Mintel Tracks Beauty Color Trends from Global 2014 Fashion Weeks

Charlotte Libby, a senior beauty analyst at Mintel, scouted the trends from the New York, London, Paris and Milan 2014 Fashion Weeks, coming up with three top trends she shared via Mintel’s blog.

Libby writes, “Now that New York, Paris, London and Milan fashion weeks have come to a close, Mintel—in collaboration with makeup artist Jeyanney—have identified the new beauty trends moving into mainstream, with a strong season expected for face and nail products in particular.”

The first trend Libby identifies is “bare-faced beauty,” seen at shows for D&G, Michael Kors and Alexander Wang. “This look is described as a ‘no makeup’ look as the key area of focus is the skin, making it appear hydrated, shine-free and well-conditioned,” describes Jeyanney. “Well-conditioned lips with little or no color paired with groomed brows and a touch of warmth on the cheeks. Less is more with this look, which makes it more of a wearable trend. CC or BB creams are great for barely there perfected skin, applied with a blending brush or sponge to really work the product into the skin for a minimal and ultra-flawless appearance.”

Libby also notes, “The popularity of BB and CC creams has boomed over recent years, with one in five women using such products and the BB cream segment valued at an estimated £45 million in 2012. With the trend for facial makeup moving toward a softer look, the proportion of women using BB creams can be expected to continue to rise.”

The next trend, according to Libby, is double-decker lashes, which were featured at the Jean Pierre Braganza and Rochas shows. Jeyanney notes, “The look seen on the runways was retro 60s doe eyes with a modern update. Lashes are applied to the upper lid and lower lid to give lower lashes extra flutter and width. For lower lashes, dome-shaped styles are the most flattering, making the middle the fullest part of the lash; clusters of individual lashes are also ideal for this look. Compliment this look with a nude eye pencil on the lower lash line for ultimate Bambi eyes.” And Libby explains, “False eye-lashes have the lowest penetration among the color cosmetics segments, standing at 7% in 2013, with the lower usage rate attributed to their trickier application and more dramatic look. However, as bolder lashes move into the mainstream, more women can be encouraged to use these products.

For the third trend, Libby identifies a bold color pop, seen at Holly Fulton, Burberry and Rag & Bone shows. Jeyanney elaborates, “Color was seen all over the catwalks at LFW. The key looks were bold neon lips, the textures varied from matte to satin and sometimes glossy. The key to this look is the bolder the better. It is more about color, keeping the rest of the makeup understated; however matching with your skin tone is essential for bolder colors. Blue was also seen making a comeback on the eyes, but those not feeling that daring can try to recreate these colors on the nails.”

And Libby writes, “Younger women are more comfortable experimenting with new colors and styles (20% of 16–24s agree compared to an average of 16%). However, while not all women are comfortable experimenting with bright colors on lips or eyes, nail color cosmetics are perfectly positioned to harness this trend. In 2013, nail color cosmetic sales inched above that of lips for the first time (£233 million compared to £232 million). Nail art continues to be a driving factor in sales with an explosion of new textures and application methods emerging to allow young women in particular to easily personalize their nail look and stay on-trend.

For more information, please see Mintel’s Colour Cosmetics UK 2013 report.

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