Could hybrid innovation revive the make-up sales slump?

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The global beauty industry has suffered significantly amidst the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and its future remains fragile. As face mask-usage becomes the new normal and social gatherings become less common, 33% of global consumers are purchasing fewer make-up products than prior to the pandemic, compared with 22% who are purchasing fewer skincare products. Recognising the continued usage and maintained the importance of skincare products amid the pandemic, the revival of the make-up category could lie in hybrid innovation in the form of skincare-infused make-up products.

While an existing concept, skincare-infused make-up innovation addresses two key consumer desires, convenience and affordability, which have not subsided amid the pandemic. A hybrid make-up product that can cover imperfections while tackling skincare concerns possesses the ability to save consumers both time and money. This is particularly important since 83% of global consumers are influenced by how well a product aligns with their time and money constraints.

Recognizing this, French beauty brand, Typology, recently launched a line of tinted facial serums that offer light coverage with the addition of vitamin C, aloe vera, and squalane. The serums are said to improve the skin’s hydration, while also being free from silicone and perfume. The firm recommends consumers use the product in place of a foundation, which further positions such hybrid products as money-saving, two-in-one products that are especially appealing to price-conscious consumers during and after the pandemic.

Similarly, Trinny London recently launched its ‘BFF De-Stress Tinted Serum’ which contains classic, well-loved skincare ingredients, including hyaluronic acid. The brand claims this serum can ‘plump and smooth’ the skin while offering ‘buildable, non-greasy and non-streaky coverage’.

While new product development may not be a priority for brands experiencing a sales slump amid the pandemic, there is an opportunity to promote existing make-up/skincare hybrid products and to re-position them as not only convenient but also affordable beauty solutions. Meanwhile, brands with a budget to develop and launch innovation should explore this hybrid category as a potential route to the revival of their beauty portfolios.

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