Beauty is evolving in a positive manner – more and more research is being invested into how closely linked our gut health is to how we look and feel. Inside out beauty is the new way forward. So, with beauty and wellness ever evolving, how do you develop a brand and what are the growth opportunities?
At Bespoke Advantage, we have developed skincare, fragrance, supplements, haircare and wellness brands to name but a few. If you are looking for support with developing your brand, get in touch to discuss how we can support you.
We have recently launched a beauty and wellness accelerator, where together with a group of fellow entrepreneurs, we coach you in how to develop your brand from ‘concept to shelf’, online over a three-month period. If you are interested in joining an accelerator program and would like to find out more, drop us a mail. Our next program starts in January 2023.
Beauty is renowned for being resilient – Leonard Lauder coined the phrase the ‘lipstick index’ as a good economic indicator, it was known that in times of uncertainty, women turned from purchasing high ticket items to lipsticks and cosmetics. This was certainly proven to be the case during the pandemic, where despite the challenges faced by retailers, consumers continued to buy into skincare, haircare, and wellness categories. We also saw the emergence of a number of new categories, including ‘at-home spa’.
One of the most exciting changes over the past few years, is how health, beauty. fitness and wellness have merged, resulting in a number of interesting new trends. If you run a beauty or wellness business, or you are about to launch one, consider these as opportunities.
Unsurprisingly with hairdressers being closed during the pandemic the most searched terms in the beauty industry in 2020 were related to our hair – from cuts to colouring, styling and treatments – we became obsessed with how to care for our hair. Products that treat hair loss and scalp health are on the rise and we have learnt how to care for our hair as an extension of our skin.
Skincare is growing from strength to strength and we have become a lot more skincare savvy, with a greater understanding of ingredients and the benefits they offer. Cult Beauty gathered the most Google searched beauty ingredients for 2020 – niacinamide, a form of vitamin B was amongst these as was bakuchiol, a form of natural retinol. We have also becoming increasingly more interested in Vitamin C and the science behind a brand, with consumers demanding that brands substantiate the claims they are making through clinical research and consumer trials.
Sustainability is critical, with a new term emerging – conscious consumerism. From packaging to organic and natural ingredients, and upcycling, clean beauty has become an industry standard with many retailers making this part of their ethos. Self-care treatments were prevalent in 2020, with many of us creating an at home spa experience. 2021 continued to see the launch of products for at home spas and facials, as well as the launch of a number of beauty tech tools.
Now is the time for beauty brands to enter the supplement market through focusing on beauty and immunity. Based on a Covid-19 Recovery Survey conducted by GlobalData published in July 2020, UK consumers have shown the greatest interest in purchasing more vitamins and supplements following the pandemic, with Generation Z and Millennials being the most proactive, along with Europeans already leading a pescatarian and vegan lifestyle.
Veganism is also on the rise – what was once considered niche is now becoming mainstream, according to Google Trends veganism increased seven-fold between 2014 and 2019 and it now receives more than four times the interest of vegetarianism and gluten free. This is about more than just your diet, or beliefs, it extends to your lifestyle and embraces mental wellbeing and spirituality encompassed by the overarching term ‘wellness’.
Thanks to technology consumers are savvier regarding the benefits of taking supplements, and how these can be taken to address everything from our health to our wellbeing, sleep, anxiety, and sexual health as well as to improve the condition of our skin, hair, and nails. This is a category that requires educating consumers, taking supplements is a long-term commitment (and not a quick fix with instant results) combined with following a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Inside out beauty has certainly evolved, and there are so many more opportunities to innovate. If you are looking for support with developing your beauty or wellness brand or you would like to have a chat about how our beauty and wellness accelerator program can support you, get in touch, we would love to hear from you.
As a beauty and wellness consultancy, we develop a comprehensive strategy for your business by understanding your vision (and the marketplace) and then delving into the details to create order and structure neatly packaged up to deliver you commercial results. We design brand identities and visual elements, manage your product development, build your go-to-market strategies to help you to engage with your ideal customers.
We are proud to support our clients from different regions of the world – from Saudi Arabia, to Dubai, Sri Lanka, Africa, Australia, the US, Canada, Europe and the UK – from entrepreneurs, to multi-award-winning beauty and wellness brands, retailers, investors, distributors, embassies and trade bodies. And we work with you across the retail sector, and the professional sector, including the hair care market, professional nail care market, spas, salons, hotels and the aesthetics market – here’s a snapshot.
If you would like to discuss your ideas with us, get in touch, we would love to hear from you.
As an international beauty and wellness consultancy, we are proud to work alongside clients from different regions of the world – Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Sri Lanka, Africa, Australia, Canada, US, Europe and the UK . We love collaborating with entrepreneurs, multi-award-winning beauty and wellness brands, retailers, investors, distributors, embassies and trade bodies across the retail sector, and the professional sector, including those selling into the hair care market, hotels, spas, professional nail care market and aesthetics market.
If you need support with devising a new strategy, developing a new product range, designing your packaging or rebranding your current product range, managing your PR, or with planning your market-entry into international markets, get in touch, we would love to hear from you.
Bespoke is a brand management expert with deep industry knowledge, extensive experience and a comprehensive understanding of the beauty and personal industry in the UK and Europe, complemented by an extensive network of contacts in the relevant market segments. Bespoke’s expertise, experience and contacts significantly contributed the success of the UK/Europe project with the companies that Bespoke assisted successfully entering or well on track to enter the UK and European markets. The Bespoke team was very professional, responsive and obliging and always delivered within timeframes. It was a pleasure to work with them.
Working with Janet over the past year has been a real pleasure, she has fantastic industry experience and knowledge of the UK beauty market. She has delivered a number of webinars for my clients looking at how to enter the UK market, providing an overview of the market and how to build a strategy. She took the briefs we provided and added real value to them, included key insights and information that my clients have found incredibly useful. Feedback on these sessions has been very positive. Janet is a clear communicator and has always delivered as agreed and on time. We are continuing to work together on other projects and I very much value the conversations we share.
‘Janet has a wealth of experience across retail, buying and marketing. She conducted a full strategic review of our cross functional business and the travel retail market to develop a comprehensive buying and quality control strategy that was signed off at board level. I highly recommend her as an asset to any business.’
‘As a Queensland-based company, we were determined to tap into the European market and establish a strong presence. From the very beginning, Bespoke Advantage demonstrated a deep understanding of our export goals and objectives. Their comprehensive knowledge of the European market, coupled with their extensive network of contacts, enabled them to connect us with key decision-makers and influential stakeholders in our target countries. Their strategic guidance and insights were invaluable in shaping our export strategy and positioning us for long-term success.’
‘Through Janet’s management skills, expertise and proven track record on the job she successfully managed the purchasing of our retail operations and ensured the integrity of our brands in-stores. Her enthusiasm and total dedication, delivered results in any project she was involved in.’
‘Janet has excellent beauty market knowledge. Level headed with clear vision, direction and the ability to drive business forward, Janet led the teams through a complete product design change advising on what the key marketing messages should be, incorporating her technical knowledge and beauty expertise.’
‘Absolutely fantastic course. Condensed learning from Janet, an expert in developing beauty brands. Also, valuable introductions to expert professionals, in the Masterclass sessions. In 12 weeks, you will learn from Janet, what would take years to learn by yourself. A very worthwhile investment’