Sparkle Up
New eye-catching trends in make-up and personal care products for 2016
Based on the article by Xenia Pestis and Angela Carmen Traut published on COSSMA Magazine – 10 / 2015
However, the use of eye-catching effects in both make up and personal care products is rising in popularity and is likely to become the next big trend, characterized by outstanding sparkling and / or glittering effects and bold colours. Eyes, lips and nails will be highlighted with dazzling effects, which will even be applied on hair.
Make up trends for summer and winter 2016 are very colourful, with a playful attitude, creating a desire for daring and spontaneous self-expression. For the summer, the magical special effects are key, inspired by the tribal spirit and other colour-intense roots. For the darker season, glamour will be taken to a new level, with women wearing sparkling make-up all day long. Festive looks will become everyday looks with an ever-present touch of glitter.
Time to sparkle up
With such an overwhelming choice at the point of sale, products need to differentiate themselves and stand out to capture the consumers´ attention. Quality in so longer enough – a glossy, iridescent or sparkling appearance can add perceived value to cosmetic products.
Rinse-off products with a shimmer
Unlike colour cosmetics, rinse-off products usually do not confer any colour effects during or after their application, but this can be a relevant factor to attract consumer attention. Luxurious body washes or shampoos, with striking sparkling effects are not only more appealing for consumers, but their optical appearance also supports the marketing concept and the product positioning, allowing them to differentiate from competitors.
The impressive sparkling performance of these products can be achieved through the use of pearlescent pigments, which are very transparent and have a very even and highly reflective surface. These pigments are very easy to handle, as they are almost inert and do not need to be homogenised or treated before being dispersed in a cosmetic formula, conferring a strong visual impact.
Sparkling effects for personal care
Incorporating a tiny amount of a sparkling glass flake pigment into an oral care product is a way to emphasise its fresh and glossy white appearance. Body care products like body creams, tanning lotions or sun protection oils that have a visible sparkling effect that is visible in the product as well as when applied on skin are appealing to consumers.
Pearlescent pigments can also be used throughout the wide hair care segment, not only improving hair gels optically, but also highlighting the hair after the application of leave-in products.
When it comes to colour cosmetics things are different, as pearlescent pigments are no only responsible for the colour of the product, but also for the visual effects after application, that can last for hours. Using pearlescent pigment in addition to colour matching gives cosmetic products a more luxurious and elegant appearance, with visible effects after application.
Using pearlescent pigments allows formulators to obtain an endless variety of effects, making it a fascinating experience to mi x the pigments to develop outstanding products.