Beauty Insights, Part 3: Holiday Beauty (Self-) Gifting Guide

This is the third report in our Beauty Insights series. Each report in the series offers a concise review of a prominent or emerging theme or trend in global beauty markets. In this report, we highlight holiday beauty trends and gifts that are likely to underpin category growth this holiday season.

Fully 78% of Consumers Plan to Self-Gift This Holiday and 21% Plan to Treat Themselves to Cosmetics, Fragrances, or Health and Beauty Aids

The 2018 holiday shopping season is expected to be a healthy one. Consumers in the US are set to spend an average of $1,007 this holiday, 4.1% more than they planned to spend last year, according to the NRF’s annual holiday spending survey, conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics.

According to Deloitte’s annual Holiday Survey, 78% of consumers plan to shop for themselves during the holiday season, and 21% plan to purchase cosmetics, fragrances, or health and beauty aids for themselves.

Holiday beauty trends and gifts that are likely to underpin category growth this holiday season include:

• Skincare regimens, masks and facials.
• Celebrity collaborations, including Kim Kardashian West’s new KKW Fragrance line and Kylie Jenner’s Lip Kit, both of which are launching at Ulta Beauty this month.
• Sparkle lip balms for teens.
• Professional-level beauty tools such as GloPRO’s Microneedling Rejuvenation Tool and the luxe Dyson Supersonic hair dryer.

10-Step Korean Skincare Regime for Self-Gifters (and Holiday-Ready Skin)

According to NPD, last year’s holiday hot sellers in beauty included false eyelashes, lip gloss, skincare sets and kits, and home ancillary gift sets. The firm reported that makeup and skincare face products showed consistent growth throughout the holiday season in 2017. In our view, facial skincare will continue to show consistent growth and will be a big self-gifting category this holiday season, as consumers are showing increased interest in skincare overall and in regime-based skincare in particular.

Multistep skincare regimes such as Soko Glam’s 10-Step Korean Skincare Routine, which the company’s website says is “more than a routine—it’s a lifestyle,” are all the rage with consumers. The Soko Glam site offers online tutorials, downloadable PDFs, blogs and instructional videos on how to complete the 10 steps and apply the products. The ritual-based skincare routine mandates using the correct skincare products in the correct order.

Soko Glam’s 10-Step Korean Skincare Routine
Source: SokoGlam.com

Peach & Lily’s Korean Skincare Regimen: Combination Skin
Source: PeachandLily.com

Dermaceutical Facials Are on Everyone’s List

Facial and skincare products are blurring the line between dermatology and cosmetics with new formulas. Hanacure’s All-In-One Facial – Starter offers “age-defying technology” with CO2 OctoLift and is designed to fight common skin concerns and help remove impurities, thereby reinvigorating the skin.

Hanacure’s All-In-One Facial – Starter
Source: Hanacure.com

Celebrity “It” Gifts for Star-Struck Beautyists: KKW Fragrances and Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kit

At Ulta Beauty’s Investor Day on November 8, Tara Simon, the company’s SVP of Merchandising for Prestige Beauty, announced that Kim Kardashian West is launching four scents with Ulta for the holiday season. The KKW Fragrance line, which will be available in stores only beginning November 25, is sure to be an “it” gift this holiday season, given the exclusivity of the launch.

Slide from Ulta Beauty Investor Day presentation, November 8, 2018
Source: Ulta Beauty

This KKW Fragrance announcement followed news that Kardashian West’s sister, Kylie Jenner, will launch Kylie Cosmetics at Ulta Beauty on November 17, both in stores and online, beginning with the brand’s Lip Kit. Jenner has more than 250 million followers on social media and, in 2016, her Lip Kit sold out within one day of the initial launch.

A $499 Luxe Hair Dryer: Beauty Enthusiasts “Will Buy It”

The Dyson Supersonic hair dryer is creating a buzz in the industry for its digital motor and claims of drying hair in record time. Although the hair dryer retails for $499, Ulta’s Tara Simon cited it as an example of a product that consumers can’t get seem to get enough of, saying that “if it is important to [the consumer], she will buy it.”

Dyson Supersonic hair dryer
Source: Dyson.com

Sparkle Lip Balms Are Trending Stocking Stuffers, Especially for Teens

Winky Lux, a hip beauty marketplace, offers an array of lip balms, including Glimmer, Matcha and Flower balms, in gold, rose gold and red packaging. The Flower balm, Winky Lux’s most popular lip stain, has an actual chrysanthemum inside. The balms go on clear, and then combine with the lips’ natural pH levels to create a natural shade. Not only is the packaging festive, but the colors and balms are unique, too.

Winky Lux Matcha, Flower and Glimmer lip balms
Source: WinkyLux.com

Bro Masks, for That Special Guy

In the previous report in this series, we discussed the growth potential in male grooming categories. Bro Mask is among the brands seeking to capture that growth, with a hydrogel mask. According to the brand, the mask is antioxidant-packed, hydrating and designed to “get skin glowing.” The Bro Mask is formulated to target problems common among men, including blemishes, redness, sun damage and fine lines, and each box contains four single-use masks.

100% Hydrogel Bro Mask
Source: JaxonLane.com

GloPRO Microneedling Regeneration Tool with Face MicroTip Attachment—for Beauty Trendsetters and Early Adopters

The GloPRO Microneedling Regeneration Tool is designed to trigger the skin’s rejuvenation process, resulting in new skin cells. The tool comes with a detachable head, a power cord and an adapter. This is an innovative product that is likely to appeal most to beauty enthusiasts who are early adopters and not afraid to try new treatments. The tool simulates an in-office procedure where small needles are gently passed over the face to boost collagen production and smooth the skin’s texture. The tool retails for $249.

GloPRO Microneedling Regeneration Tool
Source: VioletGrey.com