C&T's "Consumer Pulse" series on the socials highlights the latest emerging consumer searches and hashtags related to cosmetics. Here, we expand on those themes. This edition includes: Halloween makeup (vampire, dead cheerleader, cat, Minnie Mouse, spider web and more); GloRilla no makeup; Catrina makeup (and controversy); Lustrivia supplement for hair/nail/skin health; lip stain masque; Mimosu DIY kit for fermented rice water; bow nails and green chrome nails. Following are specific growth statistics for each and a deeper dive into some that caught our interest — plus, a quick run-down of the top themes we saw at the IFSCC 2024 Congress in Brazil.
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C&T's "Consumer Pulse" series on the socials highlights the latest emerging consumer searches and hashtags related to cosmetics. Here, we expand on those themes. This edition includes: Halloween makeup (vampire, dead cheerleader, cat, Minnie Mouse, spider web and more); GloRilla no makeup; Catrina makeup (and controversy); Lustrivia supplement for hair/nail/skin health; lip stain masque; Mimosu DIY kit for fermented rice water; bow nails and green chrome nails. Following are specific growth statistics for each and a deeper dive into some that caught our interest — plus, a quick run-down of the top themes we saw at the IFSCC 2024 Congress in Brazil.
See last report on 13 microtrends in beauty.
- Halloween makeup, with top-ranking characters including: vampire (+900%), dead cheerleader (+600%) and cat, Minnie Mouse and spider web (+400-500%)*
- Glorilla no makeup (+500%)* - female rapper GloRilla recently appeared on "The Jennifer Hudson Show" that featured her glow up, becoming a world-class beauty but per Media Takeout, fans criticized her for "catfishing" her new look, which has stirred up the social media feeds.
- Catrina makeup (+350%)*
- Lustrivia (8.1K search volume, up 9,900+% growth in the past 2 yrs, per Exploding Topics) - a supplement designed to support hair, skin and nail health
- Lip stain masque (590 search volume, +8,400% growth in the past 2 yrs, per Exploding Topics)
- Mimosu (+4,900% in the past 2 yrs, per Exploding Topics) - a DIY kit to make fermented rice water for skin and hair care
- Bow nails (+174.4%, year over year, per Spate)
- Green chrome nails (+149.6%, year over year, per Spate)
- ... plus, our IFSCC "top themes" overview.
*Google Trends, last two weeks
Catrina Makeup, Day of the Dead — And Controversy
Between Halloween and Día de los Muertes (Day of the Dead) this week, dramatic sugar skull makeup looks and floral crowns along with how-to tutorials have flooded social media feeds. According to Google Trends, searches on "Catrina makeup" (La Catrina, or sugar skull girl) are up 350% in the past two weeks. The fast food chain McDonalds in Southern California is even promoting makeup and flower crown workshops to help create the look. A recent feature by HOLA! outlines the various steps, as does a TikTok video from @amitbautista, which has racked up more than 28.9 million views.
A story from PopSugar, however, posits whether sugar skull makeup is offensive. "You see [posts of] a celebrity in a beautiful ... Day of the Dead get-up, ... then you read the comments," the source wrote. While some would agree it's just a costume, others have described it as cultural appropriation, underscoring that Halloween and Día de los Muertes are not related, and that the latter holds a much deeper meaning: honoring the dead.
In the PopSugar story, Mexican-American makeup artist Valeria Leyva expressed, "there is a very fine line between appropriation and appreciation." We share this story this week as a reminder that while the industry may be focused on developing products for the visual expression of beauty, to some consumers, this can hold a much deeper and even sacred meaning.
Lip Stain Masques for Color that Lasts
Interest in lip stain masques has climbed 8,400% in the past 2 yrs, per Exploding Topics. These products as designed to impart lasting color by applying the pigmented formula to the lips, leaving it to set, then peeling it off to reveal a vibrant stain. The products are said to provide durable, low-maintenance color without the need for frequent application.
Cosmpolitan and Allure both recently reported their top lip stain picks and highlighted Wonderskin's Wonder Blading Lip Stain Masque. The brand describes the product as providing all-day lip color, and being transfer proof, water proof and "life" proof. "We’ve combined the maximum color payoff of a lipstick with the all-day staying power of a stain," the product website reports. "Our patented Liquid Blading technology begins with the Lip Stain Masque, which infuses pigments and dyes into the top layer of lips in under a minute."
Application directions suggest either: 1) the "stain and go," approach," allowing the lip stain masque to set between 10-30 sec (or longer, for a deeper color), then wiping it away with a damp towel or tissue; or 2) the "peel and reveal" approach, following up the lip stain mask with the brand's Wonder Blading activator for a patented "peel and reveal" lip experience, to seal in the dyes so they don’t fade or budge for up to 10 hr.
Ingredients (Lip Masque, per the brand site as of 10-30-24): Water (Aqua/Eau), Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Mica, Algin, Glycerin, Indigofera Tinctoria Leaf Extract, 1, 2-Hexandiol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Glucoside, Flavor (Aroma), Polysorbate 80, Tin Oxide, Lactic Acid, Glucose. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Red 22 (CI 45380), Blue 1 (CI 42090), Red 40 (CI 16035), Yellow 5 (CI 19140), Red 33 (CI 17200).
Ingredients (Wonder Blading Activator): Water (Aqua/Eau), Sodium Saccharin, Calcium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin, Galactoarabinan, Xylitol, Caprylic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol.
Embracing Girlhood, Bow Nails, Brat Summer (Turns Fall) and Green Chrome Nails
According to Spate, the fastest-growing nail art designs are currently bow nails and green chrome nails.
Bow nails: "Bow nails average 3.8K monthly searches and have seen a +174.4% growth in searches compared to last year," the firm reports. "Bows have been trending thanks to the rise of adult women embracing girlhood, the coquette aesthetic (+98.9% growth compared to last year), the balletcore aesthetic (+3.4% growth compared to last year) and, more specifically, Sandy Liang ...This trend is also taking off on TikTok, with a +911.0% year-over-year growth in views compared to last year."
Green chrome nails: Then, you have green chrome nails, which according to Spate, are "a nod to the BRAT [Summer] aesthetic. "This trend averages 2.3K monthly searches and has seen a +149.6% growth in searches compared to last year," the source reports. Furthermore, consumers are reportedly looking for bold options beyond traditional green chrome nails, exploring variants like French tips and green and purple chrome nails. "Similar trends are also on the rise: chrome tip nails are growing quickly with a +59.8% year-over-year increase, and blue chrome nails have seen a +104.9% year-over-year growth," Spate reports.
IFSCC 2024 Congress Brazil: Top 11 Themes
Finally, as you may already have seen, C&T reported on the top 11 themes we saw at the IFSCC 2024 Congress in Brazil a few weeks ago. Briefly, these included the following (see the full report for additional details).
- "Melano-aging" and skin brightening
- Physics and material science
- Improving sunscreen safety and efficacy
- Whole-body care
- Microbiome insights and "porphyr'aging"
- Sustainability and biodiversity
- Anti-aging and skin longevity
- The mind-skin connection
- Imaging, testing and other technologies in beauty
- "Leaky" skin, sensitivity and general skin care
- Hair and scalp care