Athleisure and beauty: where do they intersect?
For these expert insights, we caught up with Lia Neophytou, an Associate Analyst with market research firm GlobalData. This is the first part in a two-part interview.
Neophytou will be speaking on ‘Athleisure: blurring boundaries in fashion, fitness, and beauty’ at the Marketing Trends Theatre on Wednesday, 18th April at 15.15 – 16.00 at in-cosmetics Global in Amsterdam.
Where has the demand for athleisure in personal care and beauty come from?
In wanting to be “ready for anything”, the millennial appreciation of athleisure wear in the fashion industry has enabled the trend to permeate adjacent sectors, including personal care, where brands are aligning innovation with the needs of the athletic consumer.
This is occurring in light of today’s ongoing wellness revolution, where the desire to lead healthier, more active lifestyles is catalysing the boom in the athleisure trend in beauty.
Eating healthily and exercising frequently has become social currency in popular culture, exacerbated by the omnipresence of image-based social media platforms, such as Instagram, and the rise of the ‘gym selfie’, which has made the curation of a healthy, active image an aspiration for many.
The evolving perception of working-out as an activity to be enjoyed rather than a chore is further revolutionising the way consumers view beauty products, seeking those which are specifically tailored toward this occasion.
This sentiment is particularly evident among millennials (born 1981-1999), 72% of whom exercise at least once per week – a percentage which is higher than any other generation – according to GlobalData’s 2017 primary consumer research.
How is the athleisure trend set to impact on the market?
These factors have driven the need for beauty solutions which can enhance aesthetic appearance during exercise occasions – for example ensuring that make-up does not budge when working out – or which deliver a functional benefit – for example providing a cooling sensation once applied.
The opportunity for athleisure inspired beauty products is evident in GlobalData’s 2017 primary consumer research, with over a quarter (28%) of global consumers being interested in and actively buying beauty/ grooming products specifically targeted towards fitness and exercise occasions.
A further 42% are interested in the concept, but not currently buying such products.
Hence, there exists potential for personal care brands to capitalise upon the popularity of the athleisure trend in fashion and to innovate with the specific beauty needs of the active consumer in mind.
