Without a doubt, 2020 was a year of chaos and disjointedness that was certainly felt by the beauty industry. Well over a year-and-a-half into work-from-home or hybrid working models, many of us adjusted to our new worlds through video conferencing.

While some beauty sectors like male-oriented cosmetics grew exponentially, overall, global makeup sales declined year-over-year. According to a McKinsey & Co report, female skincare consumers in the UK reduced their use of cosmetics by 55%.

Predictably, some big growth sectors like self care and body care grew at a rapid pace. Logically, the protracted conditions of the pandemic will continue to put pressure on beauty brands trailing in the digital space to rapidly decipher the direct-to-consumer conventions.

Entering 2021’s fourth quarter, we look ahead to what may shape beauty in 2022.

Trend: 'Healthy' Beauty - Less Show, More Glow

2022 will be about less show, more glow. Cosmetics are taking a more reductive, clean turn—both in sustainable ingredients and in terms of more skin care-oriented formulations.

In Canada, Australia and the UK, searches increased four times year-over-year for "glowing skin how to get naturally," according to Pinterest Business. We are seeing a shift from the Korean-led, 12-step regimens that characterized the early 2010’s to what many are calling ‘Skinimalism,’ a rebuttal of these exhaustive routines in favor of more minimal routines or simplified “skip days.”

What may have started as a younger Korean generation refuting their older Millennial counterparts, has seen an additional boost during the pandemic as consumers seek more natural looks oriented toward skin health that is in step with self care.

Many cosmetic brands are pivoting toward skin care hybrids that offer lighter coverage like tinted moisturizers, the successor of BB and CC creams.France, UK and Germany experienced a 180% increase in year-over-year searches for “everyday makeup.”

Takeaways from this Trend

• Simplify routines and reimagine hybrids and the 3-in-1.


• Cue the earmarks of natural skin health with light-coverage formulas that create dewy, glowing looks.


• Create options for time-pressed consumers looking for looks that are quick, easy and video-ready.

Trend: Movements - Sustainability, Inclusion & More 

As we take a long, hard look at the global, social movements that defined the past two years, the beauty category will forever be changed by the most immediate urgency of addressing both sustainability and inclusion. While seemingly separate issues, the climate crisis and our crisis of equity are inextricably intertwined.

In her most recent book, "Consumed," Aja Barber takes a candid and critical look at beauty’s closely intertwined cousin, the fashion industry. She recently told Vogue, “The fashion industry is eating itself.”

Consumption and the myth of prescribing to a “better life” through commercialism and idealism is facing a reckoning and it’s upon us.

Takeaways from this Trend:

• Refillables are not a novelty, they are a packaging inevitability.


• Inclusion, be it identity, race, gender or lived experience will define the future expression of modern beauty.


• Beauty will move away from the “cosmetic” and toward the expressive and the integral.

Trend: All Eyes & Ears

As #maskedmakeup looks emerged, limited facial real estate gave permission to go expressive with eye looks, bold with brows. Gone were the traditional eye color applications, and instead experimentation with color blocking, butterfly eyes, inner eye pops of color and other artistic eye styling emerged.

Next up, were the ears.

We began to see forward-looking stylists celebrate the ear as a fashion focal point, with ear cuffs that were once largely relegated to editorial, high fashion and runway looks making their way into the mainstream.

The at-home brow also emerged with experimental, do it yourself microblading (YIKES) and bleached brow searches trending.

While many consumers are eager to return to the days of getting many beauty services professionally done, this period of permissive experimentation will likely give way to more influencer and consumer-led innovations in the year ahead.

Takeaways from this Trend

• Think outside the brow. Take cues from influencers and offer products and demos for creating less constrained, more expressive looks.


• Anticipate that trends otherwise relegated to runway and editorial, will arrive at mainstream more quickly than in years past.


• Empower consumers to make unconventional statements on new areas of the visage and look for growing inclusivity attitudes to propel trends, agnostic of gender.

The Bottom Line

The beauty sector continues to remain resilient; while consumers have shifted where they shop and their focus areas, brands have been quick to respond and innovate.

2022 will usher in an era of even greater speed, convenience and experimentation – meeting consumers where they are.

About Elle Morris

Ms. Elenita (Elle) Morris is senior global strategy consultant at Marks, part of SGS & Co. a brand design and experience agency uniquely constructed to enable brands to win in an age of constant change. Follow Morris on LinkedIn.

Photos: (L-R) The author, Elle Morris; center: Photo by Clement percheron from Pexels 

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