2022 Beauty Industry Trends Predictions

The beauty industry is trends-led and always has been. In 2021 we saw more inclusive beauty ranges, 90’s beauty trends, scalp care, gua sha and a focus on wellness. Wellness, wellbeing and health-related beauty is here to stay in my opinion.

As we come to the end of the year, I’ve pulled together some of the beauty industry trends that I think are going to be big in 2022. This is based on conversations in the industry, acquisitions, search trends and brands I’ve worked with as well as just keeping an eye on what’s going on.

Check out the beauty products that went viral on TikTok in 2021 along with 2021 beauty trends from search and social to get up to speed on where the beauty industry’s been over the past year.

2022 Beauty Industry Trends

2022’s trends are varied, with a little bit of carry-over from what went down in 2021. Let’s take a look at the beauty industry trends that I think we’re all going to be talking about over the coming year.

Men’s Beauty Brands

It’s no secret that the beauty industry has been focused on women for a long time. Most of the time men’s beauty has been confined to things like body spray, aftershave, hair gel and shaving products – it makes up around 1% of a $500 billion industry.

The last few years have seen more of a move towards gender neutral beauty brands, inclusivity and beauty for all. This seems to have shifted slightly as brands have realised that men care about how they look and want more choice than having to use someone else’s products or use the bare basics (with traditional ‘manly’ names and scents).

Men have concerns about the way they look and feel, and want them to be addressed. I think men’s haircare and skincare in particular are going to be huge in 2022.

Beauty Devices and Tech

This isn’t really a new trend but I think there’s going to be a lot of new innovation coming that combine beauty and tech, particularly AI (I wrote about some of 2021’s best beauty innovations for PopSugar).

I think virtual try-ons, anti-ageing devices and replicating salon treatments at home are going to be a key focus. We want convenience, effectiveness and on-demand beauty – particularly against a backdrop of having to get by without salon treatments for the best part of a year.

Custom and Personalised Beauty Solutions

I think customised and personalised beauty solutions are going to continue to grow in 2022. We saw custom foundations, DNA-based skincare and tailored routines in 2022 – I predict that this is going to go even further.

More and more we’re realising that beauty isn’t one-size-fits-all and what works best for one person might not be right for someone else. We have more education and information at our fingertips, and we want to utilise that to get the best results.

Multipurpose Products and Simpler Routines

We’ve had 10-step routines and intense skincare regimes for a while now as well as a cupboard full of beauty products we tried in lockdown (or is that just me?). After a fairly complicated few years I think people are looking to simplify, cut back and let their skin do its thing.

Plus, multipurpose products mean less waste and less overconsumption, which is something that’s a problem across the beauty industry as a whole. Brands are exploring more options for multipurpose products, and reducing packaging and product waste.

Sustainability

There are far more brands talking about sustainability, recycling and the environment. Against a backdrop of climate change and the need to reduce waste in the beauty industry (this BBC documentary is an easy watch if you want to learn more), brands seem to be acting on their sustainability too.

Everything from waterless products through to reducing packaging waste and offering recycling options for beauty products are going to be a focus for brands over the next year. I don’t think it’s going to be an easy job for an industry that doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to waste. I also think brands need to be careful of greenwashing without actually making the changes they need to.

Y2K Aesthetic

This is a bit of a cheat as I feel like it’s already been threatening to pop back up in 2021. 90’s makeup and beauty trends dominated in 2021, but Y2K is already going to be popping up in 2022.

Look out for ombre lips, frosted eyeshadow, thin eyebrows, lip gloss and space buns, butterfly clips and zig zag partings in your hair. I lived through most of these first time around so while I feel nostalgic about this one, I probably won’t be rushing to take part.

Connect with me on Linkedin to find out more about beauty trends, the latest beauty news and to see my most recent work.