Top stories of 2018: The 10 most-read APAC cosmetic trend stories of 2018 in the spotlight

1 - Breathable nail varnish enables Muslim women to pray without worry​

Breathable nail polish which Muslims can wear while performing prayers​ is becoming a big hit in Islamic communities.

Islam states that in order to pray properly, adherents must purify themselves by washing every part of their hands and arms, including the nails.

For many Muslim women, nail varnish is too much of a chore to wear because it must be removed then reapplied before and after their mandatory 5-times-daily prayers.

However, the Polish company Inglot has developed a breathable polish which supposedly allows water to penetrate to the nail. This product-originally designed as a healthier alternative to standard polish – is making a big impression in the Muslim community.

2 - Get ahead of the make-up curve for 2019/2020​

Muddy orange, beige and glitter are set to make a big impact as we look towards next year’s colour cosmetics seasons.​

We see several trends emerging for spring/summer 2019. There is a big global colour movement towards

Muddy Orange tones. This is a direct evolution of the strong beige lip trend and the orange tones you can currently spot on the market.

In 2019, oranges will become more subtle and wearable, creating enhanced, natural looks. As far as texture is concerned, the biggest trend will involve glitter with larger flakes. We already see many indie brands launching glitter formulations for face, lips, and eyes, pushing the aesthetic into the mainstream, where we expect it to arrive by 2019.

3 - Skin care trends in 2018​

Global research firm Euromonitor International, reveals the key trends, opportunities and future for skin care in APAC.​

Sunny Um, Beauty & Fashion Analyst at Euromonitor International delivered a speech at the recent in-cosmetics Asia event on the main drivers pushing Asia’s leading position in the global skin care industry. We delve into the research company’s report to explore how this prominent sector is expected to develop.

Asia remains the dominant player in global skin care sales , amassing 51% of the world’s value sales and 6% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2012-2017.

Current dominating trends will get a facelift in 2018 as brands strive to upgrade existing products. Companies will slightly modify and transform products from recognisable and popular mainstream items to answer niche preferences and “create new needs”.

4 - Male skin care: What's trending in 2018?​

As the UK-headquartered male skin care and beauty brand marks 2018 as a key growth period​ for its expansion in Asia, we caught up with Simon Duffy, Founder of Bulldog Skincare For Men to ask what we can expect from the male skin care sector.

1. What attracted Bulldog to enter the Asian skin care market?​

Asian consumers have a proactive attitude towards skin care, and Asia is the leader in global skin care sales with the mass market growing substantially (Euromonitor 2017).

Within this region, Korea is the leader in terms of innovation and consumer sophistication. Korean men are extremely ingredient savvy and we have found that they are very receptive to Bulldog’s use of natural ingredients.

5 - Colour Cosmetics trends in 2018​

Sunny Um, Beauty & Fashion Analyst at Euromonitor International held a session on identifying opportunities in colour cosmetics​ in Asia-Pacific at in-cosmetics Asia from October 31 to November 2.

Following the talk, we explore Euromonitor’s latest research on the segment and how APAC is fuelling growth.

“South Korean brands, such as The Face Shop, Etude House and Innisfree, fuelled the mass cosmetics boom by fulfilling Asian consumers’ need for self-indulgence and a​ff​ordability through creative brand storytelling, eye-catching packaging, diverse product ranges and low-price points,” Sunny Um, Beauty & Fashion Analyst at Euromonitor International revealed.​

6 - Cica cream: The latest craze from South Korea​

Sensitive skin care concerns are on the rise, so we caught up with Laurie Du, Senior Beauty & Personal Care Analyst, China, at Mintel to find out how cica creams are providing a sensitive solution.​

Cica creams are often thought to only appeal to sensitive skin care cream wearers, but “the term sensitive has a broad definition, and it is not limited to just any skin type,” ​revealed Laurie Du, Senior Beauty & Personal Care Analyst, China, at Mintel

7 - Teen and Tween market: Key target audience in 2017​

The beauty and cosmetics industries in APAC continue to prioritise market understanding, innovation and creativity, along with research and development to launch revolutionary products that appeal to both domestic and international markets.

Marketing these products to the correct target sectors is crucial to their success. We spoke to Sharon Kwek, Senior Beauty and Personal Care Innovation and Insight Analyst at Mintel on why brands have identified the teen and tween market as so significant​ and how they will be forging ahead with marketing efforts to gain appeal in 2017.

8 - The evolution of beauty retail in Southeast Asia​

A prolonged economic growth spurt is helping to drive the cosmetics and personal care market throughout Southeast Asia and reshaping the beauty retail landscape​, research from Mintel reveals.

A burgeoning middle class is leading to new pockets of wealth that have triggered a huge spike in consumer buying power, resulting in demand for newer and increasingly sophisticated products.

Where those consumers go to find out about new products depends on what part of the region they live in, but countries with higher rates of online use, the digital arena is leading the way.

9 - The shift to waterless cosmetics​

In our sustainability focus, we delve into the metamorphosis of water in beauty and personal care by looking at the demand for waterless product​ R&D efforts and releases.

World Water Day took place on 22nd March 2018. Now, more than ever, Asia-Pacific (APAC) multi-nationals and domestics based names are dedicating their sustainability initiative towards water conservation, collaborating with authoritative bodies, and exploring and launching waterless formulations.

10 - The J-beauty comeback: What competition in today’s cosmetics marketplace looks like​

As Japanese skin and hair trends have struck an appealing chord with cosmetics shoppers, we explore with Jorge Larranaga, Deputy Director, Manufacturing Department at Number Three what buyers are looking for and whether a competitive relationship exists between Japanese and Korean beauty brands.​

1. How is skin care best described in Japan?​

Skin care in Japan is about preventing, rather than repairing, and simple routines for cleaning and nourishing skin until it reaches a porcelain-like texture are common.

In fact, the term porcelain skin (touki-hada) is used as an acronym to introduce a five-step skin monitoring procedure.