Considering the high street saturated mass market-driven world in which we live, it’s not a surprise we crave the opposite. The demand for the unique and the personalised is what has led to a rise in customisation, particularly when it comes to beauty.
A global trend
Customisation is not a trend that has burst forth from the beauty industry, but rather one that has trickled down from other categories. The Business of Fashion writes beauty brands have jumped on the bandwagon due to being “inspired by the success of personalised products in adjacent categories like footwear and apparel, from Nike iD to customisation platforms like (website) Zazzle.”
For Mintel, the interest in customisation was born from consumers’ desire for individual attention. A shift away from the traditional mass market and a focus on oneself. The company comments: “It’s actually the culmination of women’s growing desire to reflect their individual needs and concerns across the beauty landscape… many are no longer willing to be passive recipients of cookie-cutter skincare, hair care and make-up products.”
Euromonitor agrees: “Customisation has already been a prevailing trend for the industry during the last several years, driven by a greater demand for higher-efficacy alternatives and more personalised offerings, from completely bespoke skincare and foundation to products that target specific consumer groups (men, children, over 60s) and those that promote specialised functions (for eyes or neck, for example) and concern-based solutions.”
The millennial market
GCI Magazine doesn’t see the trend as a fleeting one, commenting that customisation is driven by the digital world and growth in social media – a sector that shows no signs of slowing down. “Consumers’ demands for tailored solutions vary across regions and categories and, strongly aided by digital technologies, are developing into individualisation,” comments the publication.
This coexistence with technology has determined the key customer of the trend – the millennial market. As Mintel continues: “The customisation trend is largely driven by younger, internet-savvy consumers who are conditioned to expect quick solutions and are willing to utilise both online and in-store diagnostics to get them.”
Euromonitor International analyst Eleanor Dwyer agrees: “The people who would be interested in this would be the millennial generation, the group that’s really pushing the individuality in beauty.” With Nielsen confirming millennials spent $US460 million on beauty alone in 2014, it’s understandable that brands wish to appease this growing consumer group.
A bespoke world
While customisation varies from brand to brand, a handful of major brands have long intertwined their image with personalisation. This is particularly true when it comes to fragrance – with promoting the layering of fragrances to create a bespoke scent, while Le Labo is a label proudly based upon the premise of offering consumers a personalised scent. Utilising the popularity of customised scent, UK department store Selfridges welcomed a Fragrance Lab in its London homebase. There, the company explains, “You will enter a one-of-a-kind profiling experience and leave with your own signature scent that represents the essence of who you are.”
But now customisation no longer just relates to fragrance. Euromonitor explains: “The most recent product customisation innovations have included new product formats, textures and functions. Demand for individually tailored solutions, the ultimate customisation, is on the rise.”
The past couple of years have seen the rise in individualised, mass-marketed skincare that doesn’t require a visit to a salon or dermatologist. Skin Inc debuted in Australia last year – an online-based supplement bar that creates a personalised serum of actives to tackle individual skin concerns.
Following a similar premise is Derma Aesthetics’ brand Dermaviduals. Derma Aesthetics co-managing director Reika Roberts states personalisation is a natural progression for the sector, a mentality the brand has long understood. The brand is renowned for its personalised approach to skincare, which individually pairs base creams with targeted active agent concentrates to treat specific skin concerns and conditions. “Dermaviduals doesn’t believe in a blanket approach to skincare. We realise that, like fingerprints, everyone has different skin and we think that this is why customised beauty is rising in popularity. The one-size-fits-all mentality with a choice of dry, oily or combination skin solutions really doesn’t cut it anymore," says Roberts.
Make-up gets personal
Customised beauty is proving so popular it has moved into the cosmetics space, with among this expanding area. Roberts says: “We also recently responded to demand for a customisable foundation and released our Dermaviduals Deco range, which includes a foundation that is created in front of the consumer after a colour match is performed, so it is literally a perfect match!”
It’s not just Dermaviduals who has taken note of a growing interest in tailored cosmetics. It’s a booming industry – just look at the burgeoning success of local story The Lip Lab. Opening in November 2015, the Sydney store in Paddington offers customers the chance to craft their own custom lip gloss and lipstick. The product is made during the appointment to take away on the day. Co-founder Courtney Treacy comments she is not surprised by its growing popularity. “I think as women we are always looking for the next best thing out there on the market, bigger and better. With The Lip Lab, the lipstick you create, it is yours – no one else has that colour, it is totally unique to you.”
For Treacy, the popularity of has revealed untapped potential in the customisation market. The brand plans to expand shortly, with Treacy commenting: “We are launching our very own line of custom blended foundations in July. From there, we are working on eyeshadows, blush and concealers.” Franchising is the next step: “When we opened we had only planned on branching out to each capital city, however, we have been inundated with people wanting to buy into the concept. We are currently in the process of franchising the business and have our first franchise in its planning stage for Pacific Fair on the Gold Coast and Parramatta in Sydney’s West. Interest has come from Perth, Brisbane, Cairns, Adelaide, and Melbourne in addition to Dubai, France Germany, Japan and New Zealand.”
What’s next?
Consumers are now demanding more from brands, whether it’s when shopping for sneakers or buying a cleanser. Roberts says a demand for the unique is now becoming a part of modern mentality, shaping a long-term future for customisation. “We think this trend is probably here to stay. Our consumers are after more effective skincare, targeted results and to be treated as an individual. Customisation provides this, often with fewer products. Plus, who wouldn’t want their own scent, a customised clutch, a bespoke skin serum or their very own colour-matched foundation to celebrate and enhance all that is uniquely them?!”
