AW15 Beauty Trends

Due to the meteoric rise in social media and blogs over the past decade, women today have the world of beauty and fashion at their fingertips 24/7. This has encouraged them to become increasingly engaged with the latest trends, with inspiration and information constantly available.

The influence of online fashion is fast infiltrating fashion week, with brands such as Burberry and Topshop Unique choosing to live stream shows, reaching a wider audience of consumers and allowing greater access to the brand.

Here we report on the key trends that will have consumers rushing for the beauty counter and salon…

Fashion Goes Bonkers For Berry

When in December 2014 Pantone announced Marsala, an earthy burgundy shade, as the Colour of the Year for 2015, berry made its entrance into the fashion arena. In a statement Pantone described the shade as 'elegant and full-bodied'.

In line with the Marsala Pantone Colour of the Year, a number of designers showcased a more natural look with their February fashion shows, with a particular focus on dewy skin and rosy flush, as opposed to bolder statement makeup. At Holly Fulton, a lipstick was applied to the cheeks to give it a sheer, glossy cheek colour. There was also a nod to the earthy, berry notes of the Pantone Colour of the Year. Makeup artist Val Garland described the look she created for Jasper Conran as “rusty rogue”, while Felder Felder featured a berry kissed lip.

The berry and blush looks showcased all featured an imperfect, worn-in edge, lending itself to application with fingertips or direct from the product to recreate this look, which may have implications for the brushes and tools market. We have begun to see this berry and blush colour trend play out already in 2015, as a number of lip and cheek products have been launched in these tones and a sheer formula.

Trend for Healthy, Shiny Hair

Hair with length, body and shine featured in the LFW AW15 shows and can be expected to trigger a desire for healthy looking hair. At both David Koma and Christopher Kane, long hair was worn loose and given a deep side parting with a sleek and shiny finish. At Topshop Unique hair was styled naturally, with a side parting and loose waves. This trend could bode well with UK women, as over two fifths look for shampoo and conditioning products that brighten hair and add shine.

Argan oil as an ingredient in haircare products was a key trend in 2013 to 2014 and has since emerged in the styling market. For example, the Richard Ward Chelsea Collection Anti-Ageing Argan Hairspray can appeal to consumers looking to replicate the long, sleek and controlled styles on display at the LFW show.

Eye Makeup Turns to Smoke and Bronze

For SS15 eye makeup took an artistic focus with glitter and coloured eyelashes all seen on the runway. However, the AW15 shows saw a much more subtle approach, with bronze and smoky tones taking precedence. At Matthew Williamson a feminine, bronze eye created subtle drama, whilst Burberry used a country ranch-inspired green and grey eye palette to match the collection.

Nearly a quarter of UK women, 16-24, who use point colour makeup feel confident experimenting with bold and bright looks, compared to just one in ten 45-54 year olds. The use of subtler eye colour palettes for AW15 presents an opportunity for colour cosmetics brands and salons to create wearable ‘get the look’ tutorials for women of all ages to replicate.

So how can you bring the catwalk to life for your clients?

As beauty trends continue to change season to season, the Beauty and Personal Care market benefits from women making new purchases in these categories. Particularly from young women, who are the most likely to follow beauty trends and experiment with their looks.

However the Autumnal trends of subtle makeup and a natural colour palette presents an opportunity for brands and salons to make the category more accessible for older consumers. A way of doing this is through beauty tutorials that can be adapted and tailored for different audiences, showing women of different ages how to replicate runway trends.

Images from top: Holly Fulton / Christopher Kane / Matthew Williamson