How do you know when summer is nearly here? When your knitted hats and mitts have settled to the bottom of the pile and your favorite sun hats and glasses have emerged on top again. Combine that with plans for lounging in a hammock under a swaying tree, snoozing in the sand while waves tickle your toes, or going on a road trip with your hair flying in the wind and we’re all set for summer.
No matter which scenario is top of mind for you, they all have one thing in common – putting aside winter skincare routines for new summer routines. As we head into summer 2024, let’s consider a few beauty trends that are starting to show up in retail aisles.
Color Leads in the Beauty Aisle
Unlike previous years where more muted, natural, and minimalistic tones took center stage, beauty in 2024 is taking inspiration from the colorful world showcased in the smash hit movie, “Barbie.” This year, watch for intense blues and greens in eye cosmetics (hello 1970s!), Barbie doll blushes, and bold, berry lip tones.
And, as we’ve just seen at the Met Gala, look for wet-look beauty products inspired by Barbie’s beach house. Shoppers will find myriad sleek and slick products at beauty counters with gel for lustrous hairstyles, glitter eyeshadows, metallic lip glosses, and foundations with a beautiful shine.
These fun trends create opportunities for retailers to get creative with displays and signage that shoppers will immediately notice and understand. Signs with eye-catching, vibrant colors are a great way to introduce shoppers to the dazzling colors of 2024 cosmetics. Similarly, department-style retailers can create summer assortments that pair shiny and glossy beauty products with sunhats, swimsuits, and slides.
Safety Continues to Lead in Sunscreen
Sunscreen is getting even safer. With continued scientific advancements in identifying and preventing skin cancer, brands are improving skin safety for consumers in three major ways.
First, more brands are focusing not only on the impact of UVA and UVB on skin but also the negative effects of visible light and infrared. For example, Eucerin offers a Gel-Cream SPF 50+ product that protects against UVA/UVB as well as HEVIS (High Energy Visible Light).
Second, mineral SPF formulations have now overtaken all chemical SPF new product launches. This category of sunscreen offers a physical barrier that protects against UVA/UVB while also being less irritating and more environmentally friendly, particularly for coral reefs and marine life. This is in keeping with our research which shows that 43% of consumers want sustainable beauty products to be free of potential toxins and 29% want those products to support animal welfare.
Third, although the arrival of summer is often a trigger for buying sunscreen, consumers are finally starting to realize that sun damage is a year-round concern. As such, more brands are developing sunscreens as a multi-functional product to be used as a year-round skincare product. As one example, Kiehls, a L’Oreal brand, is working with Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, a winter skiing destination, to help educate consumers about the importance of using sunscreen on the ski hills.
Bring Beauty to Life
Although digital retail has grown massively in the last few years, shoppers value the joy that in-store browsing and impulse shopping create. Consumers want to rekindle that in-person customer journey, perhaps by discovering that their favorite skin-care product now offers a year-round product or that bold, bright cosmetics colors are suddenly all the rage again.
Retailers can drive sales this year by creating emotionally memorable shopping experiences that play up product trends. Clear some space for a themed in-store experience like sitting under an umbrella on a beach chair nestled in sand – what better way for shoppers to test out a new sunscreen? Or, recreate a make-up chair in “Barbie’s dreamhouse” – a great place for shoppers to test new, bold shades of eyeshadow, mascara, and lip colors.
By creating a multisensory environment that incorporates the sounds of birds at sea, the feeling of sand underfoot, and the scent of summer flowers, retailers can help shoppers feel like they’ve already stepped into summer, a season they love and look forward to.
Summary
Shopping for summer beauty products doesn’t have to be a two-minute experience of grabbing the usual mascara, bottle of sunscreen, and heading to the cash register. It can be an unexpected, joyful experience that cues fond summer memories and adds small moments of fun to an otherwise ordinary day.
Every new season is a fresh opportunity for retailers to create memorable experiences for their shoppers, experiences they’ll remember and look forward to next season. The shopper insights experts at Explorer Research have the deep knowledge and tools to help you understand what your shoppers are looking for, and ultimately build a stronger path to purchase. Get in touch with us to explore your opportunities further.
