We asked a trio of experts for their outlook for their marketplaces in 2020.  Here’s what they had to say: 

BEAUTY • Larissa Jensen, vice president, beauty industry advisor, The NPD Group

"As the beauty industry enters into a new decade, we need to consider what will define the next 10 years. If Pantone and dictionary.com are any predictors, the color and word of the year for 2020 - Classic Blue and “existential” – could be indicative of a new era where we focus on sustainability and the role we play in protecting the ocean, the earth and ourselves. This means clean products will take center stage as consumer expectation drives companies to create safer formulas for our skin and the environment. This will bring exciting new opportunities across all beauty categories.

While there are sweeping changes on the horizon, we need to remember that the more things change, the more they stay the same. What has remained constant over the years is the consumer’s enthusiasm for beauty, whatever beauty may mean to her at any given time. Even as we continue to evolve, and as our consumer continues to drive change, beauty will always be about how we make her feel. Emotion is at the very core of our industry’s identity. This is what fueled has us since the beginning of time, and what will propel us through the 2020s and beyond.”  


FRAGRANCE • Linda G. Levy, president of The Fragrance Foundation
“As we move forward into 2020, the fragrance industry will continue to innovate and offer consumers new levels of creativity.

Fragrances have transformed into a lifestyle category with the growth of more personalized scents, scented accessories and ambient scents. The focus on fragrance storytelling by the creators themselves, the perfumers, will also continue to be a focus and priority as brands introduce new fragrances to consumers.

The trend of custom scent programs and scent accessories remain strong and growing. Here are just a few examples areas of fragrance innovations: Diptyque created an avian brooch with hidden ceramic discs pretreated with fragrances, scented tattoos & bracelets this year. Maison Francis Kurkdjian collaborated with Fendi handbags with a built-in powdery scent. Scented hair mists (Byredo), lipsticks (By Kilian), Nest home fragrance diffuser powered by Pura, and Scented Matches (Cire Trudon), are all recent introductions to offer different experiences for consumers who are seeking alternative ways to enjoy fragrances. 

The scented retail space creates an ambiance that is becoming more prevalent. Retailers, restaurants, hotels, and tourist attractions have created custom scents to enhance the shopping, dining, lodging and sightseeing experience.

Gender-neutral fragrances have opened a world of possibilities for fragrance enthusiasts to find a variety of scents that are universal in appeal. While women have worn men's fragrances for decades, men can now experience more florals and citruses without being label-conscious. Lavender which originated in men’s grooming & soap, has now become an ingredient in women's’ and universal categories as well.

Other trends that continue to gain traction include the consumers' interest for natural and it is up to all of us in the fragrance community to highlight the positives of natural, naturally-derived and synthetics. 

As in all consumer products, the demand for sustainable practices with ethically sourced ingredients grows in all beauty categories including the fragrance arena. Transparency and authenticity are not just buzzwords but words to live by for many.” 

SKIN CARE • Jaime Castle, president of Obagi

“I see two inflection points developing in the skin care space.

The first is science. Consumers are starting to become less excited by products that simply include a trendy ingredient. They’re really looking to spend on ingredients and products that they know not only what they do but how they do it. For example, consumers better understand the differences between retinol, retinaldehyde and retinoids all of which are vtamin A derivatives. They also expect – and honestly deserve – the clinical research to prove products work.

Inclusion is also crossing over into the skincare market. It’s been a trend in the color cosmetics space, but it applies to skincare as well. Through our SKINCLUSION campaign, Obagi and our non-profit partners are trying to raise awareness about diversity and inclusion in global culture and in the aesthetics industry. 

Science and inclusion have always been at the foundation of Obagi and we will continue to champion the need for these throughout the industry.”