How the pandemic has turned the beauty industry on it's head
The unfamiliar order of things today has permeated every aspect of our day to day life. We have had to recast our jobs, rethink how we socialize with family and friends, but the biggest change has been in our personal lives.
Women and families have changed up their health and beauty routines. We have learnt to cut each other's hair, trim our bangs, use color touch up products at home or let it go back to it's original state, give ourselves manicures and pedicures, experiment with facials and wonder about the future of the lipstick industry. Gone are the days when using a mask referred to a pampering routine.
Streamlining beauty
Our product habits have altered. With zoom culture we have changed how we present ourselves. A decent blouse or shirt, a simple non fussy hair style, a touch of blush, maybe a sweep of mascara and some lip-gloss. Overall we are more comfortable and accepting of seeing each other without immaculate makeup. It is not only liberating but also a great time saver.
As with every other area in their life, most folks are reassessing their discretionary spending. Splurging on beauty products is being re-evaluated, questioned and many like me are determined to go through every single thing in their cosmetic chest before ordering another "single" product. As we streamline our routines and habits we also see the value in beauty products that multitask and serve more than one purpose. These times are forcing us to pare down, go minimalist and adopt the mantra that less is more.
Beauty reset
How we express ourselves physically has changed dramatically - driven by two diametrically opposite trends. On one hand all of us have been consuming technology looking for skin, hair and nail solutions that could be delivered to our homes in the form of do-it-yourself kits. We stalked celebrities on Instagram, spent countless hours looking up sites in search of answers.
At the same time there was no shortage of embracing beauty customs of old, whipping up homemade face and hair masks, seeking advice from family members and friends and trying every conceivable remedy. A cosmic meeting of the old and the new as unusual as the times itself.
Second Look
With mask wearing becoming the new accessory, women are already beginning to experiment with how they present themselves. With the lower half of the face covered, the focus for women has shifted on how to highlight eyebrows and eyes. Articles in fashion magazines point to increasing online searches for "bold eye looks" and "accentuated eyebrows". Another uptick has been in skin care and wellness product as the focus shifts to self care, and the need to de-stress.
Even though it is easy to dismiss make up as frivolous, we can reframe to recognize that it is a more than a feel good tool it defines who we are. As the pandemic plays out we have edited it's place in our life for sure. Unconsciously as a community, we are in the process of reexamining the essence of beauty and adopting a more holistic approach. A reset is underway on a deeper level that is more than just skin deep.
Does this resonate with you? Do share your thoughts with us.
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