Perfect Corp. report unveils post-pandemic top makeup trends with digital channels and lip care rising

05 Oct 2021 --- Perfect Corp. has released its Q4 Global Beauty Trend Report, revealing the biggest consumer makeup trends and color preferences of 2021. Consumers have shifted to a digital-first mindset and are seeking virtual product advice and beauty consultations from brands. The report also spotlights the return of lipstick and lip gloss, as mask mandates ease.

The report findings can help beauty and skincare brands adapt their offerings to meet the needs of the post-COVID-19 consumer, the company supports.

“We share the Q4 Global Beauty Trends Report with the industry and provide insights on evolving makeup trends and beauty shopping behaviors as the world emerges from the pandemic,” shares Alice Chang, Perfect Corp. founder and CEO. 

“With endless beauty inspiration for app users to explore, the YouCam Makeup app community provides a wealth of insight into consumer beauty preferences and interests. Brands can leverage this big data to better engage their customers and create impactful digital experiences.”

Beauty routines are back
As the world emerges from the pandemic, consumers are embracing beauty routines again and makeup trends are evolving, the company notes.

The report highlights the importance of personalization and personalized product recommendations in the beauty space.The report spotlights top makeup and beauty tech trends including the rise of natural tones and makeup textures across the lip and eye makeup categories.Moreover, it brings forth a consumer shift to makeup products that provide moisture and skincare benefits as well as beauty benefits and analyzing big data to elevate consumer engagement.

Lastly, the report highlights the importance of personalization and personalized product recommendations in the beauty space.

Big data and going digital
The report analyzes big data sourced from Perfect Corp.’s YouCam Makeup app, which currently has over 900 million downloads globally. 

The report focuses on user data sourced from nine key regions including the US, the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, China and Japan.

The YouCam Makeup app features thousands of AR-powered makeup filters that consumers can try on virtually.

“We have collected and analyzed color and texture data covering the six-month period between January and June 2021,” the company details.

Virtual beauty try-ons skyrocket
As the COVID-19 pandemic puts a pause on traditional in-store beauty consultations, consumers have shifted to online channels for beauty inspiration, the company supports.

In the past year, there have been over 17 billion makeup looks tried-on globally in the YouCam Makeup app. Virtual beauty try-ons are increasing across both lip color and eye makeup. 

“Consumers are seeking beauty advice on digital platforms more than ever before, and they are eager to understand the latest trends and techniques.”

“As consumers continue to approach beauty with a digital-first mindset, virtual beauty education tools will become more essential to drive customer engagement,” the company says.

Lip care spotlight
In 2020, lipstick popularity dropped significantly due to the global mask mandates implemented as a result of the pandemic.

Pink shades are an overall favorite across all countries,
with Cranberry Pink taking the top spot globally.This year, however, the beauty staple is making a comeback as the world slowly returns to normalcy. With a growing sense of optimism and more social opportunities to wear makeup, lipstick will continue to build positive momentum.

According to YouCam Makeup virtual try-on data, the most popular lipstick shades globally are cranberry pink, terracotta red, pink salmon, wild strawberry and red ribbon. 

Striking pink shades are an overall favorite across all countries, with Cranberry Pink taking the top spot globally. Terracotta red, a distinctive red lipstick shade, gets the second place in the US, Mexico, France, Brazil, Germany and Spain.

Personalized beauty
Consumers are also seeking personalized beauty experiences, according to the report. In today’s evolving beauty retail landscape, one size does not fit all, and consumers want to understand the products that are best fit for their individual needs. 

With 27 million skin score quizzes completed and 17 billion virtual beauty try-ons in YouCam Makeup, it is clear that beauty consumers are gravitating to digital tools and experiences that provide personalized product recommendations.

In order to effectively engage with consumers, brands need to adopt beauty tech tools and technologies that enable personalization across the shopping journey, the report says.

Building on collaboration
Perfect Corp. has had a very active year with multiple partnerships with major brands. Recently, the company entered a multi-channel agreement with Coty who enlisted Perfect Corp.’s AR and AI technology to boost personalization and improve consumers’ digital experience.

Avon México is integrating advanced augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) in its digital platforms, in partnership with beauty tech solutions provider Perfect Corp. YouCam Makeup app and the new technology will ogre Avon sales representatives with a facial analysis technology tool to deliver a more personalized consumer shopping experience.

In other virtual beauty endeavors, Lancôme recently unveiled a virtual UK pop-up store powered by ByondXR, which promises to boost consumer engagement to new heights. PersonalCareInsights spoke with ByondXR CEO, Noam Levavi, who discussed the potential of extended reality (XR) technology in promoting brand engagement.

By Kristiana Lalou