They Say That Beauty is Only Skin Deep

When you look at the cosmetic industry it would take a real cynic to believe the adage that beauty is only skin deep. In the US alone the market was $18.8 billion last year. That is an awful lot of dollars if the buyers didn't believe in the products or saw them as some sort of luxury or indulgence.

The industry has been around as long as we have

Since people have been around on the earth we have been using products to enhance our looks. Ancient Brits painted themselves with a blue-colored concoction just to look scarier. Cleopatra used terrible chemicals on her eyes to entrance Caesar - or was it Anthony? Elizabeth I painted her face with a mix of lead and vinegar. Imagine the effect on her skin.

A move toward protection

There's a definite trend in the cosmetic industry. There's still a large market for image enhancements, but the newer trend is more toward protection and longevity. The skincare category alone grew 13% in volume year-on-year. But more significantly, skincare products contributed 60% of the total growth between 2017 and 2018. 

Two factors producing growth

The desire to age gracefully is obviously one of the leading market factors.  Some of us decry the effects of plastic surgery but don't necessarily want to look like our mothers did at this age. But another factor is that we are all waking up to the effects of climate.

Trend towards Boutique Houses

Little wonder then that we have seen a huge rise in the number of specialist houses that have become the leaders in the industry growth. These companies are different from their huge big brothers. They are perhaps the natural successor to stores like the original Body Shop. But there is one very big difference; the new boutique houses are founded on research. Looking at the company books it becomes evident that a large part of the budget is plowed straight back into research. 

The companies are producing smaller quantities of a higher quality product and make every attempt to stand by their product and have it deliver on its promises. If you have ever bought toothpaste that promises a whiter smile in one tube, you will know how important that is.

It makes sense that cosmetics reflect their ingredients. It they are made with poor raw materials the results are simply not going to be as good.