The beauty industry thrives off innovation – but what would be left of it without any new ideas?
Hayley Carr, brand consultant and blogger behind londonbeautyqueen.com, believes too many cosmetics launches today are “dull as dishwater”. Here she talks to Cosmetics Business about her lack of excitement for new launches and what brands need to do to spark interest...
Hayley Carr
"Having worked in the beauty industry since 2005, I’ve seen a lot of change and many new trends capture consumer imagination.
Whether it was mineral foundation, sulphate free shampoo, Korean-inspired skin care, micellar water or as random as hair mascara, each brought with it a feeling of excitement and intrigue.
Each provided something new and noteworthy, an innovation to get on board with and a story to tell - but without those stories, journalists, bloggers and social influencers are nothing. We’re storytellers as much as we are experts in beauty, so if the stories dry up and there’s nothing to get excited about where do we turn? What do we do?
If I'm completely honest the beauty industry is failing to light my fire right now; too many brands are insisting on working with young pretty faces to endorse products that are totally wrong for them, too many launches may seem exciting on the concept table but are actually dull as dishwater in reality, and I just can't even look at another nude eyeshadow palette without rolling my eyes.
Not-so-noteworthy
Now my mail often remains unopened for a week because I know practically none of it will get me excited
I used to rip open every new envelope with glee, eager to find out what's inside, but now my mail often remains unopened for a week because I know practically none of it will get me excited. I’ve reached beauty lethargy and it’s a serious problem.
But how come? I believe the industry has reached saturation point and isn't too sure where to turn; we had too much too soon and consumers (alongside beauty writers) are turning away in favour of a simpler routine and firm favourites they know they can trust.
We’re being told daily that there’s something available that’s bigger and better than what currently resides in our make-up bags or on our bathroom shelves, and it’s turned to disbelief.
There’s never been so much distrust amongst consumers and influencers alike, everyone questioning ingredients and eager to disprove claims made: a revolution is coming and we’re on the starting line of it.
Noise vs quality
With many of the budget brands focusing on getting NPD to market quicker than ever, and premium brands following suit, there’s too much noise and not enough quality. Ten years ago it would’ve been enough to launch a limited edition eyeshadow palette in a few new shades, or a colour changing lipstick, but now we’ve seen it all before and we’re just not that interested.
Although UK brands have been looking abroad for some time (FYI, a sheet mask is not news) it seems that we’re only cherry picking the same things – I’ve seen so many cushion foundations and none of them are truly innovative, especially since it’s been over two years since I first featured them. What about splash masks, egg white moisturisers and foundation sheets? Hook a girl up!
This feeling is a consensus that seems to run through the most beauty literate bloggers, journalists and consumers too - all of us searching for the flicker of something new and exciting, but failing to start a fire of note every time. So what does this beauty lethargy signal for the industry as a whole?
Time to wise up?
Sales will inevitably slow down for those impulse brands and trend-led launches that we’re just getting a bit tired of; nobody needs 100 different cleansers or a stash of 25 mascaras, so many are adopting a ‘less is more’ approach to beauty and scaling it back."
Great news for those brands with real cult status products and those that have a reduced offering, but maybe not so great for those with a million different moisturisers and a confused consumer that just backs away slowly instead of asking for help.
Coverage is already harder to achieve and this will only get more difficult to secure; bloggers don’t want to write about products that don’t excite them and journalists won’t feature a ‘me too’ product three years after the fact.
Brands need to get cleverer, PRs need to stop being a little lazy and the beauty industry needs to wise up to the fact that we’re all wised up. You’re not in Kansas anymore Toto.
