Melissa Meisel, Associate Editor03.02.20
Do you have a classic red lipstick or dazzling blue eyeliner planned for your next makeup launch? According to Pantone Color Institute experts, hues for Spring/Summer 2020 New York express the desire for the familiar; friendly and relatable, a palette of colors that conveys a sense of ease. At the same time, in this era of personalization, even when it comes to a palette of recognized favorites, brands should take some unique twists and turns highlighting elements of humor, modernity and entertainment, according to industry observers.
“Combining our desire for stability, creativity, and more spontaneous design approaches, the color palette for Spring/Summer 2020 infuses heritage and tradition with a colorful youthful update that creates strong multi-colored combinations as well as energizing and optimistic pairings,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.
Published for the fashion industry by the Pantone Color Institute, Pantone’s Fashion Color Trend Report is a guide to the season’s most important color trends. This report features the top 12 colors, as well as four classic neutrals, that are appearing on New York runways as fashion designers introduce their new seasonal collections. At the forefront of the report are the top-three primary hues: red, yellow and blue. Other colors span from aqua to denim to grape.
Pantone’s Color of the Year 2020 influences product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries. The color authority went back to basics, selecting a classic blue, which will certainly pop in eyeliners, makeup packaging and even nail lacquers. A timeless and enduring blue hue, the Pantone Color of the Year for 2020, specifically Pantone 19-4052 Classic Blue, is said to be elegant in its simplicity. Suggestive of the sky at dusk, the reassuring qualities of the thought-provoking blue highlight consumers’ desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era, according to the company.
“We are living in a time that requires trust and faith. It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by Pantone 19-4052 Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on…a boundless blue evocative of the vast and infinite evening sky,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, Carlstadt, NJ.
For more than 20 years, Pantone’s Color of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home furnishings and industrial design, as well as product packaging and graphic design.
The Pantone Color Institute maintains that the Color of the Year selection process requires thoughtful consideration and trend analysis. To arrive at the selection each year, color experts at the Pantone Color Institute comb the world looking for new color influences. This can include the entertainment industry and films in production, traveling art collections and new artists, fashion, all areas of design, popular travel destinations, as well as new lifestyles, play styles and socio-economic conditions.
Influences may also stem from new technologies, materials, textures and effects that impact color, relevant social media platforms and even upcoming sporting events that capture worldwide attention.
To create the colorful look for Christian Siriano’s Spring/Summer 2020 show, Maybelline New York’s Global Makeup Artist Erin Parsons used a mix of fingertips and brushes to lend lids an “organic” and “painterly” feel.
“We’re using the products in different ways,” she said. “The idea is to channel your inner artist.”
Numbers Game
The color cosmetics sector, however, struggled this past year, but the experts are optimistic about a sales turnaround.
In the mass market, eye cosmetics sales fell 2.6% to $2.6 billion with some mixed performances within key segments, according to data from Information Resources Inc. (IRI) for total US multi-outlet (supermarkets, drugstores, mass market retailers, military commissaries and select club and dollar retail chains) for the 52 weeks ended Dec. 29, 2019. Mascara slipped 1.8% to $886.5 million while eyeliner fell 5.8% to $487.2 million. However, eye brow makeup rose 1.8% to $383.3 million, showing that this niche category is still on the upswing. Eye shadow dipped 7% to $249.8 million. Eye combo increased 10.9% to $42.3 million.
According to the IRI data, facial cosmetics sales decreased 5.4% to $2.0 billion. Foundation fell 5.1% to $941 million and powder dropped 11.5% to $313.3 million. But consumers still want to cover up as concealer sales rose 2% to $290.2 million. Body accessory dropped 5% to $263.9 million and blush slipped 4.3% to $122.5 million. Makeup combo dipped 10.6% to $59.5 million and bronzer decreased 8.4% to $46 million.
Lip cosmetic sales fell slightly at 1.6% to $864.1 million, with lipstick dipping 3.7% to $634 million and lipliner slipping 5.7% to $64.3 million. However, shine is in style as lipgloss soared 11.1% to $137.9 million. Lip treatment decreased 1.7% to $19.9 million but lip combo rose 7.5% to $7.8 million. Nail polish sales stayed flat at $563.5 million.
Declines were worse in US department stores, where prestige makeup sales fell 7% to $7.6 billion for the 12 months ended November 2019, according to The NPD Group. Is it a “go with the flow” scenario?
“As we enter a new decade, it feels appropriate to share thoughts on what we can expect to see in the US prestige beauty market over the next 10 years,” noted Larissa Jensen, vice president, industry advisor for US Beauty Practice, NPD. “I will even be so bold as to say makeup will never die; it will just ebb and flow as it always has. It’s a question of when makeup will turn around, and what it will look like when it does. Historically, there has been a notable shift between prestige makeup and skin care every four to five years. Based on this, and the slowdown we began to see in makeup in 2017, if history repeats itself we are looking at a rebound in the category sometime around 2021, give or take a year. Note that this does not take into account a possible recession, which would impact more than just makeup.”
Jensen continued, “Looking to growth drivers today as potential indicators of what’s to come, makeup in the future could very well be less about the crazy growth in color we saw throughout the 2010s, and more about the ‘canvas’ products that help consumers achieve a more natural look. Social media, the catalyst for makeup’s stellar performance throughout most of the last decade, is beginning to change. As we move into an era of authenticity, it will be important to understand how these changes will impact the makeup category of tomorrow,” she said.
Sephora Beauty Director Jeffrey English told Happi that for beauty, it’s all about the conversation.
“Social media platforms are constantly evolving. But, what’s old is new again! There is a return to the ‘clean’ ethos; shoppers want to minimalize their routines and also covet products with better ingredients. Look out for the Clean Beauty seal at Sephora,” he said.
As seen at the recent “SEPHORiA” event held in Los Angeles, makeup is returning to sparkle but with newer technology and touchable textures, noted English. Neon colors are “retro-futuristic.”
Alex Azzara, Birchbox’s director of merchandising and beauty partnerships, New York, told Happi, “With more and more options in market, we know that customers are searching for products that deliver both utility and efficacy when it comes to color cosmetics. We are also seeing an overwhelming amount of interest in clean beauty from customers, especially when it comes to color cosmetics being both clean and effective.”
According to Azzara, Birchbox customers are also looking for more multi-tasking, hybrid products (such as skin care meets makeup) that save time and increase efficiency with multi-use properties.
“Simplifying steps is a key theme we continue to see growing into 2020,” she noted.
Skinnovations in Facial Color
L’Oréal Paris is rolling out Age Perfect Cosmetics, an extensive range geared toward women over 50. While there have been competitive products targeted to the demographic before, this range has more than 100 SKUs, and was tailored to the woman who is convinced that the beauty category has all but forgotten her. According to L’Oréal, the majority of all makeup users are over the age of 50, but the percentage is declining.
“Despite losing penetration in the category, the 50+ consumer is less likely to say, compared to millennials, that she doesn’t want to apply makeup. It is a key part of her life and her routine and we are proud to offer a new range made just for her,” commented Dr. Rocio Rivera, VP-scientific communications, L’Oréal.
Age Perfect Makeup is the brand’s first complete line designed especially for woman over 50 to look polished and feel confident. Products are formulated with ingredients such as vitamins and minerals and there are 30 foundation shades to suit a wide range of skin tones. In addition, the collection includes lip color, mascara and brow products specifically formulated for the evolving needs of women 50+ based on research and backed by science, according to the brand, which maintains that every facet of the launch—from the design of packaging to the colors, textures and formulas—was designed with the specific demographic in mind. The entire L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Makeup Collection is available at mass, food and drug retailers nationwide.
Of course, one of the most lauded cosmetic launches of the season is from a Lauder!
This month, Estée Lauder will release Act IV, a limited-edition makeup collection created with Danielle Lauder, Estée Lauder’s great granddaughter. Like Estée before her, Danielle finds inspiration in the beauty of old Hollywood. Act IV, a cinematic reference to Danielle as a fourth-generation Lauder family member, combines Danielle’s beauty legacy with her passion for acting and love of Hollywood glamour, according to the company.
The Cinemattic Complexion Liquid is a unique ultra-light, translucent foundation with a matte finish; the Party Puff Starlucent Filtered Powder covers imperfections to enhance skin tone with a natural radiance and an instant brightening effect. The sheer coral hue diffuses seamlessly over skin for a healthy, rosy radiance and a smooth porcelain finish, according to the company. And, the Best Picture Multi-Look Palette features four high-impact, ultra-blendable colors for eyes and face in matte and shimmer finishes. Be the dramatic femme fatale or the romantic girl-next-door with modern shades of coral, ivory, lavender and charcoal designed to warm cheeks, illuminate high points and define lids. This SKU’s casing has a custom portrait of Danielle Lauder by leading fashion illustrator David Downton.
Laura Mercier is introducing its latest innovation—the new Pure Canvas Primer collection. The Pure Canvas Primer range offers good-for-your-skin, good-for-your-makeup primers with unique, water-based, silicone-free formulas that are designed to seal in skin care and create a breathable, protective barrier from environmental aggressors, according to the company. Consisting of five primers—Blurring, Hydrating, Illuminating, Protecting and Perfecting—and a Supercharged Essence, each product in the collection is formulated to address specific skin concerns while boosting priming effects, extending makeup wear and improving skin over time.
“As an authority in the complexion category, not only is it in our DNA to bring the best, most iconic skin products to the marketplace, but to also evolve with the most cutting-edge ingredients,” commented Alexandra Papazian, president. “Laura Mercier has always stood for effortless artistry; therefore, we’re thrilled to relaunch our primer franchise with a more modern look and feel while offering a multitasking blend of skin care benefits. It is not commonplace for primers to offer long-term results and we’re extremely proud of the innovative silicon-free formulations in this collection.”
The next generation of CoverGirl’s iconic Clean Collection, Clean Fresh is touted as a 100% vegan beauty range with all price points under $10. The collection features a Skin Milk, Cream Blush and Cooling Glow Stick. In other news, CoverGirl tapped “Riverdale” actress Lili Reinhart as its latest spokesperson for the 2020 campaigns.
Also in the mass market, Kiss New York Professional has launched several products, including the Cover & Care Line, which is said to be ideal for hyperpigmentation and acne-prone skin. The line includes a matte BB cream, aqua BB cream, cream foundation and pressed powder, each available in different shades.
Jane Iredale’s new Glow Time Full Coverage Mineral BB Cream combines foundation, concealer, sunscreen and moisturizer in a versatile one-step product. The original formula is said to nourish complexions and helps protect skin from UV and free-radical damage. It follows the release of Jane Iredale’s Beyond Matte Liquid Foundation, a clean, weightless, multi-tasking 3-in-1 makeup formulated with skin-nourishing, plant-based ingredients. It offers 18 shades made with clean ingredients such as celery seed, linseed extract and hyaluronic acid. The product is suitable for all skin types, comes in recyclable glass packaging and is free from what the brand said can be skin irritants, such as fragrance, potassium sorbate, limonene and geraniol. Beyond Matte is 100% vegan, too.
Urban Decay has had the setting spray game locked up for years, but its new All Nighter Ultra Matte Makeup Setting Spray is billed as a game changer. It combines an oil-absorbing, shine-control formula with an extra mattifying effect for what the brand describes as the ultimate “flash-proof” finish. The spray promises to mattify any makeup look instantly with a few sprays of the vegan, oil-free and paraben-free formula, which features patented temperature control technology to leave skin feeling comfortable and cool for a just-applied look up to 16 hours, according to the company.
MAC’s new Glow Play Blush is available at select MAC locations. The Glow Play Blush includes 11 lightweight shades that are said to capture the luminous flush of a natural blush across all skin tones. With eight-hour, fade-free wear, ultra-blendable shade can be worn as a sheer wash of color, or built up and paired for a more vibrant, dimensional pop. Optimized for ultra-fresh spring skin, Glow Play boasts a bouncy, mochi-like jelly texture that glides onto skin with fingertips for a fuss-free, from-within glow, said the company.
Lip Service
Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick’s 80th Anniversary is this year, and what better way to celebrate than with a new product? The latest addition to the iconic franchise is a modern matte—Super Lustrous The Luscious Mattes Lipstick line, out now. Revlon maintains that it has redefined the rules of matte lipstick with this lightweight, non-drying matte lipstick formula. Available in 24 hues, the formula is infused with a botanical complex including agave, moringa oil and cupuacu butter, according to the company. The packaging is also updated with an embossed lipstick bullet and a sleek, matte-to-the-touch tube.
Actress and recording artist Sofia Carson has been named Revlon’s newest global brand ambassador. Her first campaigns for Revlon ColorStay Foundation, Super Lustrous Lipstick and ColorStay Eyeliner will debut in spring 2020 along with several new launches yet to be announced.
“Since I can remember, one of my favorite places in the world was my mom’s vanity, where I discovered my love of fashion, beauty and the perfect red Revlon lipstick. I wore it at my very first dance recital and every recital, performance and dance competition after that. I felt invincible on stage in my red lipstick, like I could do and be anything,” said Carson. “I’m so proud to join the other incredible Revlon ambassadors who inspire me and countless women around the world. Revlon’s Live Boldly platform speaks to the woman I was raised to be; a woman who is fearlessly herself, and who boldly fights for her dreams.”
Carson will begin appearing on behalf of Revlon across all media platforms beginning in Spring 2020.
In other promotional news, actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley was named Hourglass’ first official brand ambassador. In her new role, the model will be the face of the brand’s spring campaigns: the soon-to-launch Vanish Airbrush Concealer and new shades of Confession Ultra Slim High Intensity Refillable Lipstick. Huntington-Whiteley will also collaborate on content, events and a signature shade of Confession Ultra Slim Lipstick.
The partnership includes the launch of a Confession Ultra Slim Refillable Lipstick in Huntington-Whiteley’s signature shade, “You Make Me,” a terracotta nude hue. You Make Me joins a collection of 32 Confession shades.
It Cosmetics Pillow Lips Lipstick is a collagen-infused lip color that makes lips look fuller and delivers high-impact color payoff in just one swipe, according to the company. Available in cream and matte finishes, each of the 14 shades were specially created to complement all skin tones and lip types. Infused with hyaluronic filling spheres and soothing aloe, Pillow Lips helps to minimize the appearance of lip wrinkles while providing comfortable wear that lasts. Plus, its uniquely shaped bullet is designed to hug the curves of the lips, which adds to the plumping effect, according to the brand.
CoverGirl Exhibitionist 24HR Ultra Matte Lipstick is the newest addition to the best-selling Exhibitionist Lipstick range and features 12 matte shades that last up to 24 hours, according to the company. These $9 long wear lipsticks are lightweight and comfortable to wear. According to celebrity makeup artist Ash K. Holm, “For a perfect deep red lip this season, apply your Exhibitionist Ultra Matte 24HR lipstick in the shade ‘The Real Thing’ it has a long wear that stays matte but has a rich hydrating formula to keep the lips moisturized through cooler climates.”
For a crisp look, Holm suggests the TruBlend Undercover Concealer in the same shade as your foundation to clean the edges of your lip using a flat concealer brush.
New MAC Patent Paint Lip Lacquer is a creamy, vinyl-effect gloss that provides instant moisturization that lasts all day with a color payoff that doesn’t bleed. Available in 15 shades, ranging from mirror-like peachy nudes to bold reds and statement-making blues and purples, MAC Patent Paint Lip Lacquer is formulated with a wax-free Triple Threat gel system to create a dynamic 3D gloss effect with a lightweight, non-sticky feel.
The product packaging features black paint splatter to evoke the Lip Lacquer’s bold impact and artistic potential, and a doe-foot applicator ensures even application and effortless glide.
Take a Peek
Ready to coat eyelids in shimmer for 2020 is L’Oréal Paris’s new Brilliant Eyes Liquid Eyeshadow. This high-impact, high-shimmer liquid eye shadow is long-lasting and transfer-proof, according to the company. The luminous pearl pigments are lightweight and non-greasy for comfortable wear. In just one stroke, the soft doe-foot applicator deposits just the right amount of product onto eyelids for high shimmer payoff and blendable application, according to the company. Available in 12 shades, consumers can customize their lid look by pairing shades, building intensity, or just wearing their favorite shades alone to achieve a daytime or nighttime look. Also, new at L’Oréal Paris is Matte Signature waterproof liquid dip eyeliner. The precise applicator with shortened stem allows the user to get closer to the eye for precise, vivid matte lines.
Maybelline New York’s latest collection features a range of new product innovations, relaunches, and shade extensions made to withstand the on-demand, hustle and bustle lifestyle of New York City. As a leading mascara brand, Maybelline has a few new offerings for 2020. Falsies Lash Lift Washable Mascara features a fiber-infused formula, including polymers inspired by hair gels, waxes, and hairsprays to provide length, lift and hold. A double curved lifting brush grabs lashes at the root to lift so even the tiniest of lashes are lengthened! It is available in four shades. Meanwhile, Snapscara Waterproof Mascara provides waterproof, clump-free volume that applies and removes in a snap. The revolutionary “tubing” formula removes in seconds with makeup remover, according to the brand.
Also noteworthy for the new year is Maybelline’s HyperEasy Brush Tip Liquid Liner. It’s billed as liquid liner made easy. The revolutionary flex brush won’t skip, while the hexagonal grip won’t slip, ensuring a seamless application.
Future Focus
Natural cosmetic sales are expected to reach $54.5 billion worldwide in 2027, according to PreScouter, a Chicago-based research intelligence firm.
“The overlapping demand for both personalized and eco-friendly cosmetics is creating an opportunity for providing consumers with safer and better products while decreasing waste and the toll cosmetics production can have on the environment,” commented Dr. Daniel Morales, technical director of PreScouter’s consumer packaged goods practice. However, a big challenge, according to Morales, is navigating the various forms of eco-friendly products and ingredients that are being marketed.
For the report, PreScouter investigated eco-friendly ingredients that are being marketed and championed by existing and emerging players in the cosmetics industry and identified the areas of opportunity to participate in this space. In addition, PreScouter identified future trends to remain competitive in this space. A total of 14 products from 14 companies are detailed, covering seven eco-friendly categories (naturally-sourced, organic, vegan, cruelty-free, biobased, biodegradable and fair trade ingredients).
Currently, the natural space is dominated by cosmetic companies embracing vegan and/or cruelty-free products. Marketers often insist their products do not contain parabens, sulfates, essential oils, drying alcohols, silicones, synthetic sunscreens or fragrances. With consumers understanding the minor differences between ingredients and embracing products that promote formulation transparency, “companies can increase their market share while promoting a more loyal customer base by understanding the differences between various eco-friendly ingredients (for example, biodegradable and bio-based ingredients), in addition to the standards used to validate such claims,” concluded Morales.
Azzara of Birchbox told Happi, “As we look ahead to color cosmetic trends in 2020 and beyond, we will see a shift in the prioritization of clean and sustainable beauty. We expect to see an influx of emerging beauty brands, heightened focus on product development for major industry players, and an increased customer demand for brands and products in this space.”
Looking further ahead, The Color Marketing Group’s 2021+ North American key color forecasted is Mist—described as a hue that exudes “optimistic confidence” and the hopeful resolve to achieve personal and societal goals. Mist’s pale blue hue, touched with a whisper of toned gray and minimal chroma, is spirited in its lightness, according to the international association of color design professionals.
“Combining our desire for stability, creativity, and more spontaneous design approaches, the color palette for Spring/Summer 2020 infuses heritage and tradition with a colorful youthful update that creates strong multi-colored combinations as well as energizing and optimistic pairings,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.
Published for the fashion industry by the Pantone Color Institute, Pantone’s Fashion Color Trend Report is a guide to the season’s most important color trends. This report features the top 12 colors, as well as four classic neutrals, that are appearing on New York runways as fashion designers introduce their new seasonal collections. At the forefront of the report are the top-three primary hues: red, yellow and blue. Other colors span from aqua to denim to grape.
Pantone’s Color of the Year 2020 influences product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries. The color authority went back to basics, selecting a classic blue, which will certainly pop in eyeliners, makeup packaging and even nail lacquers. A timeless and enduring blue hue, the Pantone Color of the Year for 2020, specifically Pantone 19-4052 Classic Blue, is said to be elegant in its simplicity. Suggestive of the sky at dusk, the reassuring qualities of the thought-provoking blue highlight consumers’ desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era, according to the company.
“We are living in a time that requires trust and faith. It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by Pantone 19-4052 Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on…a boundless blue evocative of the vast and infinite evening sky,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, Carlstadt, NJ.
For more than 20 years, Pantone’s Color of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home furnishings and industrial design, as well as product packaging and graphic design.
The Pantone Color Institute maintains that the Color of the Year selection process requires thoughtful consideration and trend analysis. To arrive at the selection each year, color experts at the Pantone Color Institute comb the world looking for new color influences. This can include the entertainment industry and films in production, traveling art collections and new artists, fashion, all areas of design, popular travel destinations, as well as new lifestyles, play styles and socio-economic conditions.
Influences may also stem from new technologies, materials, textures and effects that impact color, relevant social media platforms and even upcoming sporting events that capture worldwide attention.
To create the colorful look for Christian Siriano’s Spring/Summer 2020 show, Maybelline New York’s Global Makeup Artist Erin Parsons used a mix of fingertips and brushes to lend lids an “organic” and “painterly” feel.
“We’re using the products in different ways,” she said. “The idea is to channel your inner artist.”
Numbers Game
The color cosmetics sector, however, struggled this past year, but the experts are optimistic about a sales turnaround.
In the mass market, eye cosmetics sales fell 2.6% to $2.6 billion with some mixed performances within key segments, according to data from Information Resources Inc. (IRI) for total US multi-outlet (supermarkets, drugstores, mass market retailers, military commissaries and select club and dollar retail chains) for the 52 weeks ended Dec. 29, 2019. Mascara slipped 1.8% to $886.5 million while eyeliner fell 5.8% to $487.2 million. However, eye brow makeup rose 1.8% to $383.3 million, showing that this niche category is still on the upswing. Eye shadow dipped 7% to $249.8 million. Eye combo increased 10.9% to $42.3 million.
According to the IRI data, facial cosmetics sales decreased 5.4% to $2.0 billion. Foundation fell 5.1% to $941 million and powder dropped 11.5% to $313.3 million. But consumers still want to cover up as concealer sales rose 2% to $290.2 million. Body accessory dropped 5% to $263.9 million and blush slipped 4.3% to $122.5 million. Makeup combo dipped 10.6% to $59.5 million and bronzer decreased 8.4% to $46 million.
Lip cosmetic sales fell slightly at 1.6% to $864.1 million, with lipstick dipping 3.7% to $634 million and lipliner slipping 5.7% to $64.3 million. However, shine is in style as lipgloss soared 11.1% to $137.9 million. Lip treatment decreased 1.7% to $19.9 million but lip combo rose 7.5% to $7.8 million. Nail polish sales stayed flat at $563.5 million.
Declines were worse in US department stores, where prestige makeup sales fell 7% to $7.6 billion for the 12 months ended November 2019, according to The NPD Group. Is it a “go with the flow” scenario?
“As we enter a new decade, it feels appropriate to share thoughts on what we can expect to see in the US prestige beauty market over the next 10 years,” noted Larissa Jensen, vice president, industry advisor for US Beauty Practice, NPD. “I will even be so bold as to say makeup will never die; it will just ebb and flow as it always has. It’s a question of when makeup will turn around, and what it will look like when it does. Historically, there has been a notable shift between prestige makeup and skin care every four to five years. Based on this, and the slowdown we began to see in makeup in 2017, if history repeats itself we are looking at a rebound in the category sometime around 2021, give or take a year. Note that this does not take into account a possible recession, which would impact more than just makeup.”
Jensen continued, “Looking to growth drivers today as potential indicators of what’s to come, makeup in the future could very well be less about the crazy growth in color we saw throughout the 2010s, and more about the ‘canvas’ products that help consumers achieve a more natural look. Social media, the catalyst for makeup’s stellar performance throughout most of the last decade, is beginning to change. As we move into an era of authenticity, it will be important to understand how these changes will impact the makeup category of tomorrow,” she said.
Sephora Beauty Director Jeffrey English told Happi that for beauty, it’s all about the conversation.
“Social media platforms are constantly evolving. But, what’s old is new again! There is a return to the ‘clean’ ethos; shoppers want to minimalize their routines and also covet products with better ingredients. Look out for the Clean Beauty seal at Sephora,” he said.
As seen at the recent “SEPHORiA” event held in Los Angeles, makeup is returning to sparkle but with newer technology and touchable textures, noted English. Neon colors are “retro-futuristic.”
Alex Azzara, Birchbox’s director of merchandising and beauty partnerships, New York, told Happi, “With more and more options in market, we know that customers are searching for products that deliver both utility and efficacy when it comes to color cosmetics. We are also seeing an overwhelming amount of interest in clean beauty from customers, especially when it comes to color cosmetics being both clean and effective.”
According to Azzara, Birchbox customers are also looking for more multi-tasking, hybrid products (such as skin care meets makeup) that save time and increase efficiency with multi-use properties.
“Simplifying steps is a key theme we continue to see growing into 2020,” she noted.
Skinnovations in Facial Color
L’Oréal Paris is rolling out Age Perfect Cosmetics, an extensive range geared toward women over 50. While there have been competitive products targeted to the demographic before, this range has more than 100 SKUs, and was tailored to the woman who is convinced that the beauty category has all but forgotten her. According to L’Oréal, the majority of all makeup users are over the age of 50, but the percentage is declining.
“Despite losing penetration in the category, the 50+ consumer is less likely to say, compared to millennials, that she doesn’t want to apply makeup. It is a key part of her life and her routine and we are proud to offer a new range made just for her,” commented Dr. Rocio Rivera, VP-scientific communications, L’Oréal.
Age Perfect Makeup is the brand’s first complete line designed especially for woman over 50 to look polished and feel confident. Products are formulated with ingredients such as vitamins and minerals and there are 30 foundation shades to suit a wide range of skin tones. In addition, the collection includes lip color, mascara and brow products specifically formulated for the evolving needs of women 50+ based on research and backed by science, according to the brand, which maintains that every facet of the launch—from the design of packaging to the colors, textures and formulas—was designed with the specific demographic in mind. The entire L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Makeup Collection is available at mass, food and drug retailers nationwide.
Of course, one of the most lauded cosmetic launches of the season is from a Lauder!
This month, Estée Lauder will release Act IV, a limited-edition makeup collection created with Danielle Lauder, Estée Lauder’s great granddaughter. Like Estée before her, Danielle finds inspiration in the beauty of old Hollywood. Act IV, a cinematic reference to Danielle as a fourth-generation Lauder family member, combines Danielle’s beauty legacy with her passion for acting and love of Hollywood glamour, according to the company.
The Cinemattic Complexion Liquid is a unique ultra-light, translucent foundation with a matte finish; the Party Puff Starlucent Filtered Powder covers imperfections to enhance skin tone with a natural radiance and an instant brightening effect. The sheer coral hue diffuses seamlessly over skin for a healthy, rosy radiance and a smooth porcelain finish, according to the company. And, the Best Picture Multi-Look Palette features four high-impact, ultra-blendable colors for eyes and face in matte and shimmer finishes. Be the dramatic femme fatale or the romantic girl-next-door with modern shades of coral, ivory, lavender and charcoal designed to warm cheeks, illuminate high points and define lids. This SKU’s casing has a custom portrait of Danielle Lauder by leading fashion illustrator David Downton.
Laura Mercier is introducing its latest innovation—the new Pure Canvas Primer collection. The Pure Canvas Primer range offers good-for-your-skin, good-for-your-makeup primers with unique, water-based, silicone-free formulas that are designed to seal in skin care and create a breathable, protective barrier from environmental aggressors, according to the company. Consisting of five primers—Blurring, Hydrating, Illuminating, Protecting and Perfecting—and a Supercharged Essence, each product in the collection is formulated to address specific skin concerns while boosting priming effects, extending makeup wear and improving skin over time.
“As an authority in the complexion category, not only is it in our DNA to bring the best, most iconic skin products to the marketplace, but to also evolve with the most cutting-edge ingredients,” commented Alexandra Papazian, president. “Laura Mercier has always stood for effortless artistry; therefore, we’re thrilled to relaunch our primer franchise with a more modern look and feel while offering a multitasking blend of skin care benefits. It is not commonplace for primers to offer long-term results and we’re extremely proud of the innovative silicon-free formulations in this collection.”
The next generation of CoverGirl’s iconic Clean Collection, Clean Fresh is touted as a 100% vegan beauty range with all price points under $10. The collection features a Skin Milk, Cream Blush and Cooling Glow Stick. In other news, CoverGirl tapped “Riverdale” actress Lili Reinhart as its latest spokesperson for the 2020 campaigns.
Also in the mass market, Kiss New York Professional has launched several products, including the Cover & Care Line, which is said to be ideal for hyperpigmentation and acne-prone skin. The line includes a matte BB cream, aqua BB cream, cream foundation and pressed powder, each available in different shades.
Jane Iredale’s new Glow Time Full Coverage Mineral BB Cream combines foundation, concealer, sunscreen and moisturizer in a versatile one-step product. The original formula is said to nourish complexions and helps protect skin from UV and free-radical damage. It follows the release of Jane Iredale’s Beyond Matte Liquid Foundation, a clean, weightless, multi-tasking 3-in-1 makeup formulated with skin-nourishing, plant-based ingredients. It offers 18 shades made with clean ingredients such as celery seed, linseed extract and hyaluronic acid. The product is suitable for all skin types, comes in recyclable glass packaging and is free from what the brand said can be skin irritants, such as fragrance, potassium sorbate, limonene and geraniol. Beyond Matte is 100% vegan, too.
Urban Decay has had the setting spray game locked up for years, but its new All Nighter Ultra Matte Makeup Setting Spray is billed as a game changer. It combines an oil-absorbing, shine-control formula with an extra mattifying effect for what the brand describes as the ultimate “flash-proof” finish. The spray promises to mattify any makeup look instantly with a few sprays of the vegan, oil-free and paraben-free formula, which features patented temperature control technology to leave skin feeling comfortable and cool for a just-applied look up to 16 hours, according to the company.
MAC’s new Glow Play Blush is available at select MAC locations. The Glow Play Blush includes 11 lightweight shades that are said to capture the luminous flush of a natural blush across all skin tones. With eight-hour, fade-free wear, ultra-blendable shade can be worn as a sheer wash of color, or built up and paired for a more vibrant, dimensional pop. Optimized for ultra-fresh spring skin, Glow Play boasts a bouncy, mochi-like jelly texture that glides onto skin with fingertips for a fuss-free, from-within glow, said the company.
Lip Service
Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick’s 80th Anniversary is this year, and what better way to celebrate than with a new product? The latest addition to the iconic franchise is a modern matte—Super Lustrous The Luscious Mattes Lipstick line, out now. Revlon maintains that it has redefined the rules of matte lipstick with this lightweight, non-drying matte lipstick formula. Available in 24 hues, the formula is infused with a botanical complex including agave, moringa oil and cupuacu butter, according to the company. The packaging is also updated with an embossed lipstick bullet and a sleek, matte-to-the-touch tube.
Actress and recording artist Sofia Carson has been named Revlon’s newest global brand ambassador. Her first campaigns for Revlon ColorStay Foundation, Super Lustrous Lipstick and ColorStay Eyeliner will debut in spring 2020 along with several new launches yet to be announced.
“Since I can remember, one of my favorite places in the world was my mom’s vanity, where I discovered my love of fashion, beauty and the perfect red Revlon lipstick. I wore it at my very first dance recital and every recital, performance and dance competition after that. I felt invincible on stage in my red lipstick, like I could do and be anything,” said Carson. “I’m so proud to join the other incredible Revlon ambassadors who inspire me and countless women around the world. Revlon’s Live Boldly platform speaks to the woman I was raised to be; a woman who is fearlessly herself, and who boldly fights for her dreams.”
Carson will begin appearing on behalf of Revlon across all media platforms beginning in Spring 2020.
In other promotional news, actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley was named Hourglass’ first official brand ambassador. In her new role, the model will be the face of the brand’s spring campaigns: the soon-to-launch Vanish Airbrush Concealer and new shades of Confession Ultra Slim High Intensity Refillable Lipstick. Huntington-Whiteley will also collaborate on content, events and a signature shade of Confession Ultra Slim Lipstick.
The partnership includes the launch of a Confession Ultra Slim Refillable Lipstick in Huntington-Whiteley’s signature shade, “You Make Me,” a terracotta nude hue. You Make Me joins a collection of 32 Confession shades.
It Cosmetics Pillow Lips Lipstick is a collagen-infused lip color that makes lips look fuller and delivers high-impact color payoff in just one swipe, according to the company. Available in cream and matte finishes, each of the 14 shades were specially created to complement all skin tones and lip types. Infused with hyaluronic filling spheres and soothing aloe, Pillow Lips helps to minimize the appearance of lip wrinkles while providing comfortable wear that lasts. Plus, its uniquely shaped bullet is designed to hug the curves of the lips, which adds to the plumping effect, according to the brand.
CoverGirl Exhibitionist 24HR Ultra Matte Lipstick is the newest addition to the best-selling Exhibitionist Lipstick range and features 12 matte shades that last up to 24 hours, according to the company. These $9 long wear lipsticks are lightweight and comfortable to wear. According to celebrity makeup artist Ash K. Holm, “For a perfect deep red lip this season, apply your Exhibitionist Ultra Matte 24HR lipstick in the shade ‘The Real Thing’ it has a long wear that stays matte but has a rich hydrating formula to keep the lips moisturized through cooler climates.”
For a crisp look, Holm suggests the TruBlend Undercover Concealer in the same shade as your foundation to clean the edges of your lip using a flat concealer brush.
New MAC Patent Paint Lip Lacquer is a creamy, vinyl-effect gloss that provides instant moisturization that lasts all day with a color payoff that doesn’t bleed. Available in 15 shades, ranging from mirror-like peachy nudes to bold reds and statement-making blues and purples, MAC Patent Paint Lip Lacquer is formulated with a wax-free Triple Threat gel system to create a dynamic 3D gloss effect with a lightweight, non-sticky feel.
The product packaging features black paint splatter to evoke the Lip Lacquer’s bold impact and artistic potential, and a doe-foot applicator ensures even application and effortless glide.
Take a Peek
Ready to coat eyelids in shimmer for 2020 is L’Oréal Paris’s new Brilliant Eyes Liquid Eyeshadow. This high-impact, high-shimmer liquid eye shadow is long-lasting and transfer-proof, according to the company. The luminous pearl pigments are lightweight and non-greasy for comfortable wear. In just one stroke, the soft doe-foot applicator deposits just the right amount of product onto eyelids for high shimmer payoff and blendable application, according to the company. Available in 12 shades, consumers can customize their lid look by pairing shades, building intensity, or just wearing their favorite shades alone to achieve a daytime or nighttime look. Also, new at L’Oréal Paris is Matte Signature waterproof liquid dip eyeliner. The precise applicator with shortened stem allows the user to get closer to the eye for precise, vivid matte lines.
Maybelline New York’s latest collection features a range of new product innovations, relaunches, and shade extensions made to withstand the on-demand, hustle and bustle lifestyle of New York City. As a leading mascara brand, Maybelline has a few new offerings for 2020. Falsies Lash Lift Washable Mascara features a fiber-infused formula, including polymers inspired by hair gels, waxes, and hairsprays to provide length, lift and hold. A double curved lifting brush grabs lashes at the root to lift so even the tiniest of lashes are lengthened! It is available in four shades. Meanwhile, Snapscara Waterproof Mascara provides waterproof, clump-free volume that applies and removes in a snap. The revolutionary “tubing” formula removes in seconds with makeup remover, according to the brand.
Also noteworthy for the new year is Maybelline’s HyperEasy Brush Tip Liquid Liner. It’s billed as liquid liner made easy. The revolutionary flex brush won’t skip, while the hexagonal grip won’t slip, ensuring a seamless application.
Future Focus
Natural cosmetic sales are expected to reach $54.5 billion worldwide in 2027, according to PreScouter, a Chicago-based research intelligence firm.
“The overlapping demand for both personalized and eco-friendly cosmetics is creating an opportunity for providing consumers with safer and better products while decreasing waste and the toll cosmetics production can have on the environment,” commented Dr. Daniel Morales, technical director of PreScouter’s consumer packaged goods practice. However, a big challenge, according to Morales, is navigating the various forms of eco-friendly products and ingredients that are being marketed.
For the report, PreScouter investigated eco-friendly ingredients that are being marketed and championed by existing and emerging players in the cosmetics industry and identified the areas of opportunity to participate in this space. In addition, PreScouter identified future trends to remain competitive in this space. A total of 14 products from 14 companies are detailed, covering seven eco-friendly categories (naturally-sourced, organic, vegan, cruelty-free, biobased, biodegradable and fair trade ingredients).
Currently, the natural space is dominated by cosmetic companies embracing vegan and/or cruelty-free products. Marketers often insist their products do not contain parabens, sulfates, essential oils, drying alcohols, silicones, synthetic sunscreens or fragrances. With consumers understanding the minor differences between ingredients and embracing products that promote formulation transparency, “companies can increase their market share while promoting a more loyal customer base by understanding the differences between various eco-friendly ingredients (for example, biodegradable and bio-based ingredients), in addition to the standards used to validate such claims,” concluded Morales.
Azzara of Birchbox told Happi, “As we look ahead to color cosmetic trends in 2020 and beyond, we will see a shift in the prioritization of clean and sustainable beauty. We expect to see an influx of emerging beauty brands, heightened focus on product development for major industry players, and an increased customer demand for brands and products in this space.”
Looking further ahead, The Color Marketing Group’s 2021+ North American key color forecasted is Mist—described as a hue that exudes “optimistic confidence” and the hopeful resolve to achieve personal and societal goals. Mist’s pale blue hue, touched with a whisper of toned gray and minimal chroma, is spirited in its lightness, according to the international association of color design professionals.
