Masks become a norm; lipstick sales plummet
Safety precedes beauty as masks are preferred over lip make-up.
Mumbai: The global sale of lipstick has fallen by 49 percent on the world market and lip gloss has fallen by 32 percent. Amazon US saw a steep decline in the area of lip make-up, sales falling by 15 percent and the prices dropping by 28 percent. The sale of masks, on the other hand, is expected to rise at a rate of over 50 percent in the next seven years. With the growing risks of infection, masks have become mandatory across the globe. The effects of this have hit the lip make-up industry.
Distributors say the overall make-up industry is down, but lipsticks have been impacted specifically. Chirag Shethia, co-founder of make-up distributing company Cosmic Cosmocare, says, “We have gone down in sales, more than 60 percent, from pre-Covid times.” His company is currently faring well in skincare products. Similarly, for retailers, safety and care has taken over the need for beauty products. Shahid, manager of First Beauty, a make-up retail store, says, “Our sales have fallen 18-20 percent at least. Prominent brands like Lakmé and Colorbar are facing hardships too.”
Masks are now included on websites that used to solely be for make-up products, such as Nykaa. They’re receiving more traction than lip-products. In fact, people have Googled the term ‘face masks’ the most this year.
This fall in sales affects the validity of the ‘Lipstick Index’. It was a term coined by Estee Lauder to measure lipstick sales during economic recessions. It indicated that the sale of lipsticks was inversely correlated to economic health. The 2020 pandemic proves to be counter-effective to his theory.
Manufacturers are now looking for new ways to package and sell their products. Jasmine Shah, co-founder of Karibo, says she focuses more on showcasing the way her product is made, packaged and delivered with all precautionary measures and proper sanitisation. It creates trust among consumers and helps her sales in these trying times.
While the need for beauty is being replaced with that of safety, there seems to be a noticeable shift in beauty standards. As experts say, self-care is being celebrated in a time where we are forced to live by ourselves.
