To bring more insights to the industry, the Foresee Lab within Lubrizol Life Science – Beauty envisioned a future trend and then utilized artificial intelligence to analyze public conversations related to makeup. The Foresee Lab platform provides forward-looking content by connecting trends, consumer insights and science to help clients shape the future of beauty.

The process started with asking what’s next after the current hybrid makeup trend. In 2020, sources like WGSN and Mintel reported that in Europe, 40% of new makeup products included hydration. In the U.S., 42% of female consumers wished their makeup products also benefited their skin. In South Korea, makeup is evolving into products that benefit the skin.

Using different techniques, Foresee Lab envisioned a future where makeup delivers both aesthetic and skin-repairing properties with high-performance results.

As makeup is one of the most dynamic categories in social media, between May 2019 and May 2020, the Foresee Lab utilized artificial intelligence technology to extract the most relevant beauty conversations in the U.S. They analyzed 20 million sources from across the internet, including social platforms, forums and reviews, for beauty conversations related to the face, eyes, lips and nails.

Data were analyzed in several ways, including by top search terms and hashtags. For example, top hashtags in the social conversations about makeup included #makeupartist, #fashion, #makeuptutorial, and #makeupaddict. But in social media conversations about makeup, when consumers used a phrase like “I love” or “I like”, the top beauty hashtags were #skincare, #skincareroutine, #healthyskin, and #skincaretips. This could signal the strong trend of connecting makeup and skincare, reinforcing the potential trend.

In 2021, the artificial intelligence research uncovered some relevant findings through analyzing the data by volume of social media posts:

– “Glowy” is the #1 finish for complementary facial makeup products, like blushes or setting sprays.
– The most mentioned products for eyes are eyeshadow and eyeliner.
– For eyeshadow, a glittery finish was the most-mentioned effect.
– Most of the mentions for brow gel concerned waterproofing and volumizing benefits.
– Lip makeup was the most-mentioned makeup product in March and May 2021.

The research found that talk centered around four trends:

A quest for the “Holy Grail”: Consumers want best-in-class texture, finish and application from their everyday products. They want to be able to purchase their go-to products time and time again without the risk of being dissatisfied. They sacrifice one attribute to satisfy another need, continuously buying new brands and products until they’re happy. They subscribe to beauty boxes or buy travel sizes to sample before purchasing full-sized products.

Showing their best across the day: Consumers want makeup to stay in place and not transfer to other areas of their face or to other surfaces, like clothing or a face mask. They want to feel confident in their appearance without fearing something is out of place. They will use other products to stop the accidental spread of makeup, like powder on the undereye, concealer on the eyelid to prime before eyeshadow, and setting spray.

Healthy skin first: When consumers apply facial cosmetics they want healthy, clear, even, hydrated skin as the base of their application. This is so they can evenly and easily apply makeup while simultaneously improving the long-term health of their skin. They adopt an extensive skincare routine and use more product to cover imperfections when these options aren’t available to them.

Turn complex steps into a simple experience: When consumers attempt a specific or difficult style of makeup, they want the experience to be accessible, no matter their skill level. This is so they can express their artistry and achieve the previously unachievable. Using hacks to make acts simpler, like tape along the outer eye to create a clean line of eyeshadow or a spoon to keep mascara off the upper eyelid during application, is common.

The research takes the guesswork out of the equation, increasing the likelihood that consumers will try a new makeup product and fall in love with it. Artificial intelligence has given us a window into consumer thoughts and behavior that previously wasn’t available.

Lubrizol Life Science – Beauty brings a legacy of skin health science to color cosmetics to help create look-good, feel-good makeup for the face, lips and eyes. As a full-spectrum color cosmetic science partner, LLS Beauty offers everything needed to strengthen the makeup benefits consumers care about most and to create products that are on-trend for the makeup evolution. Because the new value of beauty is not makeup with skincare benefits; it is #skincaringmakeup.

To learn more about how we can benefit your brand and makeup formulation, companies can reach out at www.lubrizol.com/beauty.