Protection & Correction: Facial Cosmetics

The typical human body is covered in about 22 square feet of skin, give or take. Yet, just tiny percentage of that  comes coming under the greatest scrutiny—the face. Consumers are their own toughest critics when it comes to their appearance, and are often hyper-focused on dark circles under the eye, a breakout on the chin or uneven tone they see in the mirror.

The good news is, there is a growing cadre of cosmetics and skin treatments that address issues which can make one feel less than confident. For beauty brands, the facial cosmetics category is ripe with opportunities to sell moisturizers, serums and cosmetics to anxious tweens, menopausal women and everyone in between. And if those products can multi-task, that’s all the better.

Multi-Issue Solutions

Products that answer more than one issue in a single formulation remain popular with consumers who want to do more with fewer products in their daily regimen.

Jane Iredale, which bills itself as “The Skincare Makeup,” answers those calls, according to Ami Mallon, director of artistry and education.

“While there is no technical definition of a BB cream, alphabet creams by nature are meant to provide more—more diverse ingredient profiles, coverage, a gorgeous skin-like finish, treatment ingredients. Thus, BB creams were created for a more savvy consumer looking for multitasking formulas that provide coverage in addition to a multitude of other benefits,” said Mallon.

In May, the brand rolled out Glow Time Pro BB Cream SPF 25, which Mallon described as “a new and improved modern take on a BB cream.”

The R&D team reformulated this multi-tasker, which is available in 14 shades, to nourish the complexion while concealing blemishes, sunspots and discoloration. The lightweight, non-greasy formula provides smooth, even coverage and daily SPF protection in one simple step. It minimizes the appearance of pores and fine lines for a smooth, even-looking complexion, and it gently exfoliates, moisturizes and revives dull skin, according to the brand. Key ingredients include grapefruit extract, which brightens and revives dull skin, antioxidant-rich sunflower seed oil that moisturizes skin and soothes irritation, and apple extract to gently exfoliate and refine while maintaining skin’s youthful elasticity.

“This dry-down formulation goes on smoothly and provides a ‘med-full’ coverage in one fell swoop making it the perfect product for corrective camouflage of skin conditions like acne and rosacea,” Mallon said, adding that the product can be blended with a brush or fingers and will dry-down in about 30 seconds.

Products that deliver a refined face remain a core element for the Jane Iredale line, according to Mallon.

“Complexion products are the heartbeat of the brand. Our foundations are the foundation of our business (pun-intended),” she quipped. 

Sales of facial cosmetics are rising at mass, too. According to IRI, sales of facial cosmetics rose 12% at US multi-outlets for the 52 weeks ended May 5, 2022. Concealer, specifically, posted a 15.9% rise in dollar sales and units were up 12.0%.

Skin Heroes

Iris & Romeo’s newest launch, Weekend Skin, is a mineral sunscreen with vitamin C that Founder Michele Gough-Baril says is all about doing the bare minimum with maximum results.

With Weekend Skin, Iris & Romeo’s Founder says the brand has put the two most important steps in a daily skin care routine—vitamin C and SPF—into a 3-in-1 formula that’s perfect for those days when users want sun protection and nourishment with just a little radiance.

Specifically, the formulation combines a soft-focus filter, SPF 50 and time-release vitamin C.

“The problem with vitamin C is once it’s exposed to daylight it oxidizes, becomes unstable, and loses efficacy. The vitamin C in Weekend Skin has a time-release delivery system which allows it to be metabolized more gradually into the skin than other vitamin C actives, and having it supplied on a continuous, slow-release basis keeps the dose at fresh, potent levels,” Gough-Baril told Happi. “In commercial testing, it has been proven to have superior formulation stability to other vitamin C materials on the market. It also allows you to reapply frequently—which you want to do given it’s a sunscreen too—without irritating the skin.” 

In addition, the zinc-based, broad-spectrum sunscreen doesn’t leave a white cast on deeper skin tones and the lightweight formula means it can be worn on its own or used as a primer, according to the brand.

“The whole point of sunscreen is to get people to wear it, and so it has to look aesthetically pleasing on the skin. We wanted to create a blurring glow effect that was universal, meaning it worked for every skin tone,” Gough-Baril said. “Up until now, brands have had to create at least two different shades to work for all skin tones—a cool tone and a warm tone. Not everybody knows their undertone and our ethos is to make products that are simple to use, so we set out to find a neutral pigment that would work for everyone and give a glowy, never glittery, effect that is perfect for daytime. It truly looks like that fresh-from-the-facialist glow you get after visiting your esthetician. You can’t mess it up,” Gough-Baril said.

Undone Beauty has had “amazing success out of the gate” with its Makecare collection of skin care and makeup hybrids, according to Founder Ann Somma.

The company’s Conceal to Reveal 3-in-1 Coverage Palette is designed for customizable concealing from sheer to opaque coverage. The sheer formula offers dewy coverage for all over and highlighting; the medium formula delivers full coverage for under eye circles and all over coverage, and the opaque formula provides full coverage concealer for blemishes and tattoos.

“Rather than needing several different concealer formats for different needs, this palette has a unique seamless pour fill with three opacities of concealer, from dewy and sheer to ultra-coverage, said Somma.

Undone Beauty is built around the less-is-more mantra.

“We’re out to undo the notion that you need a cabinet full of products to have great skin and enhance your natural beauty,” Somma said. “We all know the feeling of finding a holy grail product that does more with less, so our innovation is focused on developing smart formulas and delivery systems that pack maximum benefit into a minimalist format.”

All of Undone’s face formulas are skin care-infused with coconut extract, which nourishes, hydrates and helps keep skin’s pH balanced, Somma noted.

Tint, Blush and Balm

Across the beauty space, consumers seek products from tints to blushes to balms that are buildable and functional, and help them create the aesthetic they want.

Former Victoria’s Secret Angel Elsa Hosk has collaborated with Beaubble to create BBxElsa, a collection of makeup that helps fans recreate the “model off-duty” aesthetic. The collection’s Cushion Blush provides an instant, natural glow. The whipped, mousse-like buildable formula with soft pearlescent shimmer reflects and plays with light. It is infused with hyaluronic acid, glycerin and rose water.

A Jason Wu Beauty hero product is its Tinted Moisturizer Meets CC Cream. The vegan formula, which contains goji berry extract and vitamins E and B3, promotes younger looking skin, reduces redness, hydrates, soothes and provides an even skin tone.

Danessa Myricks Beauty has rolled out Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder. It contains a Upsalite, a Swedish super ingredient said to instantly reduce texture, boost coverage, blur imperfections and balance oil while maintaining hydration. The balm works to even out the complexion, absorb excess surface oils and sweat and prevent unwanted shine.

As skin care and cosmetics become more entwined, there are gains to be had in skin health and more.

“It’s good for consumers and it’s good for our planet,” said Gough-Baril of Iris & Romeo. “Combining skin care and makeup saves time, money and waste. It’s good for skin health because it takes the guesswork out of expert skin care. We know what skin care actives work together. Often that’s hard for consumers to figure out—should I wear vitamin C with niacinamide, for example? Weekend Skin contains 2% niacinamide, which is an active level. It’s important to understand this especially when you’re working with clinical doses as you could cause damage to your skin. When a formula is put together by an expert chemist they consider this. If we can combine multiple steps into one, it’s a win-win.” 

Access To Facial Beauty Experts While it may be a luxury, regular facial services can do wonders for the skin. There’s been recent activity from companies that want to make it easier for consumers to access regular facial care from professional estheticians. Face Haus, for example, recently offered a pop-up experience at select Target locations in Texas as a pilot for a nationwide initiative. Face Haus curated a menu just for Target customers who can receive 15- to 30-minute facial treatments  between shopping. Face Haus products can also be purchased at the pop-ups. Heyday Skincare is a fast-growing company that operates physical stores designed to make the facial experience more accessible and less fussy. Launched in 2015, there are 10 company-owned Heyday locations, and the venture-backed company started franchising last August. Chief Operating Officer Arielle Mortimer said Heyday Skincare’s goal is to become the brand leader in skincare wellness. “Skincare is wellness. Skin is the largest organ and it needs a lot of love and attention,” she told Happi in a phone interview earlier this year. The New York City-based company has backing from Level 5 Capital Investors, which has a successful membership-based business model in Orangetheory and Big Blue Swim School.  Heyday’s recurring membership model makes up 68% of its YoY revenue, according to sources. When it comes to acne care, consumers often spend a lot of money and time on the issue—but not always with success. In a survey of 1,000 people in the US, Face Reality Skincare said 59% of respondents in their 30s said they’ve spent 10 or more years trying to clear their acne. Face Reality contends it has a better solution. “We help consumers by partnering them with an acne expert who will be able to provide customized and in-depth care,” said Alex Hernandez, a licensed esthetician and Face Reality lead educator. According to Hernandez, Face Reality acne experts help their clients understand what’s going on with their skin, manage lifestyle factors, curate home care regimens and provide professional treatments. “Acne treatment must be very customized, not only considering the acne type and severity but also the client’s skin type. Depending on the acne type the products required may differ. For example, both inflamed acne and non-inflamed acne benefit from chemical exfoliation, but non-inflamed acne may also require physical exfoliation. There are overlapping ingredients that are effective for most acne types like L-Mandelic acid,” Hernandez told Happi. Face Reality’s L-Mandelic Acid serum is the brand’s most popular and most versatile exfoliating serum. It comes in four different strengths and has anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, antibacterial and brightening properties.