I recently attended a panel on beauty trends hosted by Net-A-Porter Beauty in celebration of their 5th year anniversary. It was hosted by Newby Hands, the company’s Global Beauty Director, and to someone like me who enjoys learning about the hows and whys of things, her opening address was full of truly fascinating statistics.
For example, the speed at which the average Net-A-Porter beauty shopper makes purchases is lightning quick – just a few minutes to hit checkout and even less when on their mobile devices. This was surprising to me, but nonetheless very interesting. My guess is that beauty blogs and other digital sources with embedded shoppable links are a significant driving factor in direct, immediate sales.
Less surprising were the statements about purchasing power: the Net-A-Porter Beauty client loves skincare and doesn’t really care about price. Many buy multiples of the same product to stash in their bathroom, gym bag, travel kit, etc. Or in some cases, so they can have something in the bathroom of their home, piéd-a-terre, vacation property….you get the idea.
While I couldn’t exactly relate to needing a spare set of skincare faves for my yacht, I thought their client profile description was pretty spot on. I could totally identify with their description of a woman who wanted a specific product to cover any moment or fulfill any need. Sunscreen, soothing mists and after-sun care on days that I’m outdoors, a dozen serums and moisturizers to keep my skin nourished through the day and night, an army of face masks to rotate through based on what my skin needs that morning.
Speaking of which, it was revealed that this 90-minute mask by 111 Skin did particularly well in Singapore – testament to how diligent local women are about their skincare routines – and that while the most popular lipstick color globally is, predictably, pink (followed by nude: this cult fave was name-checked) in Singapore it’s matte red. Who would have thought?
All in all it was such a fascinating presentation and I wish I’d been able to stay till the end…or corner Hands herself and ask what her beauty trend forecasts were. My best guess would be a more pared-back approach to glamour makeup with a focus on skin, and an uptick in non-beauty beauty products (like tools and supplements) that link overall well-being more directly to aesthetics, but maybe I’m just projecting. I guess the only thing to do is wait and see…and stalk the Net-A-Porter Beauty site a little more than I already do.
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