With a new year comes new changes, and no industry is more changed than the beauty industry. Especially with the recent pandemic and technology impacting how the industry is doing, it’s safe to safe that 2023 will look extremely different. Additionally, alongside a rise in consumer demand in addition to shifting priorities, 2023 will see the industry become increasingly transparent and inclusive. So, in case you were wondering what kind of trends we may see in the coming years, here are a few ways in which the beauty industry will evolve in 2023. Be sure to read below to learn more.
Meaningful beauty will be prioritised
With all the turmoil in recent years, these events are now driving international spending with a goal to connect to things that feel meaningful, or at least with products that spark joy. As such, brands can no longer simply launch something meaningless. According to experts, only brands that are able to combine both commerce with purpose will be able to survive in the long term.
Beauty brands are now also expecting shoppers to challenge them for transparency, honesty and accountability. For example, Marcia Kilgore, the founder of Beauty Pie, predicts that the industry will begin to embrace the concept of ‘radical fairness’ across price points, such as by collapsing traditional hierarchies in the beauty industry.
Nostalgic trends will continue
When it comes to makeup and hair, it seems like we will keep looking back in order to move forward. So, as a whole, nostalgia will remain rooted in the forefront. According to trend expert Agus Panzoni, nostalgic themes tended to dominate fashion and beauty during 2022. This also included the hyper-femininity ‘barbiecore’ movement. It seems like this trend will continue, with counterculture youth genres such as goth, grunge and pop-punk, in addition to Victorian and regency period styles all trending.
Sarah Rose Pearce, a makeup artist and hair stylist at S Blend Makeup states, “It’s very common to see hairstyle acting in a cyclical way, from perms to mullets, but now makeup is having a nostalgic moment, too. See the kind of grunge makeup looks from Avril Lavigne – dramatic smoky eyes with a very dialled down base – is a throwback to the early ‘00s, while Barbie-stye makeup is very ‘90s as it relies on frosted eyeshadow and pink glossed lips.”
Self-expression will explode
Whether we implement nostalgic looks or not, beauty will also facilitate unbridled experimentation when it comes to self-expression in 2023. Trend experts have noted that there will be an appetite to experiment. Aside from makeup, fragrance also is a part of this movement. This sentiment was shared by Chanel’s Thomas du Pre de Saint Maur, the head of global creative resources for fragrance and beauty. When discussing Gen Z, he says, “People browse more fragrances because they are exploring different facets of themselves…now what can be part of forming your identity is this fluidity of the different roles you want to play.”
That being said, this new creative trend does not mean people are necessarily striving for perceived perfection. What is considered ‘creative’ can look different on different people, and a few influencers are now challenging the rigid conventions of beauty and beauty standards.
Tech will transform beauty
There is no question that digital technology is already transforming the beauty industry. This is shown not only by the varied experiences involved but also the physical products. Connectivity, convenience, and community are now considered buzzwords. As such, brands are tapping into on-demand apps and connected wearable devices.
Tech and data will also help to enhance experiences with beauty offline, as advanced diagnostics can enable a great amount of personalisation. For instance, we may have to look out for innovations in personalised skin tech, which is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the beauty industry.
The rise of virtual influencers is also growing, as digital natives like Gen Z may find that they end up relating to virtual influencers just as easily as with traditional influencers. So, we are also seeing brands launching their own avatars, such as Prada, which recently launched Candy. Nars also launched digitally rendered beauty ambassadors Maxine, Sissi and Chelsea, at the end of 2022.
More subscription beauty brands and services
When it comes to services that are offering subscription boxes with perfumes, makeup and skincare items, they are expected to reach $65 billion by 2027. These boxes are a convenient way to receive regular personalised beauty products that are already tailored to a customer’s preference. This is what has made them so popular.
In fact, data suggests that 69% of women claim they only visit a physical store if they need to pick up a particular product. Because subscription boxes offer a more customisable experience, as well as the surprise of opening a box filled with beauty products, we are probably going to see this trend continue in 2023.