Who would have imagined before 2020, that one day, our fashion statement would include a collection of face masks?

Except in some countries where people have long been used to wearing face masks (mainly in Eastern Asia e.g., Japan) due to concerns over pollen, air pollution, or the common cold, until recently, it was something rejected and even ridiculed by many people in the rest of the world.

As wearing a mask in public becomes the norm, the desire to “look good” is facing a few new challenges. People are dealing with struggles like smeared lipsticks, smudged mascara (even when it’s supposed to be waterproof, it still gets ruined due to the warmth and moisture beneath the mask) and foundation, that is constantly rubbed all over the inside of the mask. Not to mention other struggles concerning practicality – like having to wear a mask and glasses when going out which often results in foggy spectacles, making it hard and uncomfortable to see. The struggles are real.

While all these struggles are frustrating, people are still trying their best to get used to wearing a mask on a daily basis. This inevitably brought an impact, both negative and positive, on sales of certain product lines since 2020. The data shows that the sales of cosmetic products like lipstick and foundation have plummeted by 75% compared to the numbers in 2019 – as stay-at-home policies forced people to neglect their makeup bags. While other beauty products like eye cosmetics and nail products saw a tremendous increase in sales – 150% and 218% respectively.

These struggles also bring new opportunities and tasks for many brands in the beauty and personal care sector. Giving specific features in terms of mask-compatibility for cosmetics and make-up like water-proof and smear-proof products, anti-fogging for glasses, or like how salons that are closed drove many people towards DIY hair dye.

Why is this interesting?

The recent Covid-19 pandemic brought many changes not only to various industries but also to our daily lives. New trends are emerging in the market, some existing trends (e.g., social selling) are experiencing tremendous growth, and of course, there are consumer behaviour shifts – like how many spectacles wearers are tempted to try contact lenses for the first time. With all the changes also come new consumer pain points that businesses need to address.

For the beauty industry, trends that are focusing on personal health and wellness are being perceived positively and will most likely stay for the long-term. Now, it’s up to beauty manufacturers to help their consumers by continuously innovating and becoming more forward-thinking businesses.

ADK Insights continuously monitors emerging trends and their impact on consumer behaviour, providing insights to help businesses future-proof their innovation. To know more about our experience and see what it could mean for your business, please contact Rob, Nimrod or Dam.

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