Black Beauty in Focus
From major brands to savvy start-ups, the Black beauty space is evolving quickly to win over an influential beauty consumer who remains underserved. Smart brands are celebrating Black beauty, tackling key disparities such as skin health, and creating more innovative, finely tuned products in areas ranging from haircare to men's grooming.
(Still) An Underserved Market
Global Brands Honour Black Beauty
Hair: Innovative Products & Services
Mining Broader Market Opportunities
Supporting Black Skin Health
While many brands have produced more inclusive product ranges in recent years, the needs of Black beauty consumers remain underserved. In the US, they are 5.7x more likely than white consumers to be dissatisfied with how a make-up product or service meets their needs, and 2.9x more likely to be dissatisfied with skincare (McKinsey, 2021).
While many brands have produced more inclusive product ranges in recent years, the needs of Black beauty consumers remain underserved. In the US, they are 5.7x more likely than white consumers to be dissatisfied with how a make-up product or service meets their needs, and 2.9x more likely to be dissatisfied with skincare (McKinsey, 2021).
Summary
(Still) An Underserved Market | While many brands have produced more inclusive product ranges in recent years, the needs of Black beauty consumers remain underserved. In the US, they are 5.7x more likely than white consumers to be dissatisfied with how a make-up product or service meets their needs, and 2.9x more likely to be dissatisfied with skincare (McKinsey, 2021). |
Global Brands Honour Black Beauty | Black consumers are not only underserved by products, but also poorly served by brand messaging, which has rarely celebrated Black beauty. Now, industry giants including Sephora, Dove and Pantene are creating more affirming communications, focusing on Black beauty history, supporting kids' self-image, campaigning against bias, and highlighting harmful language. |
Hair: Innovative Products & Services | From innovations in Black hair extensions and haircare products to specialised salons and services, the Black haircare market – a segment worth $1.6bn in the US (Mintel, 2021) – is quickly evolving. Several initiatives also focus on honouring Black hair, exploring its complex and central role in women’s lives. |
Mining Broader Market Opportunities | Recent Black-led brand launches are filling remaining gaps in several sectors of the beauty industry. Black men represent a key opportunity in the grooming products market, while entrepreneurs are updating the clean fragrance arena and embracing heritage ingredients and holistic healing practices. |
Supporting Black Skin Health | Several major skincare brands are addressing racially based skin health disparities, helping consumers better detect signs of skin cancer and find information about common conditions such as eczema. Meanwhile, a wave of new skincare brands are formulating for melanin-rich skin, including a focus on suncare and babies. |
Black Beauty in Focus
Topics
Want to see the full report?
Offering access to over 350 consumer and cross-industry reports annually, Stylus Membership is your window to tomorrow’s most exciting opportunities.
We already arm more than 500 of the world’s most forward-thinking brands and agencies with the creative insights they need to make transformative business decisions.
We’d love to do the same for you.
Book a demo with us today to discover more.
Want to see the full report?
Offering access to over 350 consumer and cross-industry reports annually, Stylus Membership is your window to tomorrow’s most exciting opportunities.
We already arm more than 500 of the world’s most forward-thinking brands and agencies with the creative insights they need to make transformative business decisions.
We’d love to do the same for you.
Book a demo with us today to discover more.
