From responsible consumer to hyperactivist, how the codes of cosmetics have changed

In July, French pharmacies did not understand why sales of CeraVe products, this low-cost dermo-cosmetic brand, recently purchased by L'Oréal, soared spectacularly... Who was responsible? He is American, 22 years old, blue eyes and hair, earrings and his name is Hyram. By touting the products, this Tiktoker with 3.6 million subscribers emptied the stocks of our pharmacies with a video that crossed the Atlantic at Corona speed. A phenomenon unthinkable even five years ago, but in itself symptomatic of the evolution of the world of beauty. Evolution? Worse, a revolution! “The sector had already begun a real transformation, with cleaner commitments and more transparency, confirms Lucile Gauthier, of the Peclers trend agency, but by stopping time, the health crisis has considerably accelerated the movement.” So what does it mean to be beautiful today? Much more than a pretty face and a flat stomach. And what will become of the cosmetics industry, our national treasure in the world after? She sails on sight, shaken by contrary winds, but adapts and, come what may, metamorphoses.

Being beautiful, an outdated quest?

“There is an intense weariness of the inaccessible “beauty duty” of the 1980s-90s, imposed from above and towards which we must strive, notes the philosopher Vincent Cespedes, who studies social change. Today it is the opposite. It starts from the base to reach the heights”. Of course, it all started in 2008 with the emergence of social networks and selfies. “In 2020, it goes further than weariness, he assures. Even "filtered" beauty is getting corny. Cybermodernity is no longer conformity to a model, but the revelation of its originality, its imagination, even its fragility. The thinker even speaks of deliberative beauty. “It becomes a collective sport, is created through the community, the comments. And she is not narcissistic as people over 30 think, but on the contrary "echoic", turned towards others. As a result, actresses and models are forced to come down from their pedestal, play the game and give their point of view on the world to establish their legitimacy.

With its “truth” videos, where everyone shows themselves as they are, TikTok challenges Instagram, born as a support for idealized beauty. Today, even virtual muses have “flaws”. And as today everything is "fluid", the same girls can one day show off their pimples (#acnepositivy) and their dimples on a social network and appear the next day wearing full make-up for THE selfie of the day. When mothers, always obsessed with thinness, encourage their daughters to eat better, the latter respond: "My body, my choice" ("My body, my choice"), but do hours of sport to "fit" their figure, parade for the climate, then rush to Nocibé to buy Kylie Jenner's products.

The revenge of the invisible

A young woman with Down syndrome as a beauty muse. Amazing ? Yet this is what Gucci did by choosing Ellie Goldstein, a young Briton with Down syndrome, for its new L’Obscur mascara campaign. The brand is not at its first attempt and has already called on unconventional muses. Last year, we remember the toothy smile of punk singer Dani Miller, photographed by the highly unconsensual Martin Parr to present the brand's new lipstick. Provocation ? Still, one million hits would have been sold in the first month of the launch.

This undoubtedly inspired Marc Jacobs, since the campaign for his latest perfume proclaims “I am perfect as I am” and whose muses are his clients. Forty-two anonymous, influencers and influencers were cast via social networks. The candidates were invited to share on video their "perfect imperfections" around the hashtag #WhatIsPerfect, before participating in the filming organized in New York. Even though it's been a few years since the body positive movement liberated women's bodies and the faces of diversity have taken over the media, we have never seen so many models of color in fashion shows and magazines. Similarly, there is no longer any question of developing a foundation in less than forty shades.

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Trust and awareness

“The world after is above all the world with,” notes Stéphanie Jolivot, director of the Luxury Business Intelligence division of Publicis Media. With all skins, all cultures, all genders.” And the new requirements. Naturalness, efficiency, sensoriality are no longer enough. From beauty apps like Yuka, everything has to be transparent. “We have gone from being a responsible consumer to a hyperactivist consumer,” continues our analyst. There is zero tolerance, even if it means boycotting brands if they don't seem credible. The key word is authenticity. In this project, the made in France, the local, the short circuits have more than ever their cards to play, if only to create jobs. Family businesses and sure values ​​such as Sisley or Clarins, which have always relied on plants and tradition, are savoring their lead. Ditto for Phytomer, a pioneer in marine cosmetics, whose spas are always full and who are delighted to see that blue gold is on the rise. Guerlain, a national heritage treasure, has resolutely taken the turn of ecological transition.

Another jewel of the country, Dior is relocating its Granville rose around the couturier's family villa. Six hectares have thus been transferred by the Normandy Land Development and Rural Establishment Company with the aim of revitalizing the local economy, enhancing the territory, reconciling the preservation of cultural heritage and that of agricultural areas. The plants, which will be planted this fall, should deliver about fifteen tons of flowers each year. But the big winner right now is care. The famous Estée Lauder Lipstick Index, which shows that in times of crisis the sale of lipsticks skyrockets, is now beaten by the Moisturizer Effect and the boom in moisturizers. Face, body, mind, food… We no longer only offer creams, perfume or make-up, but a whole universe. When the Hermès house goes into beauty with refillable lipsticks, it does not only think of “product” and “novelty”, but lifestyle and sustainable development. 21st century beauty will be holistic or it won't be.

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Do you speak "skindie"?

That's what we call all those little independent skincare brands that spring up like not-so-crazy weeds. “They are born with three francs six under thanks to crowdfunding, bank loans or regional funds, explains Pascale Brousse, head researcher of the firm Trendsourcing. They make themselves known thanks to digital and as soon as they make the buzz are hunted by the big brands. Before, you had to make a million euros in turnover to have access to specialized circuits, to enter a pharmacy, at Sephora, Le Bon Marché, Galeries Lafayette or Le Printemps… Not anymore. In Paris, Le BHV Marais has just unveiled a new Beauté Originelle space on the ground floor of the store to embody a positive vision of beauty, both more virtuous and more responsible. More than thirty young brands are presented there such as Matière Brute, Antipodes, Axiology, Floratropia, Oden…

Each one has its own positioning and some are very fashionable, such as Oh My Cream, Holidermie, On the Wild Side, Les Huilettes, Laboté, Gallinée, Pai, Tata Harper or Typology, including small glass bottles with formulas and at minimalist prices are wildly successful. She even advertises on TV... But it's not enough for a nice storytelling straight out of a business school. The more the brand is real and embodied, the more it appeals. Which young shoots will bloom, which will wither? See you in five years. For Ning Li, the young creator of Typology, being beautiful today also means accepting the passage of time as one accompanies the cycle of nature and the seasons, and not necessarily trying to reverse time. And the dream in all this? "The dream, yes," he replies. Frustration, no! Challenged, large groups incubate, absorb and adapt. Not only do they do a lot of cleaning in their formulas, which takes time when you have a catalog of hundreds of references, but they let it be known. Without communication and without community, there is no salvation.

The "clean" wants the net

2.3 million views… The videos of the 900.care brand, a new concept of rechargeable hygiene products, have something for advertisers to dream about and brands. One more reason to speak directly. With his reply cards slipped into his products, Jacques Courtin, the founder of Clarins, invented the concept fifty years ago, except that today, everything happens on the Net. The principle stays the same. The client becomes queen again. Even co-creator. And influencers become ambassadors. “In 2020, a brand is its own media, confirms Tessa Guilloux, director of the TG Communication agency. We do without intermediaries, which therefore opens up the field of possibilities. Thanks to social networks, we talk directly to consumers and we sell in stride. The result is both dizzying and incredible.”

But to win the trust of new generations, you have to be clear about what you are doing. “Cosmetics has a role to play in society, insists Karine Cottin, marketing and consumer experience director at Pierre Fabre Dermo-Cosmétique. The citizen consumer is thirsty for knowledge. Before, we starized the product; now, we create content: tutorials, decryptions, master classes, workshops, live streaming… Everything is experience and sharing.” The bosses themselves wet the shirt. Mathilde and Bertrand Thomas, parents of Caudalie, appear regularly on social networks to talk about the company. Terry from Gunzburg (by Terry) as well. Bris Rocher, boss of the Rocher group and grandson of Yves, makes videos on TikTok and on YouTube, where he reminds us that, in an increasingly digital and urbanized world, it is important to remain faithful to one's values ​​and to its original DNA.

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360° speech

Makeup artists are not left out. Among them, Patrick Lorentz (Estée Lauder) often organizes live make-up tutorials, where he talks about skincare as much as make-up. In an autumn marked by social distancing, the Givenchy house is initiating online workshops, given by various experts. You can choose between “The art of wearing perfume”, “Make-up advice” or “Taking care of your skin”. All occasions are good to tell your story, your commitments, even if it means admitting that you are not perfect, but that you are doing everything to change.

The dialogue continues outside. In shops, even in museums or on the street. Lancôme has inaugurated its first digital store designed in 3D in Singapore. If the Avanced Génifique serum acts as a common thread, the journey is punctuated by a personality test, personalization features or even beauty consultations via E-Youth Finder, a skin diagnostic tool based on the decryption of selfies via artificial intelligence. In Paris, Dior modeled its Champs-Élysées boutique to create a virtual boutique. Clarins organized an exhibition on the roof of the Arche de la Défense to raise awareness about the protection of nature. Even Chanel presented its open-air laboratories at the Jardin des Plantes.

Beauty = health

We felt the wind coming, but since the Covid, well-being and hygiene are exploding. The house becomes a refuge. Even household products are worked as cosmetics and the segment of home service appliances, which brings the institute to the house, is becoming promising. And who says health, says immunity. You haven't finished hearing about the microbiome, THE big topic of tomorrow in medicine as well as in beauty (along with stress). It is by treating our bacteria that we may defeat viruses. Speaking of viruses, Karine Cottin, from Pierre Fabre laboratories, hopes for anti-adhesion mists and antimicrobial packaging soon. To nourish its inner beauty, cosmetics are flirting more and more with food. Even Clarins creates wellness menus in collaboration with great chefs.

The other way to look at health is to rely on science in a clean’ical version. More and more defectors from the medical world are entering this coveted market. This is the case of Professor Augustinus Bader, the darling of actresses, Victoria Beckham and, more recently, Sir Fraser Stoddart, winner of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, who created the Noble Panacea brand to "promote the health of the skin” (noblepanacea.com). From simple health to mental health, there is… emotional well-being. Lili Barbery, whose live kundalini yoga classes were a hit during confinement, confirms this: “Our needs and our priorities have been completely reviewed. Nothing is more precious than our health and that of our loved ones. We are moving from the individual era to the collective era with the awareness that our health and our behavior impact the rest of the world. There is also a real openness to spirituality that frees itself from religious and sectarian clichés, because it creates rituals that unite us.” A spirituality that also increasingly flirts with neuroscience. A great upheaval!