What’s next after the 90s makeup trend
The Global Senior Artist at MAC Cosmetics on how ”Scandi makeup” influences the world. And, is this the next Asian cleansing trend to hit Europe?
IN THIS ISSUE
Vilde Feste, Global Senior Artist at MAC Cosmetics, on micro and macro trends in makeup: moving on from Barbie pink and all things 90s
Global makeup users’ daily style in numbers
Now is the time to remove the stigma around acne
Make up your mind
Imagine how many months of work boils down to just a few minutes when everything needs to be perfect. This is the case for the fashion designers presenting the collections on a runway, for instance during Copenhagen Fashion Week. The same, however, goes for the hundreds of people working behind the scenes. We saw this first-hand when visiting Danish contemporary women’s fashion label Baum und Pferdgarten right before the Spring/Summer -24 show was about to take place on the street right next to Amalienborg Palace.
Many years of experience and a talent for multitasking and preparations are the keys to success here. After a long, long time of planning and endless discussions, Vilde Feste, Global Senior Artist at MAC Cosmetics and responsible for the show’s beauty looks, welcomed us to the (very) controlled chaos backstage, for more on the inspiration behind them. Calmness personified, Feste shared micro and macro trends, took us through when she rediscovered the first contouring books, and explained how TikTok has changed her daily operations. All this only minutes before the show rehearsal.
In this week’s insight piece, the Norwegian industry profile takes us through the creative process behind the runway show. We also get her predictions on what’s next in a cosmetics industry that’s set to hit $104 billion in 2023 and with an 11.8% year-over-year increase (Statista). A recent Business Insider article shared how A TikToker shows how millennials can hack their makeup to look more Gen Z. A sign of the times, it seems, with the makeup industry’s close to obsession with both the target group and the platform. Although new regulations force social media platforms to give users more choice over what they see in their feed, Mintel reports that 69% of Gen Z learn about beauty through TikTok. Or, as Vilde Feste was putting it in Copenhagen:
— Doing this show today, you will think about what will go viral on TikTok. And that will be totally different from what will go on my Instagram page, which is gonna be more aesthetically. So, of course you consider a lot of different aspects of the makeup.
— When I started, you had to learn the secrets from the biggest masters. People hustled and worked timeless hours just to work with the best people to get those tips and tricks. Now, you just go on social media and people will tell you.
Also in this week’s issue, we let beauty entrepreneur Maria Ahlgren speak out on the stigma around acne, the next(?) cleansing trend to hit Europe, and lessons learned when taken by surprise by a TikTok ”skinfluencer”.
— It shows not only the power of TikTok, but the importance of creating products that actually solves a real-life problem for your target audience, she tells us, also adding,
— Kind skincare is the future!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The cosmetics industry is expected to grow with an 11.8% year-over-year increase
New regulations force social media platforms to give users more choice over what they see in their feed
69% of Gen Z learn about beauty through TikTok
This weekend, we catch up on new product launches at Scandinavia’s leading beauty influencer event in Stockholm. More on that in the weeks to come, see you next Thursday!
CHART OF THE WEEK
SCANDINAVIAN MIND X TRADE PARTNERS SWEDEN
Trade can be complex — but important help is just one click away
We speak to Helena Waker, CEO of Trade Partners Sweden, on why a strong network of experts is key when growing a beauty brand.
TOP STORIES
This week’s top stories and interviews from scandinavianmind.com
Common Clouds: It’s about time to remove the stigma around acne
Swedish long-time beauty journalist, now beauty entrepreneur, Maria Ahlgren on lessons learned when taken completely by surprise by a TikTok skinfluencer, the next Asian beauty trend to hit Europe, and why ”kind skincare” is the future.
Minolei is here to solve the makeup challenges of having oily and combination skin
Founders Emma Filipsson and Helena Amiley explain why the special 3-step routine shall make all the difference for this target group.
The Made in Europe stamp on this new brush line is more notable than you may think — here’s why
Bringing the manufacturing of the new series was more challenging than expected for IDUN Minerals. Sustainability Manager Anna Agardh explains why it was all worth it.
WORLD VIEW
A briefing on innovations in the global beauty industry
US skincare and makeup trends — Unveiling Our Ambassador’s Vision on Beauty Trends
MakeUp in World: I believe the minimal makeup look will continue to headline as consumers invest in aesthetic procedures to enhance their natural beauty and feel they no longer need to use a lot of color cosmetics to feel beautiful. They rely on more subtle, understated makeup and a few touch-up products to keep the look fresh.
How AI Can Help Create a More Sustainable Beauty Industry
Golden Arrow: As the world becomes increasingly aware of the need for sustainability, industries are urged to participate in the global movement toward a greener future. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a powerful tool that can revolutionize beauty, leading to more sustainable practices and products.
The Future of Beauty Tech: How Influencers Embrace and Explore Beauty Innovations
LeaLi: The beauty industry is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by advancements in technology and the influence of social media. As we look towards the future, it’s clear that beauty tech will continue to reshape the industry, offering new ways for consumers to discover, try, and buy products.
INSIGHTS
MAC Cosmetics’ Global Senior Artist shares the future of the ”no makeup makeup” trend
By JOHAN MAGNUSSON
We catch Vilde Feste right before Baum und Pferdgarten’s Spring/Summer 24 show at Copenhagen Fashion Week.
These few minutes on the runway are the result of many months of planning. For the Norwegian industry profile, however, it’s just another day at work (the day after sees a new show where she’s in charge of the makeup) — where not one day looks like the other.
— No, my job is extremely diverse, she says, connecting with industries, such as makeup schools, theatres, and TV stations, and a lot of content. We produce it locally to fit our market since the beauty trends are so different around the world. And then, twice a year, it’s the fashion weeks.
Is the fashion show as a concept less important for you now, when everything else moves so fast?
— It doesn’t have the same power as before — it’s much more available for everyone now. Trends are not necessarily from a show but can come from TikTok — or even pop culture, where everything has been pink for a while now before it switches instantly.
— When you get so overwhelmed by all the inputs, it can be hard to be true to your own voice and sense of style. But I enjoy how makeup is moving into that it’s for everyone instead of the ’unrealistic standards’. It’s becoming much more inclusive, interesting, and welcoming and also cooler in the sense that it doesn’t have to be made in a certain way, while fashion can be a little bit too serious.
Where do you find your inspiration?
— Architecture, art, old books, places, people on the streets, everything. I try to not only go to Pinterest or look at the big shows. Sometimes, you can end up just doing the same stuff, so I challenge myself to think outside the box. It can also be from other old references. Now, the 90s makeup is having its biggest moment with everyone referencing Naomi Campbell and the supermodels. Then it’s fun to dig deep into those trends and find old books, such as the first contouring book, to get new perspectives.
This shift, when everything goes so much faster, does it also affect you when you’re doing makeup for a fashion show?
— Yes. Doing this show today, for example, you will think about what will go viral on TikTok. And that will be totally different from what will go on my Instagram page, which is gonna be more about aesthetics. You consider a lot of different aspects of the makeup, especially with TikTok, which is so much about entertainment.
Can you take us through the process with the show until today?
— Normally, you receive a mood board or visual images to show inspiration for the makeup and hair. Then you meet with the hair stylist — for this show, it is Nicci Welsh — and then we discuss and create the look. This look is not the real makeup on the face but more about the mood or feeling. You then test it on models, create face charts, take pictures, and brief our teams that will come on the show. On the actual show, you first do a demo, demonstrating the makeup so people understand what kind of look they’re going to create. You take pictures of it and discuss it with the designers, stylists, and teams, get feedback until you agree on the set makeup, and then everyone starts to do it.
You mentioned that one of tonight’s looks celebrates the ’no makeup’ vibe, which we’ve seen for a couple of years now. Does it never end?
— That’s the thing with makeup. You have the matte lipstick and then you know that the next trend is going to be glossy. The ’no makeup makeup’ comes in different names which have stayed for a while now. We have this trend on TikTok, called The clean girl aesthetic — that I also think is kind of terrible (the name, Ed’s note) — about being beautiful just the way you are. And this no makeup is what many people use every day. It will never go out of trend but just come in different names with different technologies and makeup. It’s just like the last years with all the products that are multipurpose use — a foundation with skincare and such — which I think also just fuels the no makeup trend.
This has been huge in Scandinavia. When you speak to your international colleagues, how big is it across the world?
— As I said, it’s almost always been the style here, and it’s absolutely becoming a bigger thing. Just take Haley Bieber and all of these people that people are ’religiously’ following, it’s always been here and now, suddenly, it gets picked up by a larger population.
This week, MAC Cosmetics presents Studio Radiance Foundation. How’d you describe it?
— They’ve worked for years on it. It has 10% Hyaluronic Acid in a medium to full coverage foundation, which many skincare foundations don’t have. It also has longevity, so you can use it a full day and just like with many MAC products, you can mix it in a cream, add in some extra colour, and really play with it. It’s a multitasker.
After the 90s trend, what do you see coming for 2024?
— We’ll see much more of the cool tones. We’ve had moments where everything was warm, bronzy, and earthy. Now, it’s going more into the cool grey and purple and the palette will change into cool undertones that we haven’t seen in a long time. In terms of makeup, it’s now all about the glowy, hydrated spa-looking skin and the glow stack while the matte is going to have more of a moment. The glosses have had such momentum — it’s going to go back to more of the matte lips.
Rapidly changing consumer behaviour has become almost like a mantra for the industry. According to Feste, it is sometimes hard even to keep up.
— We talk about trends but there are a million trends, she says. The consumer is also much more educated, because, like I said, it is also more accessible for everyone. Consumers come into the store and they know a lot about the trends and what they like or don’t like. Especially here, in the Nordics, they want something that is simple and quick. We’re more like the Asian market in terms of fresh, healthy skin, stains, blushes, and creamy products. It’s real and it’s minimal. In the end, people don’t have a whole hour in the morning — they want something that is just easy to work with.