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Beauty Is In The Eye Of Beholder

Beauty is in the eye of beholder, but this statement can be debated in the current situations. Makeup for a bride on the wedding day is equally important as getting hitched! Just kidding (not).

Doing hair and makeup professionally involves face-to-face, one-on-one contact — the very thing that the entire world has been told to avoid to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. With the pandemic putting a halt on the direct contact, the makeup industry is adversely affected. A professional’s kit comes into contact with up to hundreds of faces yearly. Each makeup application comes into contact with the tear ducts, dead lip skin, saliva, tears, dead skin cells, etc. Hence, sanitization becomes a big deal. Improper sanitation causes anything from acne, pink eye, the common cold, flu, cold sores, hepatitis, and so on.

 

Makeup: @ghala_arar_makeup / Makeup: @makeupartbybyselena, Picture: @theheatherelizabeth

 

So here are few good sanitization practices for makeup artists and brides that can help to minimize the risk. Social distancing and working from home present new challenges for the beauty industry, as retailers will rely on online sales and cannot use sales techniques such as in-store makeovers.

 

Makeup Industry Is Taking A Hit

 

Source: @mckinseyco

 

For brands whose bread and butter is in-store services, the coronavirus quarantine is expected to be particularly challenging, forcing many of these in-person experience-driven brands to be creative with their digital strategies. Buying skincare products is a very interactive process, But as the crisis mounts, cosmetics companies, whose very business relies upon the now-discouraged practice of touching one’s face, are evaluating their regular practices. Brands Like Sephora, Ultra, Lush, and Morphe are reopening gradually after closing a few of their stores temporarily. Similarly, Bath & Body Works have stopped giving testers making it difficult for the customers to choose.

* Beauty brands and retailers are closing stores and relying on online sales as the Covid-19 spread disrupts the retail industry.

* With future sales uncertain and workers kept at home, new product launches are being delayed and supply chain disruptions are inevitable.

* For beauty companies that rely on in-store services, the outbreak has forced the expedition of digital platform development.

 

Rise In Online Sales

 

A report from McKinsey on how the COVID-19 is changing the world of beauty mentions “In most major beauty-industry markets, in-store shopping accounted for up to 85 percent of beauty-product purchases prior to the COVID-19 crisis, with some variation by subcategory. Even online-savvy American millennials and Gen Zers (those born between 1980 and 1996) made close to 60 percent of their purchases in stores (Exhibit 4). With the closure of premium beauty-product outlets because of COVID-19, approximately 30 percent of the beauty-industry market was shut down. Some of these stores will never open again, and new openings will likely be delayed for at least a year. Digital continues to rise. Pre-COVID-19 trends will likely accelerate, with direct-to-consumer e-commerce, such as brands’ websites, shoppable social-media platforms, and marketplaces becoming more important.”

The rise of online beauty — with brands like Estee Lauder’s Bobbi Brown brand and L’Oreal-owned Lancome introducing virtual “try ons” for products — might be the start of an “exciting” future for brands.

 

A Few Top Sanitation Practices

 

 

* Never put lashes on a client if they have been worn by another person. You cannot sanitize eyelashes

* Never double-dip

* Always use disposable sponges and mascara wands

* Sanitize everything with 70% Isopropyl Alcohol

* If you have ever double-dipped into a product, throw it away now to play it safe

* Use disposable brushes if you can’t properly sanitize between clients

* Carry hand sanitizer in your kit. Wash your hands with soap and water between clients. This is more effective than using hand sanitizer only

* Never use lipstick from the tube on clients. Scrape a bit with your spatula onto a palette and use a brush or disposable lip brushes

 

With Masks, Brides Rely On Their Eyes To Communicate

 

 Picture Courtesy: @throckmortonjones

 

A heavy focus has been put to enhance and intensify the eye look as with the masks on, they are the single most effective way to communicate. People might get very creative with how they accessorize their eyes. Most of the artists believe eyeshadow will replace lipstick in post COVID-19 world.

 

DIY Makeup On Trend

 

DIY beauty was also a trend during the last recession. With COVID-19, conscious spending and mindfulness have become more prevalent. With more time in hand, and in an efforts to mitigate the risk of spreading the virus, DIY beauty is no longer just a niche pursuit. Euromonitor International reports that 41 per cent of global beauty consumers use a DIY product monthly, with facial cleansers being the most popular product to create.

 

Conclusion

 

Makeup: @shonastevensonmakeup

 

The changes would require conscious effors to be put in, and work hours are expected to increase owing to the lengthy sanitisation process. There’s an obvious fear in people, and it is going to take a while before that goes away. Freelancers, salon owners have been impacted in various ways. Here’s to hoping everyone comes stronger out of all this!

 

 

Feature Image Credit: @phloshop