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- Time：2022/3/24 Posted：wkbeauty group
Following years of explosive growth, makeup brushes are hitting saturation, forcing brush makers to seek out new expansion routes.
2 APRIL 2019
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
TO CAPITALISE ON ONLINE BEAUTY TRENDS, MAKEUP BRUSH BRANDS ARE REDUCING THE TIME THEY TAKE TO GET PRODUCTS TO MARKET. SIGMA CREATED A NEW VERSION OF ITS BESTSELLING BRUSH IN JUST A FEW MONTHS TO RESPOND TO DEMAND FOR LIGHTER, DEWIER LOOKS.
SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS HAVE POPULARISED BRUSHES FOR SKINCARE PRODUCTS LIKE MASKS AND MOISTURISERS. LAST YEAR, SEPHORA COLLECTION RELEASED A LINE OF CHARCOAL- AND COLLAGEN-INFUSED BRUSHES TARGETED AT CUSTOMERS INTERESTED IN SKINCARE.
WHILE THERE ARE MANY COMPETITORS IN THE VALUE BRUSH CATEGORY, HIGH-END MAKEUP APPLICATORS THAT RETAIL FOR OVER $100 PRESENT AN OPPORTUNITY.
THERE’S A PRODUCT SOLD AT SEPHORA THAT’S INFUSED WITH COLLAGEN AND PROMISES HEALTHY, GLOWING SKIN. BUT IT’S NEITHER A SERUM NOR A MOISTURISER — IT’S A MAKEUP BRUSH.
GONE ARE THE DAYS OF WISPY, THROWAWAY APPLICATORS THAT CAME FREE WITH PRODUCTS. THE FACIAL BRUSH MARKET, ONCE THE NEAR-EXCLUSIVE PROVINCE OF MAC AND NICHE MAKEUP ARTIST BRANDS, HAS SEEN EXPLOSIVE GROWTH WORLDWIDE, INCLUDING IN THE US (UP 15 PER CENT TO $347 MILLION IN 2016) AND FRANCE (UP 19 PER CENT IN 2018). THE PRESTIGE MAKEUP APPLICATOR CATEGORY ALONE IS WORTH $325 MILLION IN THE US, ACCORDING TO NPD, A FIGURE THAT DOESN’T INCLUDE THE LARGE MARKET FOR MORE ACCESSIBLY PRICED BRUSHES. NET-A-PORTER CARRIES 300 BRUSHES ON ITS WEBSITE, COSTING BETWEEN $18 TO $450 FOR A SET.
MAKEUP TRENDS LED BY INFLUENCERS, SUCH AS CONTOURING AND BAKING, HAVE SPURRED THE SALE OF BRUSHES. “WE SAW THESE HUGE ACCELERATED GAINS IN THE MAKEUP CATEGORY AND BRUSHES DEFINITELY FOLLOWED THAT CADENCE,” SAYS BETH HAYES, VICE PRESIDENT AT SEPHORA COLLECTION. “WHEN HIGHLIGHTING WAS AT THE PEAK A FEW YEARS AGO, OUR FAN HIGHLIGHTING BRUSH BECAME OUR NEW NUMBER ONE SKU [STOCK KEEPING UNIT] OVERNIGHT.”
BUT AS CUSTOMERS HIT THE SATURATION POINT FOR BRUSHES AND SHIFT MORE OF THEIR DOLLARS FROM MAKEUP TO SKINCARE, AS EVIDENCED BY THE SLOWDOWN IN MAKEUP SALES GROWTH, THE CATEGORY IS GETTING MORE COMPETITIVE. IN FACT, SALES IN THE PRESTIGE MAKEUP TOOLS CATEGORY DECLINED 6 PER CENT IN THE US LAST YEAR, ACCORDING TO NPD, FORCING BRUSH MAKERS TO GET MORE CREATIVE.
RESPONDING QUICKLY TO ONLINE TRENDS
AMERICAN BEAUTY COMPANY SIGMA HAS WORKED WITH ITS CHINESE MANUFACTURING FACILITY FOR 10 YEARS; AND THIS LONG RELATIONSHIP HAS ALLOWED THE BRUSH MAKER TO SHORTEN ITS PRODUCT RELEASE TIMEFRAME FROM A YEAR-PLUS TO JUST THREE TO FOUR MONTHS. “IT IS CHALLENGING FOR US TO KEEP THE CLIENTS INTERESTED OR NEEDING TO PURCHASE NEW BRUSHES,” SAYS SIMONE XAVIER, SIGMA’S FOUNDER. “WHEN WE SEE A MAKEUP TREND, WE IMMEDIATELY ADDRESS THAT,” SHE SAYS, JOKING THAT SHE SPENDS “EVERY SECOND OF MY DAY ON THE INTERNET”.
THE RECENT SHIFT FROM HEAVY CONTOURING TO A LIGHTER, DEWIER LOOK PROMPTED SIGMA TO OFFER A RETOOLED VERSION OF ITS BESTSELLING COMPLEXION BRUSH, THE F80 FLAT TOP KABUKI. IT PRODUCED THE F80 AIR WITH LESS DENSELY PACKED BRISTLES FOR APPLYING TINTED MOISTURISERS AND LIGHTER FOUNDATIONS IN JUST A FEW MONTHS. THE F80 AIR IS NOW ONE OF THE BRAND’S 10 BESTSELLERS. “THAT IS BRANDING 101, TO CAPITALISE ON YOUR SUCCESSES,” SHE SAYS.
SOME TREND-SETTING INFLUENCERS HAVE ENTERED THE BRUSH-MAKING TRADE THEMSELVES. ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL OF THESE IS REAL TECHNIQUES, FOUNDED BY THE MAKEUP ARTIST SISTERS BEHIND PIXIWOO, NIC AND SAM CHAPMAN. THEIR BRUSHES, MANY COSTING LESS THAN $10, ARE UBIQUITOUS IN DISCOUNT RETAILERS AND DRUGSTORES GLOBALLY. THEY RECENTLY RELEASED A SET CALLED THE “REBEL EDGE TRIO”, WHICH PURPORTS TO GIVE USERS MORE CONTROL OVER HOW MUCH PRODUCT GETS DEPOSITED, A NOD TO THE NEW MAKEUP MINIMALISM. JANKI PATEL, THE COMPANY’S SENIOR ASSOCIATE BRAND MANAGER, HAS NOTICED A GROWING TREND FOR “COLOUR POPPING”, FEATURING BRIGHT SLASHES OF MASCARA, EYE SHADOW AND LINER ON EYES, WHICH WILL OFFER ANOTHER NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR THE SPECIALTY BRUSH MARKET.
CAPITALISING ON THE SKINCARE BOOM
ALTHOUGH BRUSHES ARE MOST OFTEN USED FOR MAKEUP, THE GROWING PREFERENCE FOR SKINCARE OVER MAKEUP IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BRUSH MAKERS. ON SOCIAL MEDIA, INFLUENCERS OFTEN USE THEM TO APPLY FACE MASKS AND MOISTURISERS.
THE TREND PROMPTED SIGMA TO OFFER A SKINCARE APPLICATION BRUSH KIT IN 2018. THE SIX-PIECE KIT FEATURES TWO SILICONE SPATULAS FOR SCOOPING AND SCRAPING OUT SMALL JARS, A SERUM BRUSH WITH A CROWN OF ELEVATED BRISTLES MEANT TO PICK UP AND SPREAD WATERY SERUMS MORE EASILY, AND MORE TRADITIONAL-LOOKING BRUSHES FOR APPLYING MASKS AND MOISTURISERS. SIGMA PARTNERED WITH BUZZY SKINCARE BRAND SUNDAY RILEY FOR LAUNCH, AND RECENTLY RE-PROMOTED THEM IN A COLLABORATION WITH GLOW RECIPE, A KOREAN-INFLUENCED SKINCARE BRAND.
SEPHORA COLLECTION RELEASED A LINE OF CHARCOAL- AND COLLAGEN-INFUSED BRUSHES IN 2018, A NOD TO CONSUMERS’ OBSESSION WITH SKINCARE INGREDIENTS. WHILE DECLINING TO SHARE NUMBERS, HAYES SAYS CUSTOMERS HAVE RESPONDED “WELL”, ALTHOUGH SOME REVIEWERS HAVE FOUND THEM GIMMICKY.
NOVELTY DESIGNS
JUST AS ACCESSORY DESIGNERS DRUM UP EXCITEMENT FOR OLD STYLES BY RELEASING NEW COLOURWAYS EACH SEASON, BRUSH MAKERS ARE CHANGING UP SUPERFICIAL DESIGN ELEMENTS TO CREATE A SENSE OF NEWNESS. TARTE OFFERS BRUSHES MOULDED IN THE SHAPE OF MERMAIDS, STARS AND FLAMINGOS, WITH BRISTLES AND HANDLES IN EVERY COLOUR IMAGINABLE.
THESE SPECIALTY SHAPES USED TO BE LIMITED-EDITION HOLIDAY OFFERINGS, BUT AFTER ITS 2017 UNICORN BRUSHES WHIPPED UP A FRENZY, THE BRAND BEGAN RELEASING WHIMSICAL COLLECTIONS YEAR-ROUND. A TARTE REPRESENTATIVE SAYS THE GOAL IS TO MAKE THEM “COVETABLE AND COLLECTIBLE”.
GOING HIGH-END
AS THE MAKEUP APPLICATOR MARKET GETS INCREASINGLY CROWDED, THERE MAY BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR BRANDS AT THE PREMIUM END.
“THE MARKET HAS BECOME SATURATED. THERE ARE A LOT OF VALUE PLAYERS IN BRUSHES RIGHT NOW,” SAYS SEPHORA’S HAYES. WHILE SEPHORA COLLECTION MAKES RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE BRUSHES, IT REGARDS ITS MORE EXPENSIVE PRO BRUSHES “AS OUR BREAD AND BUTTER, AND MOST CLIENTS DO SEE BRUSHES AS AN INVESTMENT”, SAYS HAYES.
SEVERAL LUXURY, ARTIST-FOUNDED BRANDS ARE EXPERIENCING STRONG GROWTH. THAT INCLUDES ARTIS, WHICH WAS CO-FOUNDED BY FORMER MAC MAKEUP ARTIST MATTHEW WAITESMITHE IN 2014. ITS BRUSHES HAVE DENSE OVAL HEADS PERCHED ON THE END OF ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED HANDLES THAT CLAIM TO MAKE APPLICATION EASIER THAN TRADITIONAL BRUSHES. ARTIS BRUSHES CAN RETAIL FOR UPWARDS OF $60 EACH AND HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FOR A SET. FOR CHRISTMAS 2018, IT PRODUCED A FEW DIAMOND-ENCRUSTED $25,000 BRUSHES AND EVEN SOLD ONE. TO DATE, ARTIS HAS GENERATING ABOUT $50 MILLION, SELLING OVER 1 MILLION BRUSHES IN 600 DOORS GLOBALLY.
FINDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR CUSTOMER REPLENISHMENT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE. ARTIS CO-FOUNDER AND MANAGING PARTNER JEREMY ADELMAN SAYS THAT THE BRAND’S BRUSH-CLEANING SYSTEM BRINGS IN THE “MOST RECURRING REVENUE”. IT FEATURES A FOAMING CLEANSER, MICROFIBRE PADS AND WIPES. A SET COSTS $50 AND IS AVAILABLE AS A SUBSCRIPTION.
RAE MORRIS, AN AUSTRALIAN MAKEUP ARTIST WHOSE CLIENTS INCLUDE CATE BLANCHETT, IS ANOTHER BRUSH UP-AND-COMER. HER RECENTLY RELAUNCHED BRUSH RANGE IS ENTIRELY HANDMADE IN JAPAN, WITH SOME STYLES RETAILING FOR MORE THAN $100, AND WAS RECENTLY PICKED UP BY NET-A-PORTER.
SURRATT BEAUTY SELLS ONLY 13 BRUSHES, ALL MADE IN JAPAN VIA A 60-STEP PROCESS. EVERY HAIR IS BRUSHED THROUGH AND COARSE ONES ARE REMOVED. THE BRAND’S CHEEK BRUSH ($125) IS REGULARLY IN ITS FIVE BESTSELLING SKUS. “WE’RE CONSTANTLY SELLING OUT,” SAYS HELEYNE MISHAN-TAMIR, SURRATT’S CO-FOUNDER AND VP OF GLOBAL SALES. “THERE ARE TONS OF PEOPLE WHO REALLY WANT TO HAVE A $230 FACE BRUSH, BECAUSE IT PERFORMS AND IT’S LOVELY TO HAVE AND IT TOUCHES YOUR FACE EVERY SINGLE DAY.”
https://www.voguebusiness.com/beauty/makeup-brushes-beauty-trends-sephora