E-Commerce Beauty Trends for 2021

In a world oversaturated by beauty brands, having a solid social media presence is the key to gaining a following. Even if you work in a different industry, studying the top beauty brands can show you how to market your own business. These brands aren’t just popular because they offer a great product–they’re popular because they know how to sway customers and stand out from other businesses. Here’s a look at the top beauty brands and the e-commerce beauty trends that made them famous.

 

1. Fenty

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 With over ten million Instagram followers, Fenty is a leader in the beauty industry. Part of the brand’s success comes from their commitment to inclusivity. While many brands focus exclusively on light-skinned women, Fenty sells over 40 shades of makeup that complement the whole spectrum of skin colors. Studies have shown that inclusive beauty brands–including a few newcomers–pull millions of dollars in sales each year.

 Inclusive beauty brands sell makeup for every woman, not just a tiny demographic. That alone makes them standouts in the industry. These brands also commit to inclusivity and diversity, which is essential for people who want to support brands that endorse their values. People choose Fenty over other beauty brands because they believe that it’s a brand they can trust. To highlight their values, Fenty uses Instagram to showcase their diverse group of models with minimal airbrushing.

 Additionally, Fenty has a strong social media presence. To keep their customers engaged, they post pictures and videos every day, showcasing their upcoming products and beloved favorites. Posting every day is essential for businesses–if you don’t post anything for a week, customers will move on or assume that you’re no longer active. Ultimately, customers love the various products and frequent updates, which makes Fenty one of the biggest beauty brands in the world.

 

2. Function of Beauty


 Most beauty brands have limited options. If your current formula doesn’t work, some customers have no choice but to move onto another brand. Function of Beauty started one of the latest e-commerce trends by customizing its beauty products. Customers choose a product, build their profile and order a custom product online. Function of Beauty makes individual products for each customer using a personalized formula.

 When you scroll through Function of Beauty’s Instagram profile, you find a consistent color scheme with simple backgrounds and soft pastels. You don’t need to buy their products to appreciate their Instagram–some people follow just for the aesthetic. Their profile also features interviews with dermatologists that add value to their product. Function of Beauty uses their Instagram profile to highlight their natural ingredients and clean, wholesome formulas.

 To build customer loyalty, Function of Beauty interacts with virtually everyone who comments on their posts. They respond equally to comments, complaints, praise, and humorous remarks, showing their customers that they’re committed to customer service. While some businesses make it difficult for their clients to reach customer service, Function of Beauty makes it incredibly easy. All you have to do is comment on a post–which makes Function of Beauty a formidable brand in the beauty industry.

 Together, these approaches make Function of Beauty one of the most popular brands on the market. Combining a customized business model and social media interaction has made thousands of clients choose Function of Beauty over traditional beauty products.

 

3. Bumble and bumble

 

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A post shared by Bumble and bumble. (@bumbleandbumble)

 Bumble and bumble is a beauty brand that uses education to sell their products. Instead of just posting pictures on Instagram, they give instructions for using their products and tell their customers what each product does. This converts customers who might otherwise check out another brand. For example, if a customer reads a description about a product that treats oily hair, they might realize that they’ve stumbled upon the perfect conditioner.

 Like Function of Beauty, Bumble and bumble responds to customers who ask questions on Instagram. Bumble and bumble offers instructional videos, tips, and more education for their customers in their highlights. This approach helps customers make an informed purchase instead of blindly purchasing a hair product they saw on social media. When they’re confident that they made the right choice, they’ll be much more likely to come back.

 Currently, Bumble and bumble has over 300,000 social media followers. If you want to replicate their strategy, take your captions further by describing what your products do for your customers. You could convert people who aren’t swayed by product descriptions alone.

 

4. Glossier

 

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A post shared by Glossier (@glossier)


 More products aren’t always better. Glossier sells a limited number of products, but they have over two million followers on Instagram. Their limited product line makes it easier to make decisions–instead of ten different perfumes, Glossier offers a single perfume with a distinct fragrance. This minimalist approach allows Glossier to focus on making high-quality products instead of churning out as many variations as possible.

 Likewise, Glossier employs a similar minimalist approach for their social media. Their Instagram features pictures of models and product close-ups with a few extras thrown in. While some brands opt for lengthy descriptions, Glossier keeps it short with a sentence or two. However, they write longer descriptions when they launch a new product or make an announcement. This approach gets right to the point while still imparting new information as necessary.

 Glossier has become one of the Internet’s most popular beauty brands with every post earning thousands of likes, views, and engagements. Other brands have followed their lead, making minimalism one of the biggest e-commerce trends of 2021. If you’re having trouble reaching an audience, consider a stripped-down approach that lets your products speak for themselves. An Internet marketing company like Send It Rising could evaluate your current strategy and help you establish your place on social media.

 

5. Tarte

 

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A post shared by Tarte Cosmetics (@tartecosmetics)


 Tarte has been around since the nineties, but a winning social media strategy has pushed Tarte into the digital age. While other brands have disappeared because they couldn’t keep up with social media, Tarte has over nine million followers–only one million less than Fenty Beauty. Tarte uses natural, non-airbrushed photos of models to make an excellent first impression. Taking it a step further, Tarte posts videos of the models applying makeup so customers can see the before-and-after results.

 Vegan and cruelty-free products are one of the biggest e-commerce beauty trends of the 2020s. Tarte emphasizes their cruelty-free approach in nearly every post, grabbing the attention of vegans, environmentalists, and animal lovers. Tarte also has a selection of vegan products that use plant-based ingredients like berries and fruit extracts. Tarte stands out from the other brands that don’t offer vegan alternatives by highlighting these products on social media.

 Instead of focusing solely on their products, Tarte has a 50/50 balance between products and models. Seeing real people apply Tarte cosmetics encourages customers to try these products for themselves. They’ll also get inspired to post their videos on social media, giving Tarte free advertising. Showing real people using your product makes customers feel like they’re part of a global community.

 If you’re a vegan and cruelty-free brand, emphasize these aspects to appeal to your client base. If not, focus on other aspects that make your brand stand out from the crowd. This could include natural formulas, plant extracts, or products for every skin type.

 

6. One Ocean Beauty

 

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A post shared by One Ocean Beauty (@oneoceanbeauty)


 One Ocean Beauty launched in 2018, making it a newcomer to the beauty industry. However, this brand has already racked up over 17,000 social media followers. One Ocean Beauty stands out by providing a revolutionary formula made from marine ingredients like algae, kelp, and brown algae extract. At the same time, One Ocean Beauty partners with Oceana to preserve the oceans and save wildlife.

 Some people just want to try something different. One Ocean Beauty’s unique approach has made them a popular source of cleansers, face masks, serums, and other products. Their Instagram emphasizes their ocean-friendly branding with pictures of clear water, seashells, and people swimming at the beach. Combined with the clean, minimalist packaging, One Ocean Beauty makes customers associate their product with cool, refreshing creams and serums.

 One Ocean Beauty might not have earned millions of followers like other brands, but their rising popularity shows that you can build a customer base when you make your brand stand out. If you just use Instagram to post pictures of your products, you’ll have trouble building a solid brand. The top beauty companies use additional images that fit their brand’s aesthetic. For example, if you sell floral perfumes, pictures of gardens and bouquets create an association with fresh, flowery fragrances.

 Highlighting your charity work is another excellent way to jump on the latest e-commerce beauty trends. Talk about the charities and non-profits that your business has partnered with to show your followers that you’re a company with strong values. When customers buy products from One Ocean Beauty, they feel like they’re getting a quality product and supporting conservation at the same time.

7. NYX


 With over 14 million followers on Instagram, NYX is legendary in the social media world. NYX employs many marketing strategies, but the annual Face Awards are a marketing tactic that few other brands have tried. Every year, NYX invites makeup artists around the world to show off their best looks. NYX selects 30 artists from the submission pool, then sets challenges for them to complete. Fans vote for their favorite artist, which ultimately wins $50,000 and a free trip to Los Angeles.

 Many brands offer small contests or giveaways, but NYX puts months of work into the Face Awards. This might seem like a lot of effort on your part, but the more you engage with your customers, the more press, conversions, and accolades you’ll receive. Thousands of people follow the Face Awards to vote for their favorite artist and see who wins. Many of these people had never bought NYX products before they learned about the contest. Now that they know NYX exists and makes waves in the beauty industry, they’re much more likely to make a purchase.

 If you’re a small brand, a global contest might be a little out of your reach. However, you could start with challenges that gradually increase in scale. As your brand takes off, you’ll be able to offer bigger rewards, which leads to more participants and even more followers. NYX’s example is the standard for brands that want to make a splash in the beauty industry.

 Want to learn more about e-commerce trends? Contact Send It Rising, the best Internet marketing company for beauty companies and other businesses.