Skincare is the new makeup
While we may be seeing a decrease in makeup sales, the global beauty industry is not seeing a decrease in all of its sectors; skincare has become an increasing part of people’s lockdown routines. This shift in the beauty industry can easily be seen through much of what we see on social media. For example, if you happened to be scrolling through apps such as TikTok in the first few months of the pandemic, the surge in videos concerning people’s skincare routines and their product recommendations was hard to ignore. Products from brands such as The Ordinary and CeraVe were consistently sold out both online and instore, as consumers took a renewed focus towards their self-care routines.
This shift towards self-care is not surprising, given that taking the time to focus on a skincare routine can be of extra comfort when experiencing stress. In a situation such as a global pandemic, many people feel that they can do little, besides staying at home, to control it. Therefore, it’s understandable that we place more attention on aspects of our lives that we do have some control over. The rise of the wellbeing industry has also been made evident, given a spike in purchases of bath and body products. The fragrance company Diptyque has reported that candle sales increased 536% in the weeks after lockdown.
Lessons from Beauty Psychology
So not only has skincare seen a boom in sales, but the whole self-care and wellbeing industry has seen a sharp rise in interest. Nonetheless, it’s also important to consider the behavioural and psychological responses to the shutdown of the makeup industry, as not everyone will have the same reaction towards more time spent at home. Since people with lower self-esteem are generally more likely to wear makeup, does this rising interest in skincare apply to those who wear makeup to feel more confident? Interestingly, a recent study by Pikoos and colleagues (2020) found that during the pandemic, those with low dysmorphic concerns (i.e. “a preoccupation with a perceived defect in physical appearance”) invested less time in their physical appearance, but that restrictions caused by the pandemic presented risks for individuals with high dysmorphic concern.
Therefore, despite a general decrease in makeup sales, this change does not necessarily mean that people are more comfortable with the way that they look. Although having to face less people than in a pre-pandemic society, people still find themselves concerned about the way that they look and a boom in the skincare industry does not necessarily mean an increase in self-esteem. Rather, it seems to be more the impracticality of having to wear makeup that has had a factor in this change.