Bridging beauty: Western makeup trends emerge with Eastern influence
12 Feb 2024 --- An interplay between Western and Eastern beauty trends is coming to the forefront following the COVID-19 pandemic and globalization through social media. Western beauty companies are growing in the personal care industry by tapping into trends such as smokey eyeshadow and pops of color.
Innova Market Insights data indicates a 2% growth in personal care and beauty launches in Western countries from October 2018 to September 2023. Face/Body Cosmetics had the leading share of launches, especially Face Foundations/Illuminators.
The top claims in Western countries were Moisturizing & Hydrating and Long-Lasting. Traceless cosmetic claims are gaining ground, with a 71% average annual growth in the last five years.
Personal Care Insights investigates the emerging trends in Western beauty and speaks to Cyrille Ly, director of Sustainable Development, CSR and Innovation at Pure Trade, on the differences between Western and Eastern markets.
“Makeup is becoming increasingly popular, whereas it wasn’t until now. Asia is first and foremost a skin care market, including a routine of skin care and complexion preparation, with a preventive objective, unlike the West where skin care plays a more curative role,” says Ly.
Western beauty trends for 2024
In Beauty, Aging and AntiAging, the book addresses the perception of beauty across cultures. It asserts that perceptions of beauty vary from East to West, affecting social life, behaviors and cosmetic surgeries.
Cyrille Ly, director of Sustainable Development, CSR and Innovation at Pure Trade.According to the research, the perception of beauty used to be homogenous in certain societies — however, globalization, economic activities, immigration and social media have altered the sense of beauty, especially in recent years.
Furthermore, Western beauty company Charlotte Tilbury released its beauty predictions for 2024 with blue eyeliner and eyeshadow emerging alongside the continuation of the 2023 trend, latte makeup, with cafécore.
This trend features eye looks filled with warm brown eyeshadows and latte lips. The beauty brand predicts the newest take on the trend will feature cooler and deeper browns.
Piggybacking off the rising mob wife aesthetic, the company says black eyeliner, smokey eyeshadow and vampy lip colors mixed with Western influences will create the following trend: Gothic Western aesthetic.
Another Western beauty trend Charlotte Tilbury predicts for 2024 is chrome metallics, such as silver, platinum and gunmetal shades. It also underscores a trend toward body care. It names sensorial body creams, scrubs, body highlighters and tanning drops as a focus in this niche.
COVID-19 and beauty trends
Ly asserts that the COVID-19 pandemic changed makeup and skin care habits from East to West.
“Wearing a mask led to an emphasis on the eyes rather than the lips. This was a novelty for Western countries, where makeup was always applied to the eyes and lips. In Asia, on the other hand, women use little makeup except to emphasize and prolong the eyes, which have always been very important,” he says. 
Charlotte Tilbury names the Gothic Western aesthetic as a featured trend for 2024.
“After COVID-19, the end of the mask led to a strong comeback for lipstick in the West, of course, but it also made its mark in China with bright colors.”
Ly also emphasizes the increase in men’s skin care across cultures. He attributes the success to consumers turning to the brands that “understand them best.”
“Hence, particularly in Asia, the return or emergence of local brands, in terms of content and packaging, offers products that are more familiar and oriental,” he explains.
Personal Care Insights recently investigated launches for this Chinese New Year from MAC Cosmetics, Clinique, Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier, Benefit and NARS.
“As for international brands, only those that know how to appropriate the codes of their different markets are successful,” adds Ly.
K-beauty in the West
A study published in Theseus examined the impact of Korean skin care products on Western consumers. The study investigated how the Korean skin care industry has affected Western consumer behavior, what factors influenced these changes, and whether these changes will remain permanent or not.
The results revealed that younger women were more aware of Korean skin care and its effects on mass media. They also had skin care routines that matched many Korean skin care preferences. The older women had more straightforward routines with fewer steps and less interest in the products they used. Western beauty consumers appreciated a good quality-price relationship the most.
Many respondents didn’t consider Korean beauty products as their first choice because they thought they were not yet as easily accessible. Western consumers also listed the lack of translation as a con for Korean products.
By Sabine Waldeck
