The global pandemic has certainly had a major impact on the beauty market, and indie beauty is no exception. According to Alyssa Behrendt, market research analyst at Kline & Company, Parsippany NJ, there’s been a significant slowdown of new brand entrants, as both the economy and shopping environment made it difficult to launch. Of the newcomers—as seen in this recent report from Kline—many were positioned as clean or self-care focused, or sold hand cleansing products, which were key product trends witnessed in the cosmetics and toiletries market.

Behrendt took time to correspond with Happi about the indie segment past, present and future.
 
Happi:  How has COVID-19 impacted the indie beauty business overall?

AB: Despite this slowdown, acquisition activity still occurred, with notable deals such as Puig’s majority stake in Charlotte Tilbury and L’Oréal’s acquisition of Thayers Natural Remedies.  
 
To survive the pandemic, existing indie brands, such as Kopari and True Botanicals, relied on strong e-commerce strategies. This includes limiting their presence in brick-and-mortar retailers, many of whom struggled to adapt to the changing distribution landscape. They also value the digital community, which was largely done through social media. Indie brands created unique brand identities that resonated with consumers and was done quickly to meet the fast-evolving needs of consumers.

Happi: What are consumers looking for right now in indie beauty products – for example, looking good in a Zoom call?

AB: Indie brands that continue to resonate with consumers often have strong brand identities focused around initiatives. These include sustainability, clean ingredients, transparency, cheeky slogans and body positivity, among others. Consumers have resonated with indie brands that are innovative but also mirror their core values. The key to successful indie brands, especially in the COVID-19 pandemic, is to bring excitement and positivity while also giving back and staying true to its core.

Happi:  What are the latest developments in indie beauty specifically? What ingredients fuel their formulations?

AB: While there haven’t been any notable developments, especially as CBD- and hemp-inspired products are becoming relatively mainstream, there has been a development in product offerings. A number of existing indie brands entered essential categories, like hand sanitizers, including Farmacy, Sol de Janeiro, Megababe and Nudestix.

There has also been a rise in activity surrounding black-owned beauty brands. Some retailers such as Sephora, have signed the 15% Pledge, dedicating 15% of its shelf space for black-owned beauty brands, while others, including Nordstrom, have revised policies and made efforts to increase equality among the Black or Latinx brands. There were even grant programs, such as Glossier’s Grant Initiative, providing funding and advisory support for selected brands.
 
Happi: What will be big in 2022 for indie beauty and why?

AB: COVID-19 accelerated some of the key trends for the indie beauty market, but we expect to see some still emerging. Intimate beauty care continues to become less taboo and more of a facet of wellness, while the idea of clean and conscious beauty continues to evolve. Conventional and legacy brands will most likely jump on these trends, but the continued evolution and acceptance depends largely on innovations and the strong community building from indie beauty brands. 
 
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