Heading into the new year, the color cosmetic industry is in for an interesting ride, celebrating a fusion of trends that laud the skin’s natural beauty, but with a glamorous twist.
This year, trend forecasters predict that natural colors, and softer application methods that let natural skin shine, will act as the perfect palette for achieving a flawless, understated yet sophisticated look. Read on as we deep-dive into some of the hottest color cosmetic trends in the year ahead…
Natural Glam
Beauty professionals are firmly on board that the glam look is here to stay but with a softer twist – focusing on products and routines that emphasize the beauty of our natural features rather than masking them.
This move to ‘gentle’ glamor reinforces consumers’ desire for a cleaner aesthetic with radiant, healthy, and softly sculpted skin rather than simply applying harsh and dramatic colors. Focusing firmly on healthy and hydrated skin will form the basis for softly flushed cheeks, natural and bold lip colors, gloss that brings a bit of pop and sizzle to the face, and eye makeup that can stay the course – ranging from gorgeous neutrals to deep turquoise and aquamarine – a combination that is uniquely 2024!
A bit of blue
The beauty industry is going mad for all things blue according to market forecasters like Pinterest, which predicts that in 2024 aquamarine makeup will be back and bolder than ever – continuing to wow the industry throughout the year. Did you know that the blue eyeshadow aesthetic went up by an astonishing 65% in 2023 while the aqua makeup look doubled? This year we also expect the ‘washed denim’ look to be massive, offering an edgy, but very wearable look for daytime, in contrast to the harsh blues that defined the makeup of the 1960s. This year it is all about using beautiful blues on the eyes in a smoky and diffused manner.1
Achieving this look underpins formulation requirements for even dispersion and easy and flawless blending of products to stay the course throughout the night or day. At Oleon Health & Beauty, the excellent functionality and color dispersal properties of our esters offer brand owners a wide range of fantastic products that can not only be used in eye shadows and creams but in eyeliners and mascaras too.
C-sculpting is king
The beauty equivalent of the C-suite, contouring is fast gaining traction in the beauty industry for its ability to streamline and add dimension to the face. A relatively new term in the cosmetics sector, C-sculpting refers to the technique where blusher is applied to the face in the shape of a C – offering a subtle yet impactful contour that defines the cheekbones to create a defined and structured look, enhancing the natural bone structure. Contouring products, available in either matt or satin finishes must have the ability to blend easily and seamlessly for that flawless look.
Glossy lips
Much improved since the heydays of lip gloss in the 1970s, glossy lips are back but revived and featuring fantastic ‘stay ability’ and skin feel. This year it is all about lip glosses and oils that offer a shiny and plumping effect. While the focus is still on naturally bold and sheer shades, consumers are coupling neutral lip liners with tinted lip balms and oils to add a beautiful dash of color to the face. This not only embraces the natural color and texture of lips but adds a youthful and fresh touch to the overall makeup look. The trend also ties in with the Ombre lip which typically shows a deeper contour and definition around the lip edges, leaving it light in the center where lip products in different shades can be blended in for a gradient effect.2 At Oleon Health and Beauty, we are passionate about all things lips and our range of innovative products are testament to this. If you’re developing new lip products, consider our Jolee® 7799 for beautiful gliding functionality on the skin or if you simply need some inspiration, check out our formulations for black cherry lip gloss or gorgeous stardust lip glaze.
Softer brows and lashes
Nothing defines a face as well as groomed eyebrows and lashes. While the past few years have been defined by a ‘more-is-more’ look in terms of solid brows and long lash extensions, in 2024 it’s all about softly feathered brows and individually shaped lashes, particularly for the bottom of the eye. The hair stroke technique used to get the feathered and fluffy brow look is simple - following the natural brow shape and arch, adding super fine lines to give it that understated, soft finish that still adds an extra dimension of volume to brows. This year we also predict a more vibrant and playful lash fashion, with colorful lashes set to make a splash. Playful consumers should not be afraid to embrace bright pops of color that can add an element of fun and individuality with hits of electric blue (again), and splashes of fiery red – think a kaleidoscope of colors to celebrate festivals and events!3
If you are developing new products and formulations for the year ahead, the Oleon Health and Beauty team is happy to assist you with all your technical and formulation requirements. Simply click here to contact one of our experts.
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