Published in Skin Inc, April 2010

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2. By Alisa Marie Beyer
F
or spas and clients alike, beauty trends are an exciting glimpse at
what many love about the beauty industry—the innovations, the
breakthroughs and the flat-out amazing discoveries that work to
make women and men even more beautiful. In 2010, the biggest beauty
trends prove that where beauty is concerned, a little of the old can be
as trendy as a lot of the new, and clients are eager to kick-start this new
decade of beauty with fun; a goal you can help them achieve by working
with the following trends.
The tools of the road
Tools are fascinating, and nowhere are they
garnering more attention than in the beauty world.
And although clients aren’t going to go so far as to
forsake their estheticians, for today’s beauty trendster,
do-it-yourself (DIY) beauty tools are an increasingly
popular skin care bridge between spa visits. Hair
removal, extreme exfoliation, laser line reversal and
even at-home light therapy for hyperpigmentation
all are becoming more and more mainstream, and
savvy beauty companies are jumping on board. From
prestige to mass, the trend for DIY at-home beauty
is only just beginning to reach its full potential as a
building block to spa services.
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3. The little antioxidant that could for their mother’s favorite products, yet definitely
Antioxidants have made a name for themselves in in need of more than soap and water, skin care and
the beauty world that few ingredients can match. Given cosmetic lines that offer carefully edited products
their prevalence in every type of skin care product and specifically tailored to benefit young skin are timely,
treatment, it might be presumed effective and here to stay.
that the antioxidant’s time in
the sun had passed—however, it
hasn’t. Antioxidants are here to
The multibenefit Technology
stay, and now their anti-aging
and overall well-being benefits
are being added to more items
aspect of for wow
Another exciting trend
than just skin care. Makeup
brands are embracing the power
of antioxidants in eye shadow,
antioxidant that is poised to be hot in
2010 is the rise of unique
applicator systems for color
lipstick, foundation, and even
mascara and eye liner. In
addition to protecting the skin
makeup is not only cosmetics. Not content to
merely offer consumers
the same old options as in
from environmental damage,
many antioxidant makeup a hot trend; it’s a the past, today’s cosmetics
brands are rolling out
products also boast anti-aging technologically advanced
and wrinkle-reversing
properties, as well. For today’s smart trend. applicators and formulas
that promise photo-finish
typical über-busy woman, application and precision;
the multibenefit aspect of and high-definition results
antioxidant makeup is not only a hot trend; it’s a smart never seen before. Sound too good to be true? Maybe
trend, as well, so it is your job as a spa professional to not. Some brands are beginning to offer products
educate clients about the importance of antioxidants. with unique features, such as a futuristic paint-roller
applicator that seamlessly applies makeup to the skin
or a roller-ball applicator for an antioxidant-enriched
In the tween of things formula designed to minimize fine lines, wrinkles and
age spots. Foundation isn’t the only product to sport
Teenagers, it may seem, spend a good deal of
such cutting-edge technology. A new mascara on the
their time feeling entitled, but perhaps they are onto
market features an oscillating wand that provides an
something. The tween and teen skin care trend is one
application so precise that the results are said to rival
area where young adults might just have every reason
the lush appearance of false lashes. Photo-finish results
to feel entitled. Faced with record levels of stress,
for everyday wear are on trend and on time.
responsibility and opportunity, today’s teenagers also
deal with growing numbers of acne outbreaks, skin
problems and unprecedented exposure to environmental
damage. Although not necessarily a new trend in 2010, The rise of the eyes
the need for skin care that is formulated to expressly After the tumultuous energy of the past two years,
meet the needs of this unique group of individuals is consumers are looking to 2010 to be the start of a fresh,
one of the most exciting trends that continues to gain new, bright beginning, and eye shadow trends appear
momentum. These days, brands aren’t just paying to be leading the way. From look-at-me smoky to the
lip service to this category, either. Today’s suppliers ephemerally popular nude, eye makeup is once again
have made advancements in ingredients, formulation, big in 2010, and only trending to get bigger. Gone are
delivery methods and even packaging that truly provide traditional interpretations of these looks, and in their
a benefit to young skin, and help prep these beauty place are color options that breathe new life into old
newbies for long-term skin care success. Not yet ready favorites: funky purples, peacock greens and bold
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4. corals give smoky eyes an edge, while shimmering yet-affordable beauty indulgences is hot. No longer
golds, buttercup yellows and spring-fresh lilacs make willing to pay top dollar for every single product in
the nude eye anything but vanilla. And it doesn’t stop their makeup bags, women are seeking more affordable
there—a renewed focus on brows is also taking shape, cosmetic options that can be supplemented with special
with products to groom, fill, shape and even grow brows indulgences from time to time, and beauty brands are
popping up in every sector. bringing their A-game to answer this call. Private label
products allow clients to purchase items at a lower price
than most skin care lines and allow for the branding
Glam-for-less of the business at the same time; a win-win situation.
Even high-end skin care brands are getting into the
Glamonomics is here. Trending to be even bigger this
game, creating specialty sets and product options that
year than last, the consumer demand for high quality-
give consumers the indulgence they crave at a more
affordable price. No longer can
brands presume consumers will
stick with their favorite product no
matter the cost. In 2010, she’s also
going to indulge her inner glamazon
in an affordable, fun way.
Advancements
and fun
The consumer thirst for
increasingly more innovative
and exotic beauty products and
technology is, by now, well-known
to most brands. As the beauty
industry continues to recover from
the economic turmoil of the past few
years, savvy brands will continue
to try and stay ahead of this bell
curve by leveraging what has
worked, what is working, and what
needs to be working in order to give
consumers the products, services
and innovations they seek. The
trends for 2010 reflect this outlook,
keeping beauty on the move, and
in-the-now with unique product
offerings, amazing advancements in
formulations and flat-out fun.
Alisa Marie Beyer
is CEO of The
Benchmarking
Company, a research
and branding firm
focused on the beauty industry.
The company’s women-only,
permission-based Pink Panel
provides beauty consumer data for
the Pink Report, a quarterly research
report that reveals what consumers
of female beauty products want,
what they’ll buy and why.
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