New Report Claims That Lash Lifts And Extensions Are Becoming More Popular Than Mascara
Would you ditch your mascara for good?
Might the trusty mascara soon become obsolete?
According to a new report by Business of Fashion, lash lifts and extensions could be overtaking the mascara category.
While the publication cites that beauty companies sold an incredible $8.1 billion worth of mascara last year, according to Euromonitor International, it also noted that popular brands like Fenty Beauty, KKW Beauty, Kylie Cosmetics, Anastasia Beverly Hills and Huda Beauty have yet to introduce a mascara formula. But why?
The report went on to say that although mascara is the beauty industry’s largest category, its growth is expected to take a dip from 4 per cent in the last three years to 2 percent through 2021, according to Euromonitor. Why? It’s not only a difficult product for newer brands to formulate, but lash treatments like lifts, extensions, and tinting, are skyrocketing in popularity.
One might argue that these procedures take more time than simply swiping on mascara, but they last for months and, in the long run, save women time getting ready. Another appeal is longer, more natural-looking lashes without using any product, and not having to rub your eyes to remove mascara – which can be bad for the very sensitive skin around the eye area.
“The comfort level with consumers to go and get these different kinds of treatments and services has definitely reached an all-time high,” said Sarah Jindal, senior beauty analyst at Mintel told BoF. “People are willing to invest a little bit more in going and getting a lash lift or lash extensions, because they know it then makes their routine in the morning that much easier.”
SugarLash PRO, Elysee Zhadikpur, and Blow LTD are just some of the many providers that offer lash services and treatments. In the report, the latter’s founder, Fiona McIntosh, says its LVL Lash Lift is the company’s fastest-growing service.
No longer purely reserved for festival fields, false lashes, too, are becoming more popular in everyday beauty routines. Huda Beauty founder Huda Kattan, who launched her multi-million dollar brand with faux lashes, says that there has always been a demand for them, but that new lightweight formulations that are more natural-looking have boosted their appeal.
“Women here wear false lashes pretty much every day, whether that’s for a special occasion, going to work or heading to the gym,” said Dubai-based Kattan.
“I know how big of a project developing mascara will be, so there’s a lot to consider before taking it on,” she explained. “Because the formula goes directly onto hair, there is a lot to take into consideration that you don’t have to think about with complexion products.”
According to the report, it’s more challenging for a younger, independent make-up brands to get a stake in the vastness of the mascara business. (After all, how often do women really change their mascara once they’ve found the one they love?) So, the brand will look for other products it can introduce that are more unique, or focus on other profitable, more trend-led categories, such as highlighters.
Regardless, $8 billion worth of sales proves that mascara isn’t quite going to disappear off the shelves just yet.