Looking at a few numbers from 2023 (according to Circana), prestige beauty grew 14% to $31.7 billion.  The mass market gained 6%.  In general product categories, lip oils are strong, as is hand soap and scalp care.  Prestige fragrance grew 12% in a small, but star category. Prestige haircare grew 14%. Total US beauty grew 11% on a dollar basis.

Ironically, despite the strength of the prestige market, dupes remain important and compelling. While years ago the “copy” category stayed out of the lime light, brands today shout out their efforts and love flaunting their success stories on social media. E.L.F. has proudly made a name for itself in this category, providing quality “copies” of trending products for a fraction of the retail price.

Large beauty brands continue to search for acquisition opportunities that allow them to move into new spaces and find new customers. There have been several noteworthy acquisitions in recent months:

• Bridgepoint Capital purchased RoC Skincare.
• Shiseido purchased Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare.
• E.L.F. Beauty purchased Naturium Skincare.
• Unilever acquired premium biotech hair care brand K18.
• Puig acquired Dr. Barbara Sturm Skincare.

While Bricks and Mortar retail is still recovering from Covid, finding its way back to health and trying to sort out how to improve the beauty consumer’s in-store experience, the category is showing signs of life.  It remains 75-85% (depending on the category) of the beauty business, a number we often forget with the double digit growth of online shopping in recent years (ecommerce in beauty grew 13.6% in 2023 according to Insider Intelligence).

We know brands perform better and sell more product when they are present in both channels:  online and in-store. For brands to really scale and build brand awareness, that Bricks and Mortar presence is crucial. Technology and AI are moving as fast as they can in the beauty category, but nothing compares to the experience of trying on a red lipstick or spritzing a fragrance in real life!

Social Media and influencers that populate it are major drivers in the US beauty landscape.  Two thirds of beauty shoppers say they turn to influencers to discover new products (Harvard Business School). One-third of beauty consumers interact with brands on social media.(Social Samosa). Four out of five beauty shoppers use Instagram daily (Harvard Business School).  Despite the controversy, the lack of regulatory oversight, and the constantly shifting landscape, the importance of this category in the beauty world cannot be overestimated.

Here’s a quick overview of some of the beauty trends that will impact consumer spending in the category in the US this year:

• The focus on sustainability is here to stay, but consumers won’t pay extra for it (despite what they say).
• Efficacy trumps “clean”. Science is critical and consumers recognize that.
• Premiumization in every category is happening. Despite concerns about the economy (and all the other worries consumers are tracking), beauty is an affordable luxury and a brief escape into self-indulgence.
• Hair and scalp care, niche fragrances, supplements and sexual wellness are categories of potential solid growth.

US consumers have started 2024 over indexing their spending on tech and devices and health and wellness. The beauty industry fits nicely into the second category.  We’re working on it, but we need to up our game in technology.  There’s a lot of it creeping into beauty, but most of it is clunky and awkward.  Lots of room for improvement here.

Our industry is off to a solid start in 2024. We have trained beauty consumers to be constantly on the alert for newness, innovation and bright shiny objects that may be little more than a facelift. The year is just getting started, but there appears to be a substantial quantity of all of these on the beauty horizon. I’m optimistic. Keep the young, upstart brands coming and the established, legacy brands re-inventing themselves. Let retailers continue to create new “experiences” to entice us inside. Who knows where social media will lead us next.  Yes, I’m optimistic.

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Feeling inspired to see ingredients and trends in action?

Then why not visit one of the in-cosmetics events around the world?

BROWSE SHOWS

Unlike the elaborate and sophisticated grooming trends of Asian men, such as those in South Korea, male grooming regimes in the West have traditionally lacked complexity. However, driven by the individualistic mind-set of the millennial consumer, the male grooming industry is seeing something of a revolution in the West. Traditional gender norms are being broken down and challenged in ways unprecedented in categories traditionally viewed as ‘feminine’, such as colour cosmetics, highlighting key innovation opportunities for beauty manufacturers worldwide.

According to GlobalData’s consumer research, 72% of millennial males believe their looks and appearance to be important to them, while 61% of millennial men prefer to be unique and stand out from the crowd. Considering these statistics, the uptake of the male beauty trend no longer appears difficult to comprehend. Millennial males seek freedom from the gender norms associated with traditional notions of ‘masculinity’, and in their continued quest for individuality, are turning toward the beauty industry to help differentiate them, similarly to the way they would with their clothing or music choices.

While more niche players in the beauty industry are creating products that cater specifically to male demands, it has become increasingly common that mainstream beauty players are engaging with this trend through inclusive advertising campaigns. Just last year alone, prominent players such as Rimmel London, Maybelline and L’Oreal launched advertising campaigns featuring male spokesmen, often well-recognized within the beauty industry, to attract wider millennial appeal.

This March, Milk Makeup also paved the way for a more inclusive way of thinking about make-up, and created a ‘genderless campaign’ which encouraged their fan base to ‘blur the lines’ between genders, demonstrating that make-up appeals to all. MAC Cosmetics also collaborated with social media stars, the Brant brothers, to create a unisex make-up line that challenges the traditional standards of masculinity and femininity.

Millennials and their evolving, unconventional attitudes are therefore creating important opportunities for beauty and personal care brands to capitalise on. GlobalData’s presentation will take an in-depth look at the beauty and grooming trends being driven by the wider millennial demographic and will explore how brands can effectively target this cohort through innovation both now and in the future.

GlobalData will present on targeting millennials through beauty innovation on Thursday from 12.15 to 13.00 on 6 April 2017 in the Marketing Trends Theatre at in-cosmetics Global

Common definition: Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (Brundtland Report commissioned by United Nations 1987)

The importance of sustainability to consumer companies

People connect with brands and in the personal care industry these connections can be very strong as consumers identify with their favourite brands. Companies nurture these connections to increase and protect the equity in their brands. Increasingly, people want to know information such as what ingredients are in their chosen brands; where the ingredients come from; whether they are tested on animals; if they are renewable; and if they contribute to deforestation or loss of biodiversity? Ultimately, they expect their brands to be sustainable.  Social media, NGOs and blogs ensure that bad news travels fast and global damage to brand equity via social media can be immediate and long lasting.

All of this brings sustainability right to the forefront of consumer businesses. I would argue it contributes to a more conservative, risk averse approach. It drives good behaviour, creative thinking and very strong sustainability programmes in some major companies.

However, not all businesses move at the same pace and there are some clear leaders with strong, clear messages and targets.  Then there are some not taking the same proactive stance – a current example is industry support for sustainable palm. The leaders have near term targets to develop the physical supply chain for CSPO ingredients, typically by 2020. Those that don’t may find themselves under increased scrutiny from NGOs.

How can the ingredient supplier contribute?

My view is that the majority of consumer-facing businesses have sustainability programmes and ingredient suppliers need to be aligned with these and proactively contribute.

At Croda, sustainability of ingredients is captured in our ingredient integrity programme that covers:

• Intrinsic environmental metrics: reducing carbon footprint, water and waste; increased use renewable raw materials; increased use of non-fossil fuel energy; and greater efficiency of products in use; and
• Sustainable raw material supply: renewable vs petrochemical; and the sustainability credentials of the renewable raw materials – palm being a current focus.

Sustainability is a touch point with customers and is increasing in importance.  It has become a KPI against which many customers now measure suppliers, in addition to service, quality, cost and innovation, which brings another dimension to the customer/supplier relationship.

Chris Sayner, Vice President, Customer Alliances Corporate Sustainability at Croda International, will lead a Sustainability Roundtable from 13.15 to 14.00 on Wednesday 5 April 2017 in the Marketing Trends Theatre at in-cosmetics Global

Facial exfoliation is quickly becoming a daily skincare practice in South Korea, and formats such as boosters, serums and creams are adopting exfoliating claims

Gentler daily exfoliants take over traditional scrubs and peels:

• Exfoliating dead skin cells is essential to achieving a glowing, well-moisturised, ‘K-beauty’ look, and this is driving brands to develop easy-to-use, lower irritation and multifunctional exfoliants.

• Gentler exfoliants such as toners, serums and overnight creams present a lucrative opportunity that meet consumers’ needs and will increase usage frequency. PHA ingredients look set to follow the growth of AHA and BHA, and this highlights the importance of lessening irritation.

• In addition to their increasing launch frequency, exfoliants show potential as a specialised at-home treatment. Brands should consider utilising natural ingredients, sensory experiences, easy applicators and gender- or age-based segmentation.

Facial exfoliation is an essential part of the daily routine for most South Korean women:

K-beauty is well known for its lengthy, meticulous skincare rituals, which often incorporate up to 10 steps. Korean skincare innovation is driven by women’s desire to achieve a so-called ‘chok-chok’ complexion – plump and moisturised. Exfoliation is regarded as an essential step towards ‘chok-chok’, with as many as three-quarters of Korean females in their 20s and 30s regularly using facial peels and 88% of these using at-home treatments.

Exfoliants like scrubs and peels remain the most popular format but, despite their positive results and inclusion of moisturising functionality, consumers still express some concern about irritation, convenience and time. These unmet needs could therefore drive the development of new exfoliants designed for daily use.

Exfoliation: from weekly scrub to daily skincare essential

The growing launch frequency of daily, leave-in format exfoliants is based on the popularity of chemical ingredients such as AHA, BHA and the newer PHA (poly hydroxy acids), which excel at removing dead skin cells without the need for scrubbing.

South Korean derma-cosmetic brand CNP’s Invisible Peeling Booster is a hero product which has taken the market by storm since its release in late 2014. Leave-in daily exfoliators are not a new concept, as evidenced by Clinique’s ‘3 step’, but local launches in South Korea, which are affordably priced and have a variety of claims, have boosted interest. Such products are evolving to embrace a wide variety of beauty-centric claims including moisturising, whitening, anti-ageing, wrinkle reduction and hypoallergenic.

Exfoliants can be incorporated into different skincare steps

Brands looking to follow CNP Invisible Peeling Booster’s lead should explore opportunities in other skincare categories outside of the ‘booster’ format.

IOPE launched its peeling essence, which contains three acid ingredients and is ideal for overnight use, while Espoir’s lightening toner works to smoothe skin before the application of make-up. Overnight creams and sleeping packs – a growing category in Asia – present opportunities for synergy with peels. Global brand Bioderma is tapping into this trend by promoting its sebum serum as a sleeping pack.

Following the success of AHA and BHA ingredients, PHA is seen as a gentler, lower-irritation exfoliant, and will thus be taking the spotlight amongst 2016’s new product launches.

Convenience and safety are essential to driving innovation

While the facial scrub category shifts into daily skincare launches, physical exfoliation has been seeking a new format which enhances its efficacy and minimises irritation. Special cotton swabs and pads that are soaked with an exfoliating, beauty-functional formula can offer the dual effect of both physical and chemical exfoliation. Sheets which mimic mud or rubber paste masks also claim to exfoliate and unclog pores. Products like these will help to meet consumer need for convenient at-home treatments.

Multi-functional daily exfoliants and exfoliation-focused treatments are the two main directions in which peeling products are evolving, and convenience and safety will be pivotal in driving further innovation. This evolution could lead to an increase in natural ingredients, easy application formats, and sensory experience. The relatively unexplored areas of age- and gender-based segmentation are also key avenues for product development.

Jane Jang will be presenting on trends in the South Korean beauty markets in-cosmetics London, on the 4th April at 12.15am in the Marketing Trends Theatre. You can also visit Mintel on Stand JJ70 where they will be hosting live product demonstrations.

Jane Jang, Global Beauty and Personal Care Analyst at Mintel, will present on Spotlight on K-Beauty from 12.15 to 13.00 on Tuesday 4 April 2017 in the Marketing Trends Theatre at in-cosmetics Global

Leading global cosmetics companies are turning to a full spectrum of promising anti-pollution ingredients. These range from plant extracts, vitamins or antioxidant complexes to ingredients that simply create a physical barrier between the skin and the pollutants, or those with metal chelating or magnetic properties that are claimed to prevent the pollutant from interacting with the skin. So far the industry has not been able to provide information to the consumer regarding the level of pollution protection in the same way that sunscreen manufacturers do by using the sun protection factor.

Anti-pollution ingredients on the rise

Although anti-pollution products are relatively new to the cosmetic market, some of the ingredients have been around for a very long time. Plant extracts, vitamins and antioxidant complexes are among the most popular anti-pollution ingredients on the market, favoured by the growing demand for natural ingredients in cosmetics. A proven successful strategy is to simply reformulate skincare products by adding plant extracts and vitamins to make anti-pollution claims. Olay has reformulated its Total Effect with a greater proportion of vitamin E and Niacinamide and is expanding its Active Botanicals line containing two natural antipollution ingredients, artichoke extract and snow fungus, originally only used in its Chinese products, into Western markets. However, the simple addition of these ingredients to the products does not always guarantee high anti-pollution efficacy which makes it difficult for consumers to distinguish between simple marketing strategies and real anti-pollution products. A good anti-pollution product needs to contain UV protection plus ingredients that are able to hydrate the skin, strengthen the natural skin barrier, create a film barrier and have the right antioxidants in the required concentration and form to work against free radicals.

Other brands are betting on less traditional ingredients to provide pollution protection. Tula combines antioxidant and probiotic ingredients in its Urban Defence Hydrating Mist, while Lancôme City Miracle and Avon Clinical E-Defence Deep Recovery contain two specific antipollution ingredients – Detoxyl, a detoxifying and metal chelator agent that prevents metallic pollutants from sticking to the skin; and Thymosin β-4, a protein that helps to attract healthy cells to areas that have been damaged by pollution – which are among the innovative formulations reaching the market.

Ingredient manufacturers are increasingly looking for novel ingredients to meet the growing consumer demand for anti-pollution products. In 2016, Silab launched Mitokynil, rich in glucomannans, Sederma started to commercialise Citystem, with natural active ingredients, and Algues et Mer launched Invincity, containing brown algae and fucoidans. Other ingredients suppliers are focused on anti-pollution solutions based on ingredients that create a physical barrier between the skin and the pollutants. TRY-K recently launched PhytoV^TM, Solabia is now providing Pollustop and Covestro commercializes Baycusan, a water resistant multifunctional polyurethane polymer which does not require the use of external surfactants in the formulations.

However, the latest innovation is the use of ingredients with advanced anti-pollution properties, such as Pollushield, supplied by Lipotec, which combines a polymer with metal chelating properties to prevent the interaction of toxic metals with the skin, EPS WHITE, developed by CoDIF, which is a probiotic-derived ingredient that reduces pollution-induced inflammation, and Aquatide-TripleShield, provided by Incospharm, with strong autophagy inducing activity to help detoxify skin cells. New launches are on the horizon, for instance, the biotech company Greentech will launch in April 2017 a biological antipollution ingredient that activates the skin endogenous defence mechanisms and the detoxification pathways.

Markets for antipollution ingredients

Opportunities for new anti-pollution products differ between East and West. In the most polluted Eastern countries, such as China, demand for specific, single-purpose anti-pollution products, such as face masks containing plant extracts is expected, while in Western countries consumers often use fewer beauty products and demand for multifunctional products with UV and anti-pollution claims will be on the rise. Plant extracts and vitamins are the ingredients with the greatest growth potential, but demand for other antioxidant ingredients, such as niacinamide and ascorbic acid, is also expected to grow. Although facial skincare products such as moisturisers, masks, anti-agers and cleansers are still the most likely categories to carry antipollution ingredients, hair and sun care products are gaining momentum, especially in China and India.

Absolute volume growth forecast for antipollution ingredients in the fastest-growing Countries in Asia Pacific (2015-2020)

Source: Euromonitor International

China offers the greatest opportunities for anti-pollution ingredients in Asia-Pacific, followed by India and Pakistan. Facial masks, a key beauty product for most Chinese women, are expected to drive the growth in demand for plant extracts in Asia Pacific over the 2015-2020 forecast period, while other products, such as facial moisturisers, shampoos, facial cleansers and sun protection, will also show opportunities for plant extracts. Demand for vitamins in China is expected to grow in shampoos, sun protection and facial moisturiser formulations. In India, shampoos and facial moisturisers are expected to lead the growth in demand for plant extracts, while demand for vitamins is expected to grow in shampoos in the next five years. Pakistan shows the greatest growth potential for vitamins and plant extracts in anti-agers, shampoos and facial moisturizers in the 2015-2020 forecast period.

Consumers demand proof

Although cosmetic companies have found their own ways to proof their anti-pollution claims in an attempt to gain credibility among consumers, the reality is that there is no standardised protocol to back up these claims. Manufacturers can produce and market anti-pollution products with limited scientific evidence based on a wide variety of anti-pollution tests that vary from one company to another. More research to understand the effects of pollution on skin over time as well as the development of standardised tests, similar to those in place for the SPF values, are required to validate and quantify the product efficacy.

The industry needs to establish a minimum number of reliable parameters to be considered as anti-pollution markers to be tested. Some of the parameters that are under the radar are pH, levels of vitamin E, lactic acid, elastin, collagen and skin lipids such as triglycerides, free fatty acids, squalene, wax esters and cholesterol, which are believed to decrease with pollution, as well as other parameters such as the fixation of microparticles and heavy metals on skin and hair, the sebum secretion rate, and the levels of glycosylation end products, malondialdehyde, squalene monohydroperoxide, oxidized proteins, interleukin IL1a and adenosine triphosphate, which are likely to increase with pollution.

The development of a standard protocol to assess the efficacy of these products will allow consumers to have a better understanding about which products offer the best environmental protection. So far, there is no perfect solution or miraculous single ingredient able to provide full protection against pollution. A combination of a variety of botanical extracts, vitamins and ingredients that creates a physical barrier is likely to be the preferred option by consumers.

For further insight, please visit www.euromonitor.com

Anti-pollution cosmetics, a well-established trend in Asia Pacific due to the dangerous levels of air pollution, is now going global, driven by a growing consumer desire for a healthy look. Western consumers are increasingly looking for cosmetics with benefits that not only fight the signs of ageing but also protect against pollutants.

Growing urban pollution awareness in the West and global middle-class expansion in the East will shape the purchasing patterns of anti-pollution products over the coming years. This translates into big worldwide opportunities for leading cosmetic brands. Aware of this, ingredients manufacturers have moved quickly to capture the emerging opportunities that pollution brings to the market.

City air and premature skin ageing

A recent study conducted by L’Oréal points out the link between atmospheric pollution and premature skin ageing, especially in people with sensitive skin. According to this research, people living in very populous cities have lower levels of vitamin E and squalene in sebum compared to those living in rural areas. Urban pollution – and especially particulate matter with sizes of about 2.5 microns (PM_2.5) and 10 microns (PM₁₀) – seems to be one of the main threats to skin health. These fine particles are coated with polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heavy metals and other contaminants, which, in contact with the skin and hair, are capable of penetrating deeper layers, inducing collagen and elastin breakdown and the release of free radicals. Pollutants can cause cellular damage, dryness, inflammation and pigmentation, which are strong signs of premature skin ageing.

Unsurprisingly, cities in Asia Pacific, such as Shanghai and Beijing in China, New Delhi and Bangalore in India, and Karachi in Pakistan, are on the list of the most polluted cities in the world. According to the World Health Organisation, over 99% of the urban population in China, India and Pakistan are regularly exposed to PM_2.5 concentrations higher than those recommended.

Particulate matter mean annual exposure in selected countries

Source: [PM10 Emissions: Euromonitor International from EEA, Eurostat, OECD: PM 2.5 from World Bank]

 Diversification the secret for success

Anti-pollution ingredients are widely used in a wide variety of products in Asia Pacific where the worrying levels of air pollution were the inspiration for the development of these products. Asian brands such as Boroplus in India, Hua Niang and Fumakilla in China as well as Etude House in Korea and Shiseido in Japan pioneered the trend. Increasing consumer’s awareness of the effects of air pollutants on skin health and appearance is driving the demand for anti-pollution products worldwide. However, marketing of a product differs across regions. In China with the highest pollution levels in the world, health concerns are driving the trend while in the West premature skin ageing caused by pollution is the main sales driver.

Anti-pollution claims initially carried by facial skin products such as Lancôme City Miracle, REN Flash Defence Anti-Pollution Mist and Olay Total Effects are now increasingly advertised in skin cleansers, sun protection, haircare products and colour cosmetics. Sun protection products such as Clarins UV Plus Anti-Pollution SPF 50, Shisheido UV Urban Environment Protection SPF 40 and Vichy UV Pro Secure Anti UV Anti-Pollutant SPF 50 PA⁺⁺⁺ are now addressing both pollution and UV protection.

Besides sun protection, companies are now also marketing cleansing products claimed to be able to remove pollutants from the skin, such as Tata Harper purifying cleanser, Ponds men’s pollution-out all-in-one deep cleanser or the Dermalogica’s new Daily Superfoliant. Other anti-pollution products gaining traction in the market are standard shampoos and colour cosmetics. Henkel just launched its Schwarzkopf Extra Care Purify and Protect, a haircare range of products specially designed for Asia, while Bourjois launched its City Radiance foundation back in January. In order to take advantage of the new anti-pollution wave, cosmetics companies such as Sampar with its Smart Skin in the City line, Estée Lauder’s with its Clinique City Block line, Unilever with its Pond’s Pure White Cleansing line or Clarins, with its new Hydra-Essentiel Range, is now launching entire product lines completely dedicated to combatting air pollution, driven by increasing consumer demand.

The number of anti-pollution products reaching the market is increasing and this trend is expected to continue. However, not all products claimed to fight the effects of pollution are equally effective since the anti-pollution activity of a cosmetic product depends on its anti-pollution ingredients. Although consumers are currently demanding proof of safety and efficacy of the products they buy, the majority are still not able to fully understand complicated scientific terms and they generally rely on products that meet regulation and certification requirements.

For further insight, please visit www.euromonitor.com

Halal beauty is on the verge of going mainstream as the major players move into this emerging category with halal-certified formulations for products and new launches. Tipped for future growth at the in-cosmetics 2015 Marketing Trends presentations, Halal beauty products are starting to be in hot demand, not only from Muslim consumers, but those looking for more rigorous claims than most natural or organic brands can offer.

Rising Muslim populations with increased spending power are responsible for the burgeoning interest in halal products. According to Ildiko Szalai, senior research analyst – beauty and personal care at Euromonitor international*, Asia is becoming the driving force for Halal, most importantly Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. “Not complying with halal standards would be a significant trade barrier for expanding companies looking to reach the widest possible consumer base,”she maintains. Some of biggest personal care players are moving into this space, such as Colgate-Palmolive, who has obtained halal certification for its toothpaste and mouthwash products in Malaysia in 2009. Japanese-owned Shiseido now has halal certification for its 28 skincare products sold in Malaysia under the Za brand, while Talent Cosmetic became the first Korean beauty company to acquire halal certification for products targeting Malaysian consumers. Meanwhile, Unilever applied to Indonesia’s Muslim Council in November 2015 to have 204 products scrutinized, including key personal care brands such as Dove, Lifebuoy, Sunsilk, Clear and Tresemmé.

Regional Halal beauty brands are also expanding, not only in their home territory but internationally. For example, Ibab Halal Care, India’s first halal cosmetic brand, launched in 2014. “The brand sells over 80 Halal-certified products largely through standalone stores around India and global online stockists like Amazon and Flipkat,” explains Szalai. Another is Wardah, which has been successful in Indonesia, has a presence in Malaysia and its products are selling through leading European department stores, including Galeries Lafayette. “The best halal opportunities are currently in South East Asia with still plenty of room for growth here, but the Middle East and more developed markets in Africa show potential,” she adds.

However, Stephane Le Moullec, managing director, Butterfly London*, believes the the Halal market is largely untapped as very few global corporate brands have found the key to truly resonate with an audience that demands very different rules of engagement. This is due to the highly complex nature of what halal means. “If we take halal beauty simply as cosmetics, that means its ingredients and manufacturing process don’t include pork or alcohol, as well as adhering to Islamic codes of ethics,” explains Le Moullec. “If, however, we are talking about the concept of beauty and beautification that is in line with Muslim beliefs, this is still being defined.” The dichotomy lies in the Islamic belief that enhancing beauty is immodest versus a culture that is highly appreciative of other displays of personal grooming and visual arts.”

Young people, in particular, are driving demand for halal beauty products that fit their lifestyles and beliefs, but its appeal goes far beyond religious reasons. “Consumers already buy into labels such as vegan, organic, ethical, no animal cruelty, and halal encompasses many of these principles or values,” maintains Le Moullec, who stresses that halal products will have to deliver what they get from mainstream brands to successfully use halal as a differentiator. “This means not just being certified halal, but having attractive packaging and retail experience so that consumers don’t feel they are compromising. They will also need to create and develop a strong (Halal) brand that would resonate emotionally with consumers.”

According to Le Moullec, some of the most successful halal brands deliver to the same standard as their non-certified counterparts. Halal booking, the travel app, delivers all the functionality that consumers might experience from TripAdvisor or booking.com, as well as providing Muslims with the reassurance they need when using it.

Seven Scent is the first UK-based fragrance supplier to achieve halal certification for its entire portfolio following an audit of its manufacturing process by The Halal Trust. The company already had a strong record of creating halal-approved fragrances for PZ Cussons brands in Muslim-majority regions and took this step to open up new opportunities in western market where there is potential for halal-certified personal care and cosmetic products. On the Seven Scent website, Shoeeb Riaz, independent halal consultant and auditor for The Halal Trust, commented: “Modern, brand conscious young Muslims, particularly women, are keen to follow beauty trends and increasingly look for aspirational personal care and cosmetic products which meet their dual demand for beauty and faith. In the UK, for example, 37% of Muslims fall into the coveted 18-35 year old demographic which is an important consumer audience for brand owners.”

Becoming halal-compliant requires careful consideration. Firstly, brands need to consider if they really want to be compliant or to espouse certain values and philosophies that are consistent with a Muslim lifestyle. As halal certification is immensely complex, with various certifying bodies in different countries with Muslim populations, brands need to think about the best way to demonstrate their compliance -and whether there is scope for international expansion. “Crucially, they must match or improve what their non-compliant competitors offer, whether that is through a unique tone of voice, beautiful packaging, a world class retail theatre experience or understanding their religious and cultural beliefs and needs,” states Le Moullec.

The most successful halal beauty brands are local players which have been hugely successful in the Middle East and SE Asia, often founded by women who have resolved to tackle this demand themselves. Le Moullec sees huge scope for more established brands to replicate this success but most are still unsure on how to position themselves and how to engage with consumers. At this year’s in-cosmetics Marketing Trends presentations, he will examine the real opportunities for global players to connect with consumers whose beliefs and lifestyle demand a new type of brand experience.

*Euromonitor and Butterfly London will participate in the in-cosmetics Marketing Trends presentations at Excel, London from 4-6 April 2017.

Butterfly London managing director, Stephane Le Moullec will present on the complex world of Halal Beauty with consultant, Megan Powell.

The annual in-cosmetics Global show takes place in Excel, London, this April, with three days of Marketing Trends presentations from the world’s leading beauty research companies and consultancies. Sustainability is a key focus at this year’s show and there will be presentations and a round table discussion at the Marketing Trends theatre. In addition, presenters will speak on a range of themes, including emerging beauty trends in Asia, the fast-moving world of digital and the growth in Halal beauty.

Global beauty trends

Euromonitor will open the Marketing Trends programme with a presentation on global beauty trends set against the challenging conditions of economic volatility and shifting consumption patterns. Nicolas Micallef, senior analyst, beauty and personal care, Euromonitor, will highlight the rise of the “green” and health-conscious consumer and how beauty innovation is responding to a growing demand for holistic beauty based around cosmetic benefits, sensorial features and lifestyle attributes.

On the second show day, Charlotte Libby, global beauty and personal care analyst, Mintel, will present the Mintel’s beauty team key beauty predictions for 2017 and their likely impact on consumers and brands.

A special round table discussion on the implications of Brexit for the beauty industry will be hosted by UK beauty industry organisation, CTPA. Moderator, Dr Emma Meredith, director of science, CTPA, will lead an expert panel on the implications of the UK leaving the European Union. Speakers include Dr Chris Flower, director general, CTPA, and Olivia Santini, head of regulatory & international services, CTPA, who will examine the key challenges and insights into current political thinking, while discussing the CTPA’s role in responding to the challenges and its plans for the future.

Beauty trends: product categories, ingredients, targeting

Skincare is the largest global beauty category, forecast to be worth over $130bn in 2019, according to Kline. Skincare also accounts for the largest percentage of ingredients manufactured for the beauty industry, at 41% of the overall global volume of ingredients.  Nikola Matic, director, Kline, will discuss changes in skincare ingredient usage, such as multi-benefits, anti-aging, cleansing, moisturisation, anti-oxidant, UV protection, etc. His presentation will focus on the types of ingredients and formulation technologies currently driving growth.

Developing an ingredient-led narrative can help brands to differentiate their products from their competitors. Nick Vaus, leading partner and creative director, Dew Gibbons + Partners, will examine what it takes to create a compelling ingredient-led brand story that meets consumers’ demand for transparency and provenance as well as efficacy and desirability.

New ingredients for sunscreens that meet consumers’ changing needs and expectations is the theme of Maria Coronado Robles, ingredients associate analyst, beauty and personal care & home care, Euromonitor International’s presentation. She will discuss the global opportunity for a range of chemical and mineral filters while leaving room to find novel ingredients capable of forming stable formulations with enhanced efficacy and a sensory  profile.

The trends for health (“clean”) eating and wellness is spilling over into the beauty market. Jamie Mills, consumer insight analyst, Canadean, will discuss the growing influence of food and drink in beauty and personal care with a special focus on the wellness revolution and the continuing consumer desire for natural beauty solutions.

The market for at-home beauty devices is valued by Kline at nearly $2bn at manufacturers’ prices and grew by 11.5% globally in 2015. Ewa Grigor, project lead, Kline, will introduce the market’s key growth drivers and look at where beauty devices are most popular, while discussing product trends, innovation and future opportunities across various skincare concerns.

The Halal beauty market is complex and diverse, from the certification of products to the contention of beautification in Islam. Stephane le Moullec, managing director, Butterfly London, and Megan Powell, consultant, will examine this largely untapped category, where very few global corporates have found the key to connect with consumers whose beliefs and lifestyle demand a new type of brand experience.

Millennials are regarded as the beauty indutry’s most important demographic, but these young conusmers are demanding and hard to target due to their digital dependency and quest for authenticity. Ramaa Chipalkatti, lead analyst, Canadean, will explore what makes millennials tick, their attitudes and behaviours and how best to target them within beauty and personal care.

Beauty trends from Asia

Florence Bernardin, ceo & owner, Information & Inspiration, will present many examples of the latest colour cosmetic trends to come from Asia and how the region is influencing the cosmetics world. She will highlight famous beauty bloggers and social media in the region that are promoting the ideal selfie make-up approach, including DIY techniques on mixing colours and products. She will also examine the trend for Korean glow, Chinese healthy appearance and the Japanese “out of the bath” look that transcends the boundaries between skinare and make-up.

Jane Jang, global beauty and personal care analyst, Mintel, will focus on beauty trends in South Korea with an in-depth analysis of beauty, retail and consumer trends. Her presentation will also examine new areas of innovation and pinpoint where to search for inspiration.

What sustainability means within the beauty markets

A roundtable discussion concerning the major ways cosmetic and related firms are tackling sustainability will be moderated by Amarjit Sahota, founder & president, Organic Monitor. The panelists will include Bettina Wyciok, head of corporate sustainability and Chris Sayner, vide president global accounts, Croda, who will look at the major environmental and social issues, how important green formulations and ingredients are on the sustainability agenda and what the outlook is for a sustainable future.

Marie Alice Dibon, owner, Alice Communications, will examine the role of sustainability and social responsibility. She will discuss past efforts by companies to be sustainable and whether sustainability is the new “green” that washes all sins.

Developments in digital beauty

Many beauty brands find it difficult to keep pace with the fast-moving changes in digital technology and marketing, let along are able to predict what might come next. Herbie Dayal, ceo & founder, KMI Brands Ltd, will examine what uncertainty and a change of pace means for brand owners and provide ideas on how they can connect with consumers in a fluid and unstructured world.

Sean Singleton, managing director, Your Favourite Story, will also offer ideas on how to get to grips with digital marketing, which has the power to deliver online beauty sales and drive traffic into store. His tips and tactics will focus on how to use digital to “growth hack” your beauty launch.

Anastasia Georgievskaya, project manager, Beauty. AI & RYNKL, will discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) can be applied to the world of beauty. Her company, Youth Laboratories, has developed a wrinkle-tracking app, as well as an online beauty competition judged by a robot jury. Algorithms are used that go beyond the recognition of wrinkles and can be adjusted by the app users to help them look younger.

Marie Alice Dibon, owner, Alice Communications, will look further into the idea of beauty perception and the huge role the beauty industry has in shaping the perception of beauty in society and its impact on women’s quality of life.

Getting beauty products listed in retail

According to Helen Miller, managing director, Helen Miller Consulting, 80% of beauty sales are still made in bricks and mortar retailers, so getting a listing can mean make or break for many brands. Drawing on her extensive retail experience as Boots beauty buyer and more recently selling into retail, she will give advice on the key issues necessary to convince retailers to stock a new beauty brand.

Future beauty

Antoinette van der Berg, trend forecaster and art director, Future-Touch, believes that there are interesting opportunities for beauty brands to target the 3^rd gender by creating product in a way that suits them. She will bring clarification to the term to give better understanding and will highlight products her company have created with this demographic in mind.

Dominique Assenat, head of color, beauty and accessory, Peclers Paris, will present two trends that are predicted to influence the beauty markets in autumn/winter 2018. She will describe the key attributes of Minimal + and Nordic Shaman and what they will mean to future beauty consumers.

For up-to-date information on the marketing trends programme content and speakers, go to:www.in-cosmetics.com/MarketingTrends

Customisation is big business in most industries. The idea of a tailor-made product created to a specific brief couldn’t be more appealing. Take the automotive sector for example. When buying a new car, it has long been possible to have it made to an exact specification.  The same – but on a slightly different price scale – can also be said of the fashion industry.  Take Nike iD for example. With this service, it is possible to choose the basic shoe and then customise it with a variety of colours, exclusive fade options, name or even a personal message. To some degree, this has always been possible in the fashion sector but not without paying a hefty price tag to have something custom made privately.

However, in some sectors the concept of customisation has only recently taken off.  There has been talk of it for some time in the cosmetics industry – indeed Prescriptives launched one of the first custom-blended make up ranges for women in the late 70s – but it was eventually pulled from the shelves, perhaps at a time when the industry was all about the ‘one size fits all’ alphabet cream approach. Years later and customised cosmetics are back, taking the personal care market by storm.

But what are consumers really looking for? The idea of having something personalised as opposed to created for the mass market is certainly part of the appeal. And when it comes to cosmetics and personal care, there can’t possibly be an all-encompassing approach that suits everyone perfectly. Every fibre of every being is different so if there is the option of having something constructed on an individual basis, then why wouldn’t it take off? In this sector customisation is all about creating products which are personalised and address different people’s varying needs, whether this be the skincare results or the appearance of the colour.

Naturally, the first segments of the market to really embrace the concept of customisation are colour cosmetics and skincare. Consumers are now able to select products boasting smart packaging which can be adapted to fit specific skin tones.  Some brands sell their colour products with materials that the consumer can then use to adjust the shade e.g. Max Factor’s colour adapt foundation. In addition, moisturisers with ‘dial-up’ features which mean the product can be made stronger or weaker depending on a customers’ need are now de rigeur in many European countries. Taking this a step further, some brands have even set up pop-up bars offering customers the opportunity to select their base product and then personalise the aroma or remaining product features.

While customisation is still in the relatively early stages in Europe, it is a well-established and popular concept in Korea. In September last year, one of Korea’s leading make-up manufacturers Amore Pacific launched its customised cosmetics service. The brand introduced a made-to-order lipstick service at one of its Seoul stores, and the promotion was so successful that every slot was booked in the two weeks leading up to its launch. Colour cosmetic customisation in Korea is now firmly established and it is expected that this will quickly spread around the globe. However, personalised skin care products are expected to take longer to catch on in the rest of the world. Haircare is one segment that has not yet embraced customisation, however, early signs are that the concept will break ground in this area in the future.

The concept of customisation is not without its challenges. One of the main issues that companies need to overcome is surrounding logistics and product quantities. Personal care actives come in large quantities, so manufacturers need to create certain batch sizes to economise on the scale of raw materials they order. So too with colour – colour is not easy to create or match so the consumer playing with colour needs a good base product to begin with and guidance on customisation. Once these challenges are overcome by a few leaders in the industry, it will become much more widespread.

Predictions for 2017

I believe we’ll see ground-breaking advancements in this area this year. Companies will come up with some innovative approaches to answer the call for customisation in exciting new ways. In particular, we’ll see serum concentrates and fragrances perform much better in this area. It’s an exciting year ahead, so watch this space!

Sustainability is a nebulous term, but has been moving up the political and economic agendas as businesses adopt responsible practices towards the sourcing and manufacturing of their products. In beauty, it began with a move towards natural and/or organic formulations and has since moved on to how to source ingredients ethically and produce eco-friendly packaging.

Amarjit Sahota, ceo, Organic Monitor, has noted how the issue of sustainability has become more intricate in recent years, covering many environmental aspects, such as carbon footprints, water stewardship, waste management, as well as social impacts. For example, Unilever is currently undertaking advertising campaigns that emphasize social good causes, as part of its Sustainable Living Plan which aims to expand its business whilst reducing its environmental footprint. Similarly, L’Oreal has made a commitment with its Sharing Beauty With All pledge. “In general, the beauty industry has realized that ‘business as usual’ is no longer an option; they need to address their environmental and/or social impact,” maintains Sahota.

According to Marie Alice Dibon, founder, Alice Communications Inc., authenticity and ethics are values that run throughout an organization, or not. “They’re not injected into a product one morning because we choose to convey them now,’ she says, stating that communicating authentic values is tricky.  Dibon believes that the beauty industry needs to be proactive in order to set industry guidelines, as well as labels to reassure the consumer. In doing so, if the big players apply best practices, these will pull the industry up as the standards will also move up. “We can’t make the same mistake as we did with organic products with too many certifications in the EU and not enough in the US,” she warns.

At the heart of the argument for the creation of new protocols and standards are the changing demands of the consumer. New research from Canadean for 2016 confirms that 51% of consumers globally say that how environmentally-friendly/socially responsible a product is often or always influences their beauty and grooming product choices. “Living ethically is of growing importance to today’s consumers particularly as awareness grows of social and environmental issues,” comments Jamie Mills, analyst, Canadean. “This can be attributed to the accessibility to information as well as those issues being at the forefront of global and national agendas. In turn, this concern is trickling down to influence the choices of today’s consumers.” Mills agrees that accreditation for issues such as fair trade, recyclable packaging are an imperative, as well as greater action of brands to include sustainability initiatives, not just at a product level, but across the wider brand ethos itself.

So which brands are doing it best? Sahota maintains it is green cosmetic companies, including Weleda and Neal’s Yard Remedies who are the pioneers in the sustainability area and who have spearheaded many sustainability initiatives. Weleda, for example, has been undertaking ethical sourcing of raw materials for several decades, while Neal’s Yard Remedies was the first UK high street retailer to go carbon neutral.  What this means is that Neal’s Yard Remedies purchases carbon offsets from wind power projects in India and China, supplied by The CarbonNeutral Company, has devised a “Carbon Action Plan” to deliver its carbon emission reductions and uses its CarbonNeutral® company certification in advertising, catalogues, shop windows and its website.

“What has changed in recent years is that large multinationals and conventional brands are also now investing in sustainability. It is common for many such companies to develop natural lines (reflecting green formulations), reducing packaging footprints, etc.,” affirms Sahota. Another approach is for companies to “buy green expertise”, such as Unilever’s purchase of the green brand Seventh Generation with the plan to “re-engineer” its product formulations.

Beauty companies, including Unilever and P&G, are recognizing the commercial benefits of reducing energy use, water footprints and waste management etc. Sahota cites Grupo Boticario, the second largest cosmetics company in Brazil, which has switched to green polyethylene packaging for its Cuide-se Bem brand. The polyethylene is made from sugar, rather than petroleum, therefore saving more than 90 tons of plastics per year. “There are also cost benefits since moving to eco-design as there is 10% less plastic material used in the packaging,” explains Sahota. “Similarly P&G has made a commitment to have zero waste to landfill; it currently has 68 zero waste manufacturing sites across the globe.”

Sometimes, brands come unstuck when taking a particular stance. Taking parabens out of formulations, for example, was once a ploy used to sell products. Only two of the parabens actually showed mild toxicity upon actual scientific review, but Microbiome science is again bringing the issue of preservation back into focus. However, Dibon maintains that companies who jump on the latest sustainability issue often do so without the correct knowledge about the science behind it. “So, understand it,” she advises. “Hire the people that can help you communicate internally about it, informing all levels. Not everyone needs a PhD in science, but everyone who works in our industry needs to understand at least the basics and follow the news.”

Sustainability is becoming a fast-moving area and what concerns companies today are likely to change. “Key environmental and social issues the planet faces today are not the same as those it faced 20 or 10 years ago. The same will be true in 5-10 years time,” predicts Sahota. Organic Monitor expects social issues to feature more prominently in sustainability in the future, as social inequality, third world poverty and political unrest continues to have a profound effect on our lives today.  The growing refugee crisis, economic migrants in Europe and the US, the rise of far right political parties, Brexit – all these issues will impact on the way brands do business in the future.

“A good social media policy is essential as it helps with transparency,” asserts Dibon, who believes that before brands can start talking about doing honest things, they must give people reasons to believe them. “But there is no magic bullet and it will take time.”

*Organic Monitor, Canadean and Marie Alice Dibon will present at this year’s in-cosmetics Marketing Trends presentations in London, which takes place 4-6 April.

Further information at www.in-cosmetics.com