Kline, the American consulting and research firm, is celebrating its 50th anniversary by taking a look back at half a century of changes in the cosmetic industry. From giving up glass bottles in packaging to adopting green marketing talk and formulas, from the appearance of multi-functional products to the nail polish boom… Here is an overview of the trends of the period.
From the first antibacterial soap Dial introduced in the United States in the 1940s, through to packaging shifts from glass bottles and jars to plastics and cardboard boxing, from the heavy makeup disco era and surge of women entering the workforce in the 1970s and 1980s, the U.S. cosmetics and toiletries market has continually undergone societal, economic, demographic, and—more than ever— ecological changes
Many factors have shaped this market over the last 50 years. Most recently, it was the spillover from the latest economic crisis resulting in weakened consumer confidence and more modest spending habits; however, this helped to spawn many new trends including products with multiple benefits and value packaging, and “professional results at home” as a popular claim.
Additionally, the landscape for retailing and marketing beauty products has changed dramatically over the last decade owing to new technology. Brands, going omni-channel, are utilizing all types of technology from mobile apps and social media to in-store and online tools to engage the consumer. Direct sales—driven by e-commerce—and specialty stores, engendering a fun retail environment with new products and exciting services are now posting the highest growth rates.
To embark on most recent trends, 2012—a year notable for the success …
