Working with and launching designer brands is in our agency’s DNA. In this business beauty blog, our beauty industry experts share their thoughts on what makes a luxury beauty brand and ask what it takes to be a successful luxury brand today.
Reality Check For Luxury Beauty Brands
With the cost of living impacting many consumers in the UK, we know that luxury products aren’t top of the everyday necessities during these more challenging times. When marketing the concept of buying into luxury beauty products, it’s imperative to acknowledge the current economic landscape and play out any marketing promotions and PR activity with this in mind. The idea of luxury beauty will always be a strong pull for consumers. Without disposable income, consumers feeling the pinch will eventually return to their favourite luxury products in the future. However, is even more critical that luxury brands remain visible. Luxury in beauty has always been significant, and the ingredient formulations, marketing and product packaging are only part of a brand’s success in the current climate.
How Can Luxury Beauty Even Be Relevant To Today’s Consumers?
True luxury never dates or goes out of fashion. Financial restrictions may mean that many of today’s consumers cannot afford to take the plunge and opt for cheaper high-street alternatives also, if quality ingredients and performance are behind the luxury branding, they will always return in favour. We know from previous recessions that the beauty luxury market always survives. Many supported by fragrances and fashion houses, such as Armani Beauty and Gucci Beauty. Makeup lovers will always save for designer lipstick to add to their collection, even if filling their makeup bag isn’t possible. Victoria Beckham’s makeup range contains clean ingredient innovation and is cruelty-free, making it a sustainable choice for many.
Be Relevant And Inclusive In Your Beauty Marketing
What is evident is the beauty marketing switch from exclusive to inclusive and relevant. You only have to compare marketing examples of adverts from two years ago to those featured today to instantly note the diversity. Consumers want to feel recognised and catered for. Luxury makeup, in particular, has seen a considerable shift to offering a far more extensive range of luxe formulas. Prestige beauty brands recognise the need to develop beauty lines that cater for all ethnicities. Global pop star, Rhianna’s Fenty Beauty is one example of a new-generation brand harnessing this movement.
Ethical Luxury Beauty Brands
Ethical beauty brands are on the rise. As winners of the Best Ethical Beauty PR & Marketing Agency (Kent) in the Global Business Insight Awards 2024, we know the value this brings. Within the beauty space, many of these are catching up with the big luxury brand names. Building a luxury beauty brand based on clean beauty products, Vegan beauty products, and cruelty-free beauty products are now commonplace in the luxury beauty industry. Social responsibility is a driving factor for many consumers. Clean beauty products are rising, and the desire for fancy packaging is only part of the narrative. Premium beauty now needs to be accountable. The newer generation of beauty independent brands has grown up in the shadow of big luxury brands. It has created its own pathway that appeals to a new generation of ethically savvy consumers.
Social Media & Fashion Trends
Taking note of social media trends and working with beauty influencers and celebrity makeup artists are essential marketing tools. Successful brands know how to leverage these areas. For example, luxury makeup brands know that natural beauty, or the ‘Clean Girl Aesthetic’, has dominated social media viral beauty trends, so they quickly acknowledge and support this movement with calculated marketing efforts. Hydrating foundations with hyaluronic acid is another big trend, rapidly becoming the hero product for many beauty influencers.
The Future Of Luxury Brands?
Luxury marketing will always thrive, even during difficult times, as whilst a Hermès Birkin bag might be out of reach for some, a luxury lipstick could still be affordable. Investing in a luminous silk foundation from a designer brand could make you feel valued and spoilt every morning you apply it, and that’s the beauty of luxury.
