Beauty Secrets or Secret Beauty?

I n our last column we looked at beauty from the inside out and examined the growing relationship between, and some might say intrusion of, brands and the body. As explained, now that we seem to have exhausted the ways of altering our body on an external level through cosmetic or brand intervention, many beauty brands have been crossing the final frontier to gain access to our bodies on the inside.  However, the negative side of internally consumed beauty products is that they are seen as an extension of the pressures exerted on our bodies to conform to an ideal.  And, interestingly, just as fast as this change has been happening, we have simultaneously seen something of a backlash against this advancement with society offering us something of a paradox and a contradiction (as it invariably does).
   
We are witnessing a need for protection and a shielding of ourselves from intrusion by exerting our individual power and choice to alter our bodies so that we are less visible and, more extremely, by closing off our bodies altogether in a bid to become private, secret and invisible.  We explore what is happening with new products this fall/winter and whether, and how, beauty brands are tapping into these new macro trends for either disguising or completely hiding the body.

Karma Chameleons

Cosmetics, such as mood lipsticks that change color throughout the day according to the pH of our skin, have always given us the tools to be chameleon-like in our appearance.  However, today we are not looking to expose ourselves in this way or make such an obvious and outward statement, but rather we are looking to cosmetic brands to provide us with a level of camouflage to help us blend in, rather than stand out from, the external environment. Smashbox has recently introduced a new eye shadow quad in  Ambient, a collection of “teal and wearable neutral” shades and, in all honesty, the name says it all in terms of summing up the prevailing mood of the time.     More specifically, forward thinking brands are producing new collections that are directly inspired by the natural world.  French-Canadian brand Lise Watier has introduced the new Barock Collection and its Quatuor eyeshadow quartet is designed to “create a harmony inspired by nature.”

We are also seeing a burst of color alongside the more neutral and earthy tones, but this is still reflective of the natural environment.  Space NK sums up the beauty ethos for this Fall/Winter perfectly, “natural and not too defined—anything that is near to natural lip shades, from deep reds to caramels, neutrals and buffs.” It is about balancing the neutrals with dark berries and black purples such as Terry’s new Intensive Hydra Plump lipstick in Prune Confite or Laura Mercier’s new Black Orchid.

As always, the fashion industry tends to lead the color trends, which are then translated cross-category into the cosmetics sector.  Although we are seeing bursts of scarlet and mustard, it is the shades of gray—the neutral and neither one thing or another palette—that have dominated the catwalk and have inspired the most notable trend to hit our beauty shelves this fall/winter: the nude and “no makeup, makeup”.
   
Bare Escentuals new Go Bare, Baby collection has astutely combined all trend aspects in one.  The packaging is a bold representation of an animal print (another form of natural world camouflage which is also big news for clothing and accessories) whilst the product itself is a neutral collection of “complexion boosters” designed to “leave the heavy mask behind and uncover the look of beautiful bare skin.”  

Invisible Beauty

But the trend for chameleon-like behavior has also segued into a more extreme need for privacy and secrecy with consumers wanting to not only blend in with their surroundings, but actually escape from what is around them and use their body to help them disappear from view.  Again, the catwalk has already nailed this trend by shifting shapes from fitted and tailored silhouettes to voluminous and quilted creations that not only hide the body, but create a bubble of space around the body. We have said before that all marketing is naturally cyclical, and what goes around comes around, and in the Victorian age beauty was revered and invested in but was undeniably secret and private. We are once again looking for that recognition and relationship with beauty brands.
   
Invisibility is more of a buzz word in this sector than ever before with not just the advent of the “no makeup, makeup”, but also with more natural skin foundations, concealers and primers being brought on to the market than ever before, such as Laura Mercier’s new Secret Concealer and Laura Geller, whose Spackles range is already being cited as the celebrity’s best friend to smooth, perfect and fill eyes, lips and face. The simplistic and monochrome packaging is undeniably chic and stylish, but the no frills approach undoubtedly reflects the ethos of the product and its offer.
   
Deodorant has always been a problematic area when it comes to market positioning.  For a long time it was fine to acknowledge that women perspired and with practically every woman from adolescence needing a deodorant, personal hygiene brands had a ready-made market.  Dove has maintained this “out and proud” stance and its latest ad campaign underlines their “good for your skin” positioning by not focusing on the product but on the benefit for beautiful underarms.  However, other brands are realizing that women are again looking to be a bit more secretive about their bodily functions and brands such as Impulse, a deodorizing body spray, are now being positioned as perfume sprays.  Similarly, in the U.S., Secret’s Sparkle body sprays also employ similar positioning as “go anywhere, anytime” aromatherapy sprays rather than as deodorants.
   
We want who we are, how we look and how we smell to be far more individual and not public property.  As a result we are starting to see more discreet offers and a more noticeable move towards “no-perfume” products. Danish brand, Urtekram, has recently launched one of the first no-perfume shampoos and, if we move away from the naturals and organics sector and look to the mainstream, we have seen a rise of “petite” perfumes which would suggest that although our scent may be recognized, we do not want to be affiliated to one particular brand as we apply in public.
   
In the near future, brands will have to look at ways of responding to this need for bodily privacy and secrecy.  But, what does this mean for beauty brands, and particularly cosmetics, that base their very ethos on creating obvious change and expression to the body and the face?  

Designing Discretion

Essentially, beauty brands need to shift their mindset and understand that this trend is just another, and much more subjective, form of expression.  Shrewd beauty brands either need to look at ways to help us maintain this discretion or maybe look at limiting and restricting our options. Packaging and marketing need to work together to generate the best solutions but, from a creative viewpoint, what we do need to remember is that it does not mean that consumers are looking for plain packaging or for packages to be given to us over the counter in a brown paper bag.
   
Basically, the rise of the secret brand seems to point towards a reaffirmation of femininity and we want brands to respect our bodily privacy and not regard us as mobile advertising vehicles or as an extension of their brand.  To be successful in the future, brands need to either adhere to a code of conduct or must find a way of providing the desired private space for the body.  This means that brands need to exchange something of value with consumers in order to be allowed into or onto the space in their bodies.     

Therefore, brands may need to consider not just how we use cosmetic brands, but how we choose, experience and buy these brands. In-store, we may no longer want Clinique to seat us in front of the counter for a make-over, but to take us into a private space. Potentially, this could mean that we are moving away from blatant branding and focusing on more clever structural and graphic design solutions that are feminine and open to personal interpretation.  We are, therefore, still expecting our beauty products to offer a sensual element through their packaging and marketing. Brands such as Bare Escentuals capitalize on the use of tactile and sensual materials, textures, patterns and forms.  
   
The phrase “beauty secrets” has now taken on a whole new meaning for today’s beauty industry. 

About the Author

Jonathan Ford is an award-winning designer and creative partner for Pearlfisher —  a London and New York design consultancy. Pearlfisher’s award winning work in the food, drink and luxury markets includes clients such as LVMH, ABSOLUT Vodka and Unilever.
More information: [email protected].