IPSY’s inaugural Discovery Report reveals key shifts in magnificence consumption

Magnificence product subscription service IPSY’s report explored client conduct patterns and product developments recognized via its group of over 20 million magnificence fanatics. To collate the info used within the report’s evaluation, IPSY drew from 200 million product evaluations and intensive member information from throughout North America, together with product alternatives, suggestions and buying patterns from the previous 12 months.

For cosmetics and private care product producers and suppliers, the findings provide strategic route for innovation, packaging and product launches in 2025 and past.

“We wished to highlight what our members are literally responding to in actual time,” Kristy Westrup, IPSY’s Chief Merchandising Officer, informed CosmeticsDesign. “The info displays not solely what’s trending however what’s changing.”

We spoke to Westrup for her insights into the report’s key takeaways and her recommendation on actionable outcomes for magnificence trade stakeholders.

Make-up artist manufacturers outperform superstar traces

One notable shift famous within the report is that make-up artist-founded manufacturers at the moment are outperforming superstar magnificence traces. In response to Westrup, this development is rooted within the worth customers place on training.

“There are such a lot of wonderful merchandise on the market, the fixed cycle of enjoyable new classes, new codecs, new formulation is rather a lot to maintain up with – a lot in order that after discovery, a very powerful a part of the client journey is training,” she defined. “Most MUA-founded manufacturers have that training inbuilt as a result of it’s a part of how they relate to their prospects.”

She added that manufacturers with out that pure connection can nonetheless compete. “The excellent news for non-MUA-founded manufacturers is that that is one thing that they will emulate, and it’s one thing that IPSY has additionally at all times prioritized for our members.”

Gen Z shifts from perfume to lips

One other important development famous within the report is Gen Z’s pivot from perfume to lip merchandise, particularly glosses and berry tones. Particularly, IPSY reported that in August 2024, berry-toned orders spiked to 422% and 2025 is already seeing a 50% year-over-year enhance in berry shade curiosity.

In response to Westrup, this alerts a client want for frolicsome, accessible and low-commitment methods to have interaction with make-up.

“Gen Z’s elevated curiosity in lip merchandise suggests a choice for inexpensive, low-commitment, but high-impact methods to discover make-up developments, like swiping on a berry-toned gloss,” she stated. “Magnificence TikTok is all about lips lately, too, which is an enormous issue because it was with driving perfume.”

She suggested manufacturers to align product growth with these evolving behaviors: “Manufacturers and producers ought to maintain this in thoughts when planning new launches and take into account improvements that supply a flexible and enjoyable option to discover new magnificence appears.”

Maximalism opens doorways for shade, packaging, and collabs

The report additional highlighted the rise of a daring, maximalist aesthetic, impressed partly by cultural hubs like Chicago and Miami. This development is informing not simply shade preferences however packaging and collaboration technique.

“At IPSY, our group sits on the intersection of maximalism and exploration. They like to experiment with merchandise and embrace daring, vibrant make-up appears,” stated Westrup. “This ardour for maximalism creates thrilling alternatives for us, from the dynamic number of merchandise we supply to expanded shade ranges that align with our group’s numerous preferences.”

In response to Westrup, this development opens the door to inventive model partnerships, reminiscent of “playful collaborations with maximalist magnificence icons, particularly with creatives from design-forward cities that mix magnificence with artwork.”

Hybrid serums overtake foundations

Knowledge from the Magnificence Discovery Report signifies that serums have surpassed foundations in recognition amongst each Gen Z and millennial customers, a shift with noteworthy formulation implications. For instance, in accordance with the report, 89% of final yr’s IPSY subscriptions included serums and moisturizers, which is an nearly 9% year-over-year enhance, and moisturizer was essentially the most bought class.

“Serums present customers with a broad vary of purposeful advantages, reminiscent of combining tint, SPF, hydration, and extra in a single product,” stated Westrup.

“Given the rising demand for serums over foundations,” she added, “it’s clear that customers gravitate in the direction of multi-functional skincare-makeup merchandise that simplify and streamline their each day routines—and we don’t see this development slowing down anytime quickly in 2025.”

Sampling and subscriptions drive discovery and conversion

With 78% of IPSY members citing the subscription as their major technique of discovering new merchandise, the report additionally underscored the strategic worth of sampling.

“In immediately’s crowded market, it may be robust and expensive to face out,” stated Westrup. “However nothing is extra impactful than getting your product into somebody’s fingers, onto their self-importance, and into their routine.”

She emphasised that sampling doesn’t simply drive trial, however delivers quick, actionable information. “Sampling is particularly highly effective for launches,” she defined, “not just for the quick consciousness and trial it generates, however as a result of inside days, you possibly can collect genuine buyer evaluations,” including that “as we all know, evaluations drive gross sales.”

She concluded that this method is equally priceless for legacy SKUs: “Everytime you’re seeking to enhance consciousness, engagement, or pleasure, sampling to an viewers as passionate and beauty-obsessed as IPSY’s members is difficult to beat.”