Introduction to the brand types
I often get asked about trends I see in the beauty industry, and I find it difficult to give a straight answer since it really depends on what type of brands or consumer type we’re talking about. To give a more useful and specific view of trends in the beauty industry I’ve put a huge effort into creating brand archetypes to categorize different types of beauty brands.
I've created a set of 12 Beauty Brands Archetype Reports, now available here on this website, as 12 separate reports. (If you buy more than one you get 20% off your purchase!) In this post I introduce all the 12 Beauty Brand Types.
When creating these archetypes, I found it important to make sure that the archetypes were never defined by the category of products. For example, none of the brand types are just haircare or just fragrance. Instead, I wanted to look at archetypes that consistently could be seen across different categories.
Instead, I focused on finding brands with similar aesthetics, values, selling points and pricing. Brands that same consumer would likely fall in love with.
All the reports together include a total of 1119 unique brands.
All Reports Include:
85-110 Brands
Design Trends
Color Trends
Logo Design Trends
7 Lifestyle Photography Trends
Product Pricing for 20 Categories
Top Retailers
What Beauty Brand Types are Most Sustainable?
By far the most sustainable is Bright Future, With almost no all plastic packaging, actually most of the packaging for this brands types products is completely plastic free! Happy Hippie has more plastic packaging, but it's still mainly products with no plastic or minimal plastic (plastic cap on non plastic packaging). Luxe Natural Organic Brands use quite little all plastic packaging, but has very little completely plastic free packaging.
Categories
These are the main categories featured in the report, there may still be brands in other categories. On the images bellow for each of the types you can see the brand category most prominently featured listed on top.
Target Audience
Of course there will be people outside the target group that will be interested in a brand, think of target audiences as a bullseye rather than a walled off garden.
Average Price
You can see that the average price lines up well with the target audience.
Friendly Fun is all about cute pastel colors and glittery sparkles. Brands focus on inclusive and positive messaging.
Target Audience: Gen Z
Average Price: $18
Selling Points: Cute & Affordable
Categories: Skincare, Makeup, Sunscreen, Bodycare & Haircare
Pop Play is the ultimate Gen Z brand type, bright colors, maximalist design, and a lot of fun. Inclusivity and affordability are highly valued for this brand type.
Target Audience: Gen Z
Average Price: $19
Selling Points: Fun, Inclusive & Affordable
Categories: Skincare, Makeup & Sunscreen
Bright Future is for brands that create sustainable products that deliver high quality formulations packaged in fun colorful packaging.
Target Audience: Gen Z & Millennials
Average Price: $18
Selling Points: Plastic Free, Sustainable & Affordable
Categories: Bodycare, Haircare, Sunscreen & Skincare
Happy Hippie
Coming soon...
Target Audience: Millennials
Average Price: $35
Selling Points: Plant-Powered, Eco-Friendly & Organic
Categories: Skincare, Bodycare, Haircare & Fragrance
Brands in this category are all about self-care and inclusivity. Products should be enjoyable to use and make your life easier. While many of the brand’s products are focused on addressing specific issues, it’s more about feeling good than fitting into beauty standards.
Target Audience: Millennials
Average Price: $30
Selling Points: Fun, Self-Care & Inclusive
Categories: Skincare, Sunscreen, Bodycare, Haircare & Makeup
This is the quintessential millennial prestige cosmetics brand type. It’s the regular kind. You can recognize these brands by the monochrome pastel colored packaging with minimalist sans serif typography, brands like Laneige, Kylie Skin and Darling Sun. Or the simple white and millennial pink with bold black text, brands like Glossier and Gisou
Target Audience: Millennials
Average Price: $32
Selling Points: Premium, Plant-Based & Gentle
Categories: Skincare, Makeup, Sunscreen, Bodycare & Haircare
The Modern Minimalist brand archetype is Innovative, Transparent, Genderless, Multi-Functional, and Inclusive. Most of these brands are led by founders with a strong vision.
Target Audience: Millennials
Average Price: $59
Selling Points: Innovative, Transparent, Genderless & Inclusive
Categories: Skincare, Makeup, Bodycare, Haircare & Fragrance
Apothecary Lab is a modern take on the olden days’ apothecary shops. This brand type has a focus on being scientific, ethical, and sustainable.
Target Audience: Millennials
Average Price: $63
Selling Points: Inclusive, Scientific, Ethical & Sustainable
Categories: Skincare, Bodycare, Haircare & Fragance
The Alchemy brand type is all about combining the best of nature and science together. With ancient wisdom, artisan craft and a touch of magic to create a modern self-care ritual.
Target Audience: Millennials
Average Price: $59
Selling Points: "Nature & Science", Plant Magic, Eco-Friendly & Artisan
Categories: Skincare, Bodycare, Haircare & Fragance
Classy Clean is the clean beauty brand type. This brand type focuses on safe, consciously formulated products that still deliver skincare results.
Target Audience: Millennials
Average Price: $60
Selling Points: Clean, Luxury & Effective
Categories: Skincare, Makeup, Sunscreen & Bodycare
Eco Luxe is, as the name implies, all about sustainable luxury. This brand type focuses on premium sensorial products with botanical ingredients. Real sustainability is a high priority for these brands.
Target Audience: Millennials
Average Price: $78
Selling Points: Luxury, Plant Based, Sustainable & Organic
Categories: Skincare, Bodycare, Makeup & Fragrance
Luxe Natural Organic is probably the most homogenous brand type. The brands emphasize the use of natural organic ingredients and luxurious formulations with beautiful sensorial textures. The typical look is black packaging with white text.
Target Audience: Millennials & Boomers
Average Price: $79
Selling Points: Luxury, Botanical & Natural
Categories: Skincare, Bodycare & Haircare
Which brand type is your favorite?
//Jennifer Carlsson
