The beauty industry has always been a reliable source of profits. It is one of the few industries that maintain revenues during recessions. The beauty category, including haircare, personal care, skin care, and makeup, is expected to reach $131 billion dollars by 2026. The beauty industry was robust before the creation of the internet, but since its invention, the industry has only continued to boom.
The beauty category used to be one of the most shop-based industries of all time. Yet, it has made a seamless transition to the online space. People would rely on the expertise of in-store beauty counters. Models in fashion shows would dominate trends, and big brands would create products to emulate them, then rely on magazine spreads to advertise them.
With the establishment of the internet, the online beauty community has taken on a life of its own. Online sites like Youtube and Instagram created beauty influencers who would teach audiences innovative ways to use products while giving honest reviews of billion-dollar brands on their bedroom floors. Beauty trends and spaces, once controlled by magazine editors, CEOs, and illusive models, became democratized.
Black women vocalized their constant struggle to find makeup for their skin tone, and for the first time, their frustrations were addressed. Although it took years for major brands to extend shade ranges, Black women decided to start their own companies, finally able to leverage the internet to gain the exposure necessary to make their small businesses a success.
The beauty community also constructed a space where for the first time, men were able to experiment with makeup. Although online and in person, many men still face ridicule for emulating femininity, now photos and videos of men in makeup are commonplace. When they get plastered on billboards and advertisements, people rarely bat an eye.
