The changing face of the beauty industry

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Close your eyes and picture someone at the store buying makeup. If you’re not picturing a five-year-old kid or a grown man, you’re living in the past. The beauty industry has gotten a makeover in recent years, thanks to changing social attitudes and glam brands eager to explore untapped markets. A new foundation More men are beginning to appreciate the power of concealer. According to Statista data cited by CNBC: In 2019, more than 90% of US males said they never wear makeup. In 2024, that number dropped to 75%. The share of Gen Z men who reported using facial skincare products also jumped 68% from 2022 to 2024, per market intelligence firm Mintel. Retailers have responded by bulking up their men’s offerings or dialing back gender distinctions altogether for a more neutral presentation. Age-defying products: Sorry, Dr Pepper lip gloss, you’re not the only makeup game in town anymore for elementary school kids. Per the Wall Street Journal: Klee Naturals has built a multimillion-dollar business selling products like $10 mineral eye shadows and $15 lip glosses to girls ages 5 to 7. Evereden had $100 million in global sales in 2024, according to CEO and co-founder Kimberley Ho. The company makes moisturizers and body washes for children ages 3 and up. Actress Shay Mitchell’s brand Rini sells sheet masks for children, as well as face crayons. International appeal: K-beauty (Korean cosmetics) has taken off on social media, exposing swaths of Americans to things like snail-mucin serums and salmon-sperm skincare. For South Korean beauty products, the US is a relatively new market. (Dr Pepper has yet to partner on a snail-mucin serum.) K-beauty currently only accounts for about 2% of the overall US beauty market, but that’s changing. According to NielsenIQ data, US sales more than doubled from 2023 to 2025, Bloomberg reported.