As the end of the year looms nearer and nearer, beautydirectory is taking a look back at the top trends, colours, launches and innovations in colour cosmetics in 2014. Here, we talk to some of the country’s top make-up experts about the best moments in colour cosmetics this year, plus their predictions for what’s next for the beauty market.
The top trends in twentyfourteen
This year saw a number of make-up trends hitting the spotlight, but the three standouts have been fresh complexions, long-lasting products and crayons. A fresh, clean, luminous complexion was for sure the leading trend seen on many a runway and in many editorials,” says make-up brand manager Rebecca La Rocca.
managing director and head make-up artist Leia Corrie agrees this year was all about clean skin and simplicity: There has been a plethora of ‘no make-up looks’ from the fashion weeks which highlights amazing fresh skin and simple colour combinations.”
The plethora of new BB and CC creams and a spike in the number of make-up products offering skincare benefits has propelled this trend. Glowing, youthful skin is most definitely making a comeback as more consumers adopt primers, quality liquid foundations and BB creams into their regimen,” says GM Australia and New Zealand Justin Fullerton.
Products with impressive staying ability also made an impact in the beauty world in 2014. One of the biggest trends for 2014 has been long-wear cosmetic products. We’re seeing more and more of these products that stay put all day developed. Once applied correctly, these will not budge, bleed or transfer onto your collar or coffee cup,” explains Skin Luminizer Miracle Foundation make-up artist Liz Kelsh.
Lip crayons were also big news this year, with many brands bringing out their own offerings. They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery, and that certainly rings true when we look at the array of copycat Chubby Sticks on the market!” laughs communications manager Alexis Gilmer. Not content with sticking to the lips, brands also launched crayons for the cheeks and eyes.
Minimalist and metallics
As for colour trends, they matched the focus on natural raw looks, with nudes and metals being the favoured hues. We have seen a real shift back to very traditional feminine beauty. Detailed, neat brows, soft rose pinks on cheeks, nude lips and nails and a luminous complexion. I believe the trend and awareness of individual health and wellbeing has played a big part in this trend which identifies beauty as being holistic and from the inside out,” reveals La Rocca.
Metal colours for the eyes and nails have been doing the rounds in 2014. Think strong gilded bronze, golds, copper and silvers with smoky high fashion looks,” says Fullerton. Metallics and jewel tones have played a part in colour trends, with these more often than not ... seen in the form of a chic eye accent like a liner feature,” reveals CEO Napoleon Perdis. Liner was indeed seen to add variation to the traditional black this year, with Kelsh explaining that coloured eyeliners (like emerald green or bright blue) were a big trend in spring.
While nude and metal was en vogue, eyes and lips also sported some punchy shades, from berry and violets to the more traditional colours. For eyes, it’s been purple, blue, green and pink. For lips: orange, red and nude,” says brand manager Laure Pichon.
The latest innovations
Cosmetics are working harder than ever for their market. No longer is the customer happy to have just medium coverage in their daily foundation; today they expect the product to last longer, include sunscreens and blur imperfections, as well as treat the complexion with beneficial skincare properties,” reveals La Rocca. Moving forward, the market will demand and companies will innovate products that do more for you and take a lot of the ‘think work’ out to get the best results. We are seeing this already more and more with foundations having serious skincare benefits in their formulas also.”
As touched upon by La Rocca, one of the most talked about innovations this year was blur cream. Blur cream is having its moment - you can find it in almost everything! We're obsessed with looking natural yet flawless, so it fits in perfectly,” says brand and account executive Niva Thongkham. Adding to this, Corrie explains there is some great work being done in cosmeceuticals and taking the knowledge of skincare into cosmetics.”
Not only are consumers demanding products work harder, but they are also more aware of what ingredients are being used. Customers these days are very ingredient savvy and cosmetics companies need to constantly progress to keep up with this demand. I have my products manufactured all over the globe with the best of ingredients. I like to honour customer demand by ensuring my products always have unique ingredients in them that benefit the customer’s lifestyle,” says Perdis.
What’s next…
With brands continuing to develop innovative products with the goal to stand out from the pack, a heavy focus will be on providing consumers with offerings that are convenient yet efficacious. We’ll be seeing more long-wear make-up and more active make-up, such as products that combine make-up and skincare. People are expecting their cosmetics to work harder for them,” says Kelsh. Gilmer agrees: Consumers are time poor and ingredient savvy. They are looking for make-up products with skincare benefits.”
Pichon believes we’re set to see: Highly-pigmented glossy lips, the return of nail art (did it ever really leave?), and that 1990s brown lipstick shade is also making a fierce comeback!” La Rocca expects to see increased technology with lip products for longevity, denser pigments and greater comfort”. While Corrie believes the obsession with clean skin will keep going strong for a while and pastels will be back a bit more.” Perdis is convinced the future trends in cosmetics will see brands taking ancient beauty secrets and regimes and making them modern.
Launches of the year:
Skin Luminizer Miracle Foundation
California Cool Bronzing Powder
Image: Pretty Stuff.