Back-To-School Beauty Trends

Back-to-school shopping, already? It's the first week of July, but marketers and retailers are already planning for back-to-school shopping experiences. According to Spate, this year, search reveals a new back-to-school beauty shopper who’s seeking pops of color, eye-catching accessories and hair-loving treatments.

Spate predicts press on nails will grow 22.2% from a year ago. The company notes press on nails have been growing steadily since spiking in May 2020 when salons were closed due to the covid-19 lockdown. This convenient manicure allows consumers to get colorful and creative with their nails without wasting too much time. Searches alongside press on nails, such as custom and professional, indicate a consumer desire for high-quality press on nails that may have a custom design or fit. This trend shows an excellent opportunity for brands to create artistic press on nails that meet the consumers’ desires for polished nails without a wait.

Lip liner is expected to grow 18.9% to September 2022. According to Spate, the steady rise in lip liner bodes well for the lip category as it illustrates the consumer's renewed interest in a classic product. Top searched colors alongside lip liner such as nude, brown and chestnut reveal that consumers are especially leaning into neutral-colored lip liners to help enhance their natural lip shape and color. The related claims alongside lip liner include “permanent,” “waterproof,” “longwear,” “lasting” and “semi-permanent,” which show the consumers' desires for more permanent, lip-enhancing solutions. Therefore, brands should consider ways to position their products as the perfect neutral shades with staying power.

Among hair styles, the slick back bun will grow 17.4%. Spate acknowledges that the style isn't new, but the increase in searches YoY indicates that consumers are looking to achieve this clean look with increased enthusiasm. Search queries for slick back bun include “slick back bun with edges,” “middle part slick back bun,” “side part slick back bun” and “slick back low bun,” revealing variations of the look that consumers want to achieve. In addition, with healing and smoothing products like keratin hair masks and leave-in conditioner spray on the rise, consider how these products can be used as styling alternatives for the perfect look that’s also hair-friendly.

Here are some BTS tips from Spate.

Be bold and colorful. Purple eyeliner, multichrome eyeshadow, tooth gems, rhinestone nails, and lip lacquer indicate a consumer preference for bold touches to help them stand out. Think of ways to help consumers achieve their goals (ie, hooded eye makeup or green makeup) with the products you’re offering.

Make it last. Consumers want staying power, whether in lip liner or for press on nails. Understand how this benefit translates across various categories and the different implications for a long-lasting nail versus a durable lip liner.

Keep hair healthy and simple. Slick back buns and slick back ponytails are the perfect hair looks to keep rogue strands out of the face, as consumers focus their attention on bold makeup looks. Hair brands should consider building content around these looks and even show how a slick bun or ponytail can be created with a popular hair-loving treatment (ie, leave-in conditioner spray) instead of a traditional styling product.
 

To download Spate's back-to-school shopping trends report, click here.