- Industry data
- Desire for revenge is no joke
- It started with the lipstick effect
- Skin care as a metaphor for life
Revenge beauty, beauty for revenge, this are just two of the slogans read around the world by invading newspapers and industry sites between the end of May and the beginning of June. But, what is it about? And above all, what lies behind its growing data?
Industry data
Some recent research has highlighted the expected assault on beauty salons immediately after the end of the lockdown. We all ran to the hairdresser to style our looks or to our beautician after months of "do it yourself" or not caring about it, and all this registered a + 146% increase in reservations at salons and an increase in the average female spending, whilst leaving the male one unchanged which was limited to a classic haircut and small beard adjustments.
Indeed, online searches relating to topics such as ‘skin care’ or ‘beauty’ reached their peak over the months of April and May, showing great worldwide interest.
Research trend for the topic "skin care" from 2004 to today (Google Trends, 2020).
As if that was not enough, we can ensure that this interest has almost always lead to purchase, to the point that during those same months in Italy, for example, the Beauty & Parfume sector recorded an increase in sales of + 56% on the online market compared to previous months .
Desire for revenge is no joke
The desire for revenge on the virus, on the challenge that followed it and on the aesthetic effects that it has caused us seems to have found an outlet with the opening of the shops. This search for beauty, which isn’t seen as an aesthetic stereotype, but as what satisfies one's spirit, seems to have touched many other sectors, such as tourism.
However, such a deep and delicate process planted its roots and found space right at the beginning of the lockdown when what is now known as "revenge" (a term of impact but which can certainly take on different meanings) was a healthy awareness of oneself, an intimate and reflective moment to dedicate to one's inner and outer person.
So many of us, having slowed down with our lives, saw the opportunity to dedicate more time to activities for which we usually never fit in our daily routines. The beauty routine showed the biggest increase among all, affecting both men and women of all ages over the world.
It has represented an unconscious community movement, a silent bond, a deeply personal and shared gesture, more than a simple female habit as many have always defined it.
It started with the lipstick effect
The idea of revenge that seems to have grown within each one of us (have you felt it?) leading to the birth of revenge beauty concept, which has all the air of resembling its famous and now forgotten ancestor lipstick effect .
I'm talking about the marketing theory that consumers are more likely to buy cheaper luxury goods such as lipstick as soon as they emerge from a recession, giving up on others. The theory is obviously based on real data, purchase data on lipsticks that showed massive increase during these periods.
As you can imagine, this data does not reflect today’s situation, not only because of health reasons, as our lips are permanently covered by facemasks, but also because the entire attention of consumers ( not only women) has shift to make-up and skin care.
I personally find it very interesting to reflect on all this. I like to think that makeup, which is literally something that is "put on" and that therefore does not belong directly to us, has been perceived as a secondary and only subsequent embellishment to personal beauty, which visually looks like healthy and cared for skin, following the principles of skin care.
Skin care as a metaphor for life
Maybe what happened made us more thoughtful and careful, even if it did not last long , but that’s how I felt. It was just like that. It is no coincidence that all of us have been called to reflect on important issues such as sustainability and bio. This interest is reflected in many industries, from mobility to fashion, and also in the world of beauty, of course.
This delicate period made us appreciate our value as individuals, and is believed to require constant care and dedication, because after all are one of the most important things we have. Taking care of us means working on the inside and on the outside while making sure that these two parts are in harmony.
According to the wise Latin principle “mens sana in corpore sano”, which translated is healthy man in healthy body, highlights how our skin requires products that care for it and for the planet.
So an increase in sales has been registered for healthy and high quality lotions and bio products for the whole body, made in a sustainable way and with recyclable packaging, which help you show your true beauty.
On the same line, which I had already joined some time ago, I too have created a completely natural line with bio active ingredients that help you take care of your health.
