All You Need to Know About the Cosmetic Industry

Bobbi Brown, who is an American professional makeup artist, has rightly said that every woman is pretty without makeup. Yet, she also believes that a woman can appear pretty powerful with the right makeup. The use of cosmetics is increasing drastically as people want to keep looking young and attractive.

What are Cosmetics?

Cosmetics are a group of health and beauty products that are used to boost the appearance of a person’s body. There are a large number of cosmetics available for skincare (cleansers, toners, face wash, etc.) and hair care (serums, shampoos, conditioners, etc.). In addition to this, a huge variety of deodorants and color cosmetics are also available in the market.

Each of these cosmetics is designed for distinct purposes and they feature diverse characteristics. These products are primarily offered through retail stores such as supermarkets, exclusive brand outlets, specialty stores, etc. Besides this, these products are also available on various online channels.

Why is the Popularity of Cosmetics Increasing Day-by-Day?

There is an increasing awareness among people regarding premium cosmetic products and their beneficial impact on the skin. Thus, many people are using these products in order to look young and beautiful.

Moreover, people are becoming increasingly concerned about various skincare issues such as dark circles, dull skin, wrinkles, pimples, etc. The various cosmetics available today offer solutions to all of these skin issues. This is increasing the popularity of cosmetics.

What is Trending in the Cosmetic Industry?

• Many brands are focusing on products that offer multiple benefits to customers. For instance, face cleansers that can moisturize your skin, have anti-ageing properties, and also protect your skin from sunburn. Such products are getting more and more popular in the cosmetic industry.

• With urbanization developing at a fast pace, there is a huge change in the standard of living of people. People are becoming more conscious of their personality and appearance. There is a growing demand for multifunctional makeup, high-end color cosmetics, and many such products from the customers.

• With global climate change, extreme weather is more frequent and is affecting more people than ever before. Nowadays, there is an increasing demand from skincare users for appropriate products that will protect their skin in extreme environmental conditions.

• Many brands have been advertising white or light skin as a lifestyle change. Mass advertising and social platforms are being used to influence the buying habits of people. Many of the skin lightening cosmetics usually have celebrity endorsements. The desire for lighter skin among individuals is eventually increasing the demand for cosmetics.

• Increasing awareness of probable side effects of chemical-based cosmetics and advanced beauty treatments have brought a drastic change in the way people look at cosmetics these days. Thus, there is an increase in the preference for environment friendly as well as natural cosmetic products among people.

The Negative Impacts of Cosmetics on Human Health as well as the Environment -

• In a research done by S. S. Agrawal and Pallavi Sharma on eleven popular skin-lightening cosmetics, it was found that all the products included mercury in them in the range of 0.14 -0.36 ppm.

The inorganic elements present in mercury are corrosive to the skin, eyes, and gastrointestinal tract. They may even induce kidney toxicity if accidentally ingested.

In addition to this, none of these products include mercury as an ingredient on the packaging of the cosmetic. This can mislead the customers regarding the potential health risks of these products.

• In a report published by the World Health Organization (WHO), it was stated that skin whitening cosmetics can cause leukemia, liver and kidney cancer and prolonged use of such products can also cause skin cancer.

• Palm oil is the main element in shampoos and lipsticks. Palm oil is linked to deforestation and directly destroying the habitats of various endangered species like orangutans, tigers, elephants, rhinos, etc.

How Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected the Cosmetics Industry?

Due to the increasing demand for beauty care products across the globe, the worldwide cosmetics market is experiencing significant growth.

According to Research Dive , the global cosmetics market size will reach about $493,258.5 million till 2027. The prominent players in the cosmetics industry like L'Oréal, Unilever, etc. are switching toward the production of cleaning agents and hand sanitizers to continue their presence in the cosmetics sector, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This is positively impacting the growth of the cosmetics market.

About the Author(s)

Princy A. J

Princy holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the prestigious Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. University at Chennai, India. After a successful academic record, she pursued her passion for writing. A thorough professional and enthusiastic writer, she enjoys writing on various categories and advancements in the global industries. She plays an instrumental role in writing about current updates, news, blogs, and trends.