Do you need to brush up on your knowledge of the current and future state of the beauty industry? You’ve certainly come to the right place. The 2022 CosmoProf North America show was held at the Las Vegas Convention Center on July 12-14th, where our team was blushing over the many unique and innovative trends. As always, our team was happy to see familiar faces, including some of our RangeMe Verified™ suppliers, at the show.
As our team walked the aisles of exhibitors and learned about the products on display, there were a handful of existing and emerging trends worthy of highlighting, pun intended:
Pastel & Colorful Packaging
I have to admit, I am a sucker for pretty packaging, and I know I’m not alone. It seems more and more brands are catching on to this trend, and I am here for it. Pinks, blues, purples–think Trix yogurt but more esthetically pleasing. RangeMe supplier, Slick Hair, exhibited their line of hair products with no shortage of pink. Consumers can say goodbye to bad hair days and hello to the ultimate slick and everyday hair-do with their SLICK STICK™.
Childhood Nostalgia
Have you ever wanted to be a Barbie girl, living in a Barbie world? Brands have picked up on the power of nostalgia as consumers lean towards products that help them feel youthful, integrating childhood characters like Barbie, Disney princesses, and superheroes into their product designs. The Crème Shop, a RangeMe supplier, has integrated Sanrio characters like Hello Kitty into their skincare and cosmetic designs. They also have product collaborations with Disney and KOKAO Friends, bringing back childhood memories for many.
Biodegradable
Plastic is in everything we own, but we noticed many brands have built a new foundation for product development by launching biodegradable products. We saw this trend especially prominent across fake lashes and nails. Biodegradable products and packaging are a new requirement for many consumers, making this trend dire. RangeMe supplier, Wet brush, highlighted their Go Green line of eco-freindly hair brushes at the show. Made from plant-based plastic, these brushes are kind to your hair and the environment.
Sexual Wellness
Many brands have expanded their offerings into the sexual wellness category, breaking taboo topics in retail. In the wise words of Summer Fouché, Sr. Sales Operations Specialist at Good Clean Love, “after all, 50% of the population has a vagina, and 100% of us know someone with one, so it shouldn’t be taboo to talk about.” One RangeMe supplier stepping into the realm of sexual wellness is Upper Canada Soap 1, the parent company of brands: Danielle, Bye Bye Germs, Studio Dry, and Therawell. They announced their upcoming launch of Natural Glow, a line of sex toys for women promoting all forms of self-care.
K-Beauty
It’s no surprise that Korean beauty has consistently been making strides in the beauty world through quality ingredients and innovation. K-beauty RangeMe supplier COSRX showcased their viral and award-winning snail mucin serum, living by their slogan “expecting tomorrow.” While it may sound yucky, snail mucin is a high-concentrated essence that protects the skin from moisture loss while keeping skin texture smooth and healthy.
CosmoPack: Educational Sessions
After adventuring around the show floor, our team attended educational sessions that discussed the current and future state of the health and beauty care industry. While there was plenty of interesting information shared, here are some of the key takeaways:
Nielsen IQ: The Evolution of Clean and Sustainable
Speaker:
Anna Mayo | VP Content and Strategy, Beauty Vertical.
Clean beauty 3.0. “Clean” beauty is a term that has been evolving over the last decade. It started with getting rid of the “bad ingredients” and replacing them with the “better-for-you” ingredients. Nielsen reflected that 60% of products are now paraben and sulfate free. Next came the clean packaging phase, where consumers and retailers focused on using and buying products with recyclable and biodegradable materials. Currently, the industry is stepping into a 3.0 phase, prioritizing clean ethics behind brands from Fair Trade and the treatment of employees to adequate wages.
Labeling is a purchase driver. Retailers like Sephora and ULTA benefit from labeling products under the clean umbrella since it is a great purchasing driver. According to the Natural Marketing Institute, this “clean” customer makes up about 24% of U.S. adults. Nielsen also encouraged brands to market their special ingredients and benefits as 860,000 consumers searched for clean beauty products in just one quarter on Amazon last year.
Clean consumers are big spenders. About 61% of consumers agreed that environmental issues matter to them or affect their life. Consumers are willing to pay extra to get clean beauty products, spending about $66 more per year on these products, according to Nielsen. While premium pricing is gaining popularity across the clean beauty umbrella, so is the level of innovation. Some of the top beauty trends this year include pineapple-infused products, algae-based skincare, and rice water hair products.
Innovation carries influence. Nielsen recorded that 9% of clean beauty sales over the last year have been driven by innovative products. Considering the industry is strongly saturated, innovation can help brands stay ahead and stand out. One popular innovation tactic is creating plastic-free products, proving to be a worthy investment with a 167% sales increase in the last couple of years.
Ingredients Driving the Beauty Industry
Speakers:
Ron Robinson | Founder & CEO, BeautyStat Cosmetics
Nicole Musco | Director of Global Product Development Eye & Lip, Revlon
Consumers are the drivers. Shoppers are now searching for ingredients in the products they buy before considering brand names and prices, which is driving brands to educate themselves and their audience on the ingredients that make up their products. Brands should start by understanding their strategy and who their customers are and what they buy. The mass market needs to be educated about ingredients, and brands need to take due diligence to inform about ingredient safety. From there, sales performance drives the products.
Certifications. You need to understand your brand and products first so you can tell which certifications are the best fit for your brand. Prioritize ingredients that are safe, then worry about retailer regulations. And with mass development, it’s important to note that it gets trickier to follow different retailers’ guidelines.
Natural isn’t safer. Sometimes natural products can be more disruptive to the skin. Just because something is synthetic, does not make it unsafe for the skin. Everything we consume is a chemical, whether it’s synthetic or natural. Chemists specialize in creating formulas that are stabilized and work safely on most skin types.
Innovation can be risky. When brands go outside of familiar territory to source ingredients, this can cause confusion rather than excitement. Consumers like things they are familiar with and ingredients that they can pronounce. Innovation around clean beauty is no longer unique–performance, safety and consumer loyalty are now a priority.
Viral ingredients. Niacinamide has been used in beauty products for many, many years, but social media placed it top-of-mind for consumers. TikTok is a great platform for ingredient education from doctors and professionals in the skincare industry and a great outlet for brand exposure. Other popular ingredients consumers look for are vitamin C, squalene, and SPF.
It is no secret that trade shows are still on a rocky road to recovery and guest attendance will continue to vary. What is clear is that RangeMe is excited to be along for the ride and will continue to be a reliable bridge between buyers and suppliers.
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Are you a retail buyer curious to discover all the brands that attended the show? Browse our Cosmoprof North America 2022 Collection.