At the time of this write up we are in month 4 of the shelter-in-place order.
With no glimmer of light in sight, we're still hunkering down, trying to social distance, instacart our groceries, and trying to perfect the at-home-mani experience (still trying to improve that right-hand nail polish application). I'm determined to nail it before we get to post-quarantine times.
With at-home beauty rituals, a big priority for so many is how the beauty industry has completely changed its landscape and experience. Long gone are the days where you could walk into Sephora and test every lipstick on your arm to find your shade, or have a specialist apply makeup on your face. Kiss those days adios!
Will the post-COVID days mean, us consumers, will have to pay more for a different experience when shopping for our coveted beauty essentials? Here's the lowdown on the transformation that's happening in the beauty industry.
There will be less foot-traffic inside of your top beauty stores like Sephora and Ulta.
Employees at Sephora will be demonstrating makeup applications to customers on face charts to take home. Most locations are requiring everyone to wear masks. Some stores are also checking the temperatures of their employees before their shift starts.
There will be more online business models that will incorporate Artificial Intelligence so customers can try on products from the comfort of their own home.
Customers aren't willing to purchase full-size products without testing them. Brands are now having to ramp up or create sample-size products for customers to sample. There will most likely be a spike in subscription box sign-ups so customers can try sample-size products before committing to a full-size splurge.
Having sample products is great for customers, but bad for the environment. Small plastic packaging isn’t recyclable or sustainable; it goes straight to landfills and the ocean.
So far, there is no indication that the extra cost for these drastic changes will trickle down to the consumer. You can expect the beauty landscape will continue to evolve continuously during the COVID era. People are expecting clean hygiene and transparency now more than ever. There is more emphasis on taking care of yourself while everyone is working from home.
The stress level and distractions of balancing this new normal emphasizes the need for better self-care through more skincare products, due to the lockdown. This information has led brands to focus on a better at-home experience with clean beauty products that promote better skin through active ingredients.
Brands will also ramp up their focus on better customer experiences with their approach to online services. We, as consumers, are mindful of where we spend our hard-earned money right now. The coronavirus has shown us that our jobs aren't safe and that there's no clear indication that some workforces will be back at all.
When it comes time to spend, everyone is being less compulsive. This opens up the doors for brands to make better connections and promote products that will matter to those that are social distancing and staying at home while trying to stay cute.
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