Spate reveals 2024 beauty trends with lip care trending following Hailey Bieber’s lip balm phone case

20 Feb 2024 --- Spate has released a report covering what trends to expect in skin care, hair care, makeup, body care and fragrances in 2024. The machine intelligence platform also highlights the trending beauty category, lip care, evidenced by search data and the “widespread mania” over Hailey Bieber’s new Rhode lip balm-compatible phone case.

The report asserts that the tension between intensive and caring beauty practices is becoming more pronounced across various categories. Ingredient-driven products and at-home solutions are capturing consumer interest. 

Spate says brands should use the following trend and market information and position themselves in spaces that align with their brand message.

Lip care spike
The trend resource witnesses interest in butter balms and lip salves. Butter balms experience an average of 12.9 thousand monthly searches, with an increased 69.3% YoY rate.

The market leaders include Summer Fridays, Nyx and Kylie Cosmetics — two of the top 22 are founded by celebrities. The top ingredients searched alongside butter balm by volume are shea butter and cocoa butter. The top benefits searched alongside butter balm by volume include moisture, shine, unscented, conditioning and intensive care.

Lip salves experience an average of 1.2 thousand monthly searches, with an increased 1.3% YoY rate. The key difference between salves and balms is consistency — salves are thinner, while balms are thicker and more waxy. Consumers show interest in a very specific balm, as evidenced by searches for rose salve lip balm, rosebud lip salve and rose lip salve.

Co-founders of Fat Mascara comment on insights from Spate (Image credit: Spate).Skin care trends ranked
Spate says that consumer understanding of skin care is evolving faster than ever and will continue into 2024.

The top five trends in skin care, ranked by predicted growth, are as follows:

• Lip oil +27.7%. 
• Oil-based cleanser +25.8%.
• Pore clogging +24.8%.
• Oily skin cleanser +23.9%.
• Skin barrier +23.0%.

“There’s a lot of interest in raising the bar with at-home devices. I see this in rising trends like red light therapy. Consumers are learning about skin care from experts on social media and are inspired to take the knowledge they gather on social platforms into their own hands at home,” says Jessica Matlin, director of beauty at Moda Operandi & co-founder of Fat Mascara.

“It’s possible that these same consumers are experimenting with products that don’t suit their skin type, and that’s why we’re seeing a rise in searches for concerns about dermatitis, a signal of skin sensitivity and a trend that points to the importance of a healthy skin barrier.”

Skin care benefits such as SPF, safe, natural, skin repair and dermatologist-recommended claims are expected to increase. This supports consumers’ desire for skin care to be safe and support skin health. 

Spate uncovers a surge in searches for concerns such as eczema and fungal acne, which suggests a heightened consumer focus on addressing specific skin conditions and sensitivities with professional support from dermatologists. There is also a high interest in treating discoloration and milia, showing a growing demand for products targeting uneven skin tone and texture. 

Searches for hormonal acne and acne-prone reflect consumers seeking solutions for safe products for acne-prone skin. 

90’s hair care revival
After the revival of the quiet luxury trend in 2023, the butterfly haircut and velcro rollers, according to Spate, the 90’s blowout will be the breakout hairstyle of 2024.

The report cites an increasing interest in modern hairstyle claims, indicating a consumer preference for contemporary and trendy looks this year. Low maintenance was reported as the second most popular hair claim by increase, which includes gray blending and easy hair benefits. This suggests a demand for hassle-free styling options aligned with the busy lifestyles of many consumers. Spate 2024 trend report cites that the 90’s blowout is the breakout hairstyle this year.

There was also an increase in searches for textured hair support, revealing the importance of brands supporting a variety of hair types. 

The top five trends in hair care, ranked by predicted growth, are as follows:

• Shampoo bar +32.3%.
• French curl braids +38.7%.
• Micro bangs +31.6%.
• Head spa +30.3%.
• Rosemary shampoo +28.6%.

There is a surge in searches for hair growth and thinning hair, which shows a consumer focus on addressing hair health and concerns related to hair density. Lastly, searches for double chin haircuts reveal consumers want to explore ways to flatter their facial structure with their hair in 2024. 

Dewy makeup
The beauty industry is witnessing a notable revival of mature skin concerns. However, in many cases, consumers are looking for makeup and skin care products that work with their skin instead of seeking to treat these concerns.

“Mature skin is back on the map — maybe a euphemism for ‘anti-aging’ — but essentially serving the same customer and need. We know that Gen X has massive spending power and is driving a major segment of the beauty industry across skin care, hair care and color. Look no further than Jones Road to see a success story there,” explains Matlin.

The top five trends in makeup, ranked by predicted growth, are as follows:

• Douyin makeup +39.8%.
• Cluster lashes +38.8%.
• Tubing mascara +29.5%.
• Silicone primer +28.4%.
• Water-based foundation +27.5%.

Spate records an increasing search for glow, luminous and dewy makeup benefits, aligning with a desire for makeup that enhances natural beauty in 2024. There was also a popularity of claims such as setting and blurring, which showcase a demand for makeup that creates a smooth and youthful appearance but not yet a full matte face. The emphasis on clear and weightless makeup benefits highlights a consumer interest in makeup products that are light and breathable, reflecting a preference for natural beauty.

Gentle body care preference
The 2024 report tracks interest in unscented, hypoallergenic and antifungal bath and body benefits, suggesting a consumer preference for gentle and skin-friendly products, especially for sensitivities or allergies. 

Body care is becoming increasingly important to consumers.Searches for [blemish] control and skin repair body care indicate a growing demand for items that cleanse and target specific skin concerns. Spate says brands should market their bath and body products in a way that suggests luxurious and pampering experiences that promote relaxation and hydration in 2024.

The top five trends in body care, ranked by predicted growth, are as follows:

• Cold plunge +35.3%.
• Retinol body lotion +28.4%.
• Vanilla lotion +23.7%.
• Athlete’s foot cream +21.4%.
• Silicone body scrubber +20.6%.

The research reports increased searches for skin concerns like rash, bumps and sensitive skin, indicating a heightened consumer focus on addressing skin sensitivities and irritation. This reflects a growing demand for gentle and soothing bath and body products.

“The success of The Ordinary drove consumer awareness of specific ingredients, expanding now into curiosity to full-body care solutions like retinol body lotion. Body care continues to drive growth in the realm of large-format skin care. Still, treatments and experiences also come to the forefront,” says Jennifer G. Sullivan, beauty journalist and co-founder of Fat Mascara.

Fragrance
The report shows increasing searches for intense, fresh and long-lasting fragrance benefits, which indicate a consumer preference for impactful and enduring scents that contribute to a memorable olfactory experience this year. 

Additionally, an interest in wild, niche and aromatic fragrances suggests a desire for unique fragrances, reflecting a trend toward unconventional and diverse scent profiles. 

The top five trends in fragrance, ranked by predicted growth, are as follows:

• Pheromone perfume +28.8%.
• Cherry perfume +22.3%.
• Amber perfume +21.8%.
• Travel perfume +20.4%.
• Perfume subscription +17.9%.

Spate records that gourmand fragrances dominate the trends predicted to grow in 2024. According to Fat Mascara, consumers wanted to evoke the aura of their favorite food or beverage in 2023, and in 2024, they want to smell like it.

“I see no end to gourmand fragrances, and I think it’s also aligned with the foodie beauty movement…This trend, seen in scents like amber, cherry and vanilla perfumes, creates warm and cocooning sensations. The rise of pheromone perfumes also suggests a preference for unique and individualized fragrances,” concludes Sullivan. 

By Sabine Waldeck