The highlight of every brand's marketing strategy is centered on consumer behavior and the numbers behind them. Every new trend and innovation created has always answered what consumers are clamoring for.
The same can be said for the beauty industry, which has experienced a paradigm shift in the past few years. Today, there's more emphasis on using sustainable ingredients, cruelty-free products, and supporting inclusive beauty.
As a result, consumers are making more informed choices about the brands they support, the product ingredients, the manufacturing process, and even the work culture of these beauty industry giants. So let's see just how consumers have influenced and shaped the beauty trends of 2022.
2022 Consumer Beauty Trends
1. Simplified beauty routines
As the pandemic continues, consumers have fewer places to go and little incentive to put on a full face of makeup. So instead, they focus on the basics or use cosmetics only for creative purposes. This theme is an opportunity for brands to attract new customers with affordable, easy-to-use products that support a natural look.
Simplified beauty, or skinimalism, will focus on skin and lip care instead of eye makeup. Consumers will seek convenient formats that enhance their look quickly and easily.
Take TikTok's viral "clean makeup" beauty trend. It boasts of a no-makeup-makeup look that emphasizes the highlights of the face with the bare minimum—a cream blush, feathered brows, long lashes, and a hint of tint on the lips, and you're good to go.
2. Increase in demand for cruelty-free, sustainable, ethical products
The demand for cruelty-free, sustainable, and ethical products is growing. In 2013, 66% of consumers said they were willing to pay extra for products that support a good cause. That figure is expected to grow to 77% in 2022.
As consumer decisions become more centered on the impact of the purchases on the environment and animal welfare, some brands are starting to expand their product lines to include organic, vegan, cruelty-free, and sustainable beauty. Some examples of how brands meet this demand are:
- producing products free from anything derived from animals or their byproducts
- using recycled packaging
- ensuring that all raw materials have been sustainably sourced
- operations do not or only minimally affect the production of raw materials
3. Growing interest in inclusive beauty
"Beauty for all" is a welcome addition to any beauty brand. For example, many brands now offer foundations with varying shades going up to as wide as 40 shades.
Inclusivity also emphasizes products directed at women of color and beyond that. Brands are now more aware of cultural differences and beliefs that may impact how people apply makeup or choose to wear it. These differences are not just in terms of race but also gender identity, religion, and more.
Some brands have even started making buzzy products like beard oil or shimmery body glitter designed with specific customers in mind (gay men and women, Muslims who cover their skin, etc.).
4. Bright and maximalist colors
The year 2020 was all about minimalist makeup, or even no makeup at all, but in 2021 when the world had started to open, we saw the rise in neons, metallics, and bright colors. So for 2022, we'll find ourselves somewhere in the middle. We'll still be rocking colors, but with a more laid-back approach.
Makeup artist William Scott says that the pandemic made us see that we didn't need makeup every day. We saw ourselves with fresh eyes, learned more about our preferences, and edited our makeup routine.
He also mentions that nostalgia is high, so there are many referential and futuristic looks. He envisions people gravitating towards a solid base with transparent, perfected, and feathered brows and an intense blush, perfect in emphasizing eye color.
5. Seamless shopping experiences
Consumers are looking for seamless online and in-store shopping experiences using the same tools and information. They are showing an increased preference for mobile devices when searching for products.
Still, at some point during the transaction process, they may want to use a desktop computer or tablet—or even call customer service by phone. This shift has increased the need for brands and retailers to make purchases easy.
This is why some retailers are setting up shop online or launching mobile commerce strategies that allow them to create frictionless shopping experiences for consumers on desktop and mobile devices alike.
The Future of Beauty is Here
While skincare and makeup are the most important trends to focus on when launching products, causes and advocacies drive many consumer decisions today. It might be too soon to know what will go down in history, but it's clear that changes to beauty products and brands are sure to continue.
The increased use of apps and social media, combined with the onslaught of beauty technology, will make products increasingly accessible to consumers and will continue to change beauty consumer trends for years to come.
