Cosmetic Trends in an Age of Confinement
- Nicholas Altomare
- Nov 16, 2020
- 4 min read
The beauty industry has seen great prosperity over its lengthy history; today, the industry on a global scale is worth some $500 billion annually. This third blog post from BLU will explore how this multi-billion-dollar industry is facing the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As shutdowns came into effect across the world, there came a need for us to adapt to new norms following physical distancing and other safety requirements. For some of us, this meant mobilizing our work from home, and eventually, for all of us, this meant wearing a mask in nearly all social settings. These disruptions to our daily routines inevitably led us to alter our habits, and for makeup wearers, that statement holds no less truth.
According to a study reported by the NPD Group (a market research company), 71% of women say they use makeup products less often since social distancing restrictions and stay-at-home orders came into effect. With an increased amount of people confined to their homes, this statistic is no surprise. One ‘privilege’ of stay at home orders is that people no longer feel the desire to complete their look with makeup, or to feel as ‘presentable’ if they are only meeting virtually. Additionally, makeup users find it difficult to sustain makeup on the lower half of their faces while wearing a mask.
The Importance of Retail
With a heavy decline in the demand for makeup products, beauty companies are feeling the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As people felt a decreased desire and need to wear makeup, their purchasing decisions followed suit. However, this is not the sole factor of reduced sales in the beauty industry. A decline in overall traffic in retail stores also has a large part to play when considering lower sales.
A report by McKinsey & Company shared a report showing how consumers buy their beauty products. Consistently across each age group, the preferred purchasing method among consumers is “Browse in store; buy in store” above all other options. The photo below shows the results: only a fraction of sales are done solely online. With store closures, capacity restrictions, and general fear of contracting COVID-19, it is imperative for beauty companies to recognize the importance of the retail experience in order to stay in business. To do this, companies must follow (and exceed!) government health and safety standards. This requires newly developed COVID-19 training and sanitation practices for both retail and production environments. Companies now disclose any relevant information on their websites to instil confidence that appropriate measures are being taken in production, packaging, and shipping to ensure a safe and hygienic transaction between the company and the consumer.
Self-Care Sales Save the Day
Whether this next trend speaks to the initiative taken by today’s creative people, or perhaps it is just a reflection of their boredom, it is interesting, nonetheless. Although sales in cosmetics are experiencing some trouble as a result of the pandemic, products sales of self-care and do-it-yourself beauty products have been on the rise. As most beauty-related services require rather intimate contact, there have been many limitations implemented on salon services. This has resulted in many consumers looking to themselves to replace their favourite, regular beauticians. As going to the nail salon became restricted, online sales of nail polish skyrocketed. Similarly, as hair salons slowed down service, consumers purchased more hair dye and colour treatments. The list goes on, expanding to skincare and bath products due to the closure of spas and other self-care related institutions.
New Packaging Opportunities
Although the global pandemic has had detrimental effects on many businesses, it has also created new opportunities for cosmetic packaging. At the beginning of the closures, many packaging producers re-purposed their facilities to manufacture essential products such as hand sanitizer bottles to correct the shortage of supply. However, this was a short-term opportunity, as the supply and demand for these products has levelled.
In recovering, many cosmetic packaging companies have noticed a trend grow exponentially: local production. There has been a movement to promote local manufacturing, as it helps the economy and provides benefits now needed more than ever. Fast turnaround times are now crucial, because markets, demand and regulations can change in a second. This makes planning even weeks ahead a great challenge, especially when it comes to inventory. In most cases, overseas manufacturers can’t promise faster than 8-12 weeks, which is far too slow.
A second trend has become even more dominant amid the pandemic: sustainability. With beauty brands looking for new (domestic) packaging suppliers, they have gotten the chance to reconsider their environmental impact, and eco-friendly producers are becoming more prominent. Environmentally friendly options are very difficult to find internationally too, as government standards are different in each country. Asian countries have a tendency to be behind North America in regards to environmental standards, whereas European countries are much more advanced (but much more expensive).
New trends promoting local production and sustainability has created new opportunities for cosmetic packaging in the right direction. Without COVID-19, these advances may not have presented themselves for years, which has been one positive outcome.
The coronavirus pandemic has affected the beauty industry in countless ways, many of which have been completely unpredictable. Unstable markets have left room only for the companies that are resilient and innovative enough to adjust.
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