The four core trends are: specialisation, biotech and naturals, personal connection and next generation ecommerce.
1. Specialisation: ‘My Beauty, My Rules’
Mintel predicts that brands will stop targeting consumers based on their age, gender, or body type as consumers increasingly demand personalised beauty defined on their terms.
“In the past, brands had sole control over what defines beauty; however, perceptions of beauty based on age, gender, skin, hair, and body type are changing as today’s consumers take control of how beauty is defined,” the firm says.
“The ever-evolving perception of beauty will see the removal of labels that are based on simple characteristics and will transform the way consumers look at their skin, hair, and body types.”
Mintel suggest that from next year, beauty consumers will demand that their individual needs are answered with options or customisable beauty.
2. Biotech & Naturals: Playing Mother Nature
The concept of natural beauty ingredients is expanding in an ever-changing world, suggests Mintel, and from next year, brands will meet this demand using local approaches and developments in biotechnology.
“In the coming year, the possibilities for creating safe, allergen-free, pure, and efficacious ingredients through science could replace the harvesting of natural ingredients.
“Local sourcing and production of ingredients will become essential in the years ahead, strengthening the idea of local pride—not just with brands and manufacturers, but with consumers too.”
3. Personal connection: Campaign Capital
Simply selling a great beauty product will no longer be enough, Mintel believes, with the firm saying that moving forward, brands must have personality and purpose that align with consumers’ own beliefs in order to win them over.
“Consumers are as passionate about the value a brand and product can bring to them as they are about the quality of the product itself. The onus is now on brands to impress consumers with a human-like personality that's relatable, personable, and sincere.
“Millennials and Generation Z place greater emphasis on the world around them. Now more than ever, it is imperative that initiatives go beyond corporate social responsibility and truly give back to society.”
4. Private Eye: next generation online retail
Digital technology will follow consumers everywhere, influencing their product purchases and helping them to navigate the complexities of the beauty aisle, says Mintel.
“With so many products on the shelves, time-pressed consumers are in need of a more intuitive shopping experience.
“New technology can interpret consumers' facial expressions and eye movements to determine their product preferences and offer help, both in-store and online.
“In the coming years, commercial use of biometric data is set to extend beyond eye tracking, as heart rate, body language, and speech become increasingly important for a more complete assessment of consumer preference.
“The days of social media being purely social are long gone as companies transform these online interactions into shopper opportunities.”