Three Key Trends Redefining the Future of Beauty
The future of beauty is far from one size fits all — and that’s the most beautiful thing about it
After the pandemic prompted more people to reprioritize their health, reimagine their routines, and reconnect with themselves, it’s no surprise that the introduction of new behaviors has influenced a significant shift in beauty. The category definition has been steadily growing beyond lips and lashes to align with areas of health, wellness, and the connected communities that people care about — both online and IRL. The fluidity and speed of change in this sector will continue to impact the trends that rise to the top.
The Precision of Health Transforming Beauty Care
It’s difficult to imagine that there was a time when an annual doctor visit was an acceptable commitment to health. The world of today and tomorrow is far from that. The same principle now applies to beauty care as well.
With the introduction of at-home devices and wearables that monitor biometrics, to the convenience of telehealth platforms — healthcare has been democratized to put people in charge of monitoring both their physical and mental health.
This newfound empowerment has unlocked two things: First and foremost, a deep, always-on curiosity about our health and bodies, and second, the desire and demand for precise care. People don’t want to simply be told about their health, they want accessible data and solutions that evolve with their progress and needs. This sharp uptick in attention to data-driven health care is also manifesting in personalized beauty care.
Gen Z and Millennials are particularly interested in this hyper-personalization: According to WWD, 91% are incredibly interested in products that are personalized to their needs, and 76% will take a quiz to be given personalized recommendations.
These new health mindsets are already impacting beauty with the rise of companies like Strands Hair Care that provides full ingredient customization based on the scientific evaluation and biological data of each customer. We are already living in the era of custom skin and hair care regimens based on DNA and hormones; moving forward, beauty and health will only become increasingly intertwined.
If custom care is already popular despite people having to pluck their own hair samples and track their own periods, how will it evolve with automated technologies and services? We can look to areas of health in the home to understand a future where beauty begins from the inside out.
For example, imagine collaborations between modern home brands and the beauty industry. We’re not far away from a world with virtual glam squads that work like Tonal trainers, talking people through hair styles and makeup application, or even smart eye cream linked to sleep diagnostics on a smart mattress.
Above all, what technology will bring to the healthification of beauty is the ability to monitor and evolve these regimen — the same way doctors would prescribe increases or decreases in medication.When predictive models streamline upkeep, people are free to explore new facets of care.
Beauty Moving at the Speed of Culture
To contrast the strict precision of custom care, the future of beauty will also be heavily influenced by the speed of culture. Looking back, before social media, beauty traditions were passed down for generations. It was a rite of passage in many cultures to even begin wearing makeup. This ritual of the past looks starkly different when compared to the teens of today — armed with iPhones and endless curiosity — making beauty a more inclusive space for exploration, one TikTok at a time.
Social media has created a home for communities to form and engage based on their passions, and in the beauty sphere, social media has evolved into a modern R&D channel for brands. Take Glow Recipe’s private Glow Gang Instagram for example — the brand has brought together over 10,000 people to test and comment on products in development. Not only does this democratize creation as well as unite a community of ambassadors, it also increases the speed to market, allowing brands to capitalize on cultural trends.
Channels like Instagram and TikTok that allow voices and videos to bubble up from fringe to mainstream are creating an environment where more niche trends and influencers can rise to the surface. Remember the slugging craze in skincare or plopping method for curly hair? In the future, as more beauty brands can master their social communities and engage their fandoms, capitalizing on microtrends — like slugging, plopping, or even recreating Euphoria looks — can become a reality through expedited product development, influencer engagement, or content/messaging.
What does it look like for this trend to move in reverse? In recent years, beauty has shifted from solely focusing on appearance, to more of an overall approach to wellness where brand ethos plays an increasingly valuable role. According to Euromonitor, 42% of people define beauty as having ‘inner confidence.’ With shifts toward wellbeing in addition to general fatigue toward celebrity beauty brands, there’s an overall desire for brands to create more purposeful engagement with their communities. Building around a shared affinity is also more likely to ignite active brand fans.
One of the recent launches that tap into this appetite for belonging and engaging a community from inside out is Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez committed to raising awareness and funds for mental health. Similarly, S’able Labs by Sabrina and Idris Elba which is an ethical, non-gendered skincare line inspired by conversations with couples, also aims to serve a community that is ready to embrace a more inclusive framework around beauty.
Because beauty and culture are so intertwined, tapping into passionate communities for relevancy will continue to be an integral part of the future of beauty. Unlike the early days of social media, however, consumers today are savvier and more deliberate with their online interactions, which means beauty brands will need to be far more tactical, authentic, and value-adding as they seek ways to tap into these connected communities.
Virtual Spaces Empowering Vibrant Experimentation
Lastly, vibrant experimentation in beauty will be made possible by the fluidity of virtual worlds. Through digital tools and environments, people are more empowered to express themselves and explore more versions of their beauty identities than ever before. While the anonymity and transitory qualities of an online persona can make virtual environments feel individualized, it’s the possibility of connecting with communities that drives excitement.
In fact, according to a 2021 Squarespace survey, 60% of Gen Z and 62% of Millennials believe that how you present yourself online is more important than how you present yourself offline. For a category like beauty, this shift in emphasis from IRL beauty to online presence will drastically change how consumers allocate their time, energy, and spending.
While it is important to develop 3D branded tools and assets in preparation for the metaverse, it is just as important to understand what the concept really means for consumer behavior. In fact, it’s best not to think about the metaverse as a place, but as a point in time when digital life starts to become more important than offline life.
For beauty audiences, the allure of experimentation in this new frontier is the ultimate draw. Whether they’re trying technological tools like AR try ons or in-game experiences like Ariana Grande’s Fortnite concert there are new opportunities for consumers to reimagine how they’ll represent themselves in digital spaces. Roblox says that one in five users update their avatars daily, demonstrating a growing demand for virtual self-expression in metaverse-lite space and indicating a blue ocean market for beauty brands to explore.
The future of beauty is a mosaic of these trends. Without the satisfaction of data-backed precision, or the passionate backing from communities, the freedom for digital expression could not be fully celebrated.
Want to learn more?
At the Lab we’re committed to understanding the future of beauty and personal care. We’ve been immersed in key cultural trends tied to wellness, communities, and digital opportunities.
If you wish to dive deeper into this report, or simply start a conversation around key retail trends, please reach out to our Group Director Josh Mallalieu at josh@ipglab.com.
