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- Skincare Unboxed Newsletter | What Every eCommerce Leader Was Talking About at eTail West
Skincare Unboxed Newsletter | What Every eCommerce Leader Was Talking About at eTail West
Plus, L'Oréal and CVS lead a new sun safety initiative.
Sophie Bruxner-Randall
March 05, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes
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Welcome to Skincare Unboxed, your go-to newsletter for skincare eCommerce insights.
Retail Rewired 🔥
The Fospha team had an amazing time at eTail West last week, connecting with eCommerce leaders and diving into the biggest challenges and opportunities shaping the industry. Here are the top trends we saw dominating the conversation.
📈 Brands Are Navigating Rising Ad Costs & Complexity
With CPCs on the rise, brands are doubling down on efficiency— looking for opportunities to optimize their marketing mix and making the most owned channels like email, SMS, and loyalty programs.
🤖 AI-Driven Personalization Is Scaling Up
AI is transforming customer interactions in real time. Hanky Panky shared how AI powers their acquisition, site experience, and retention efforts—including automating 50% of customer service interactions to free up human agents for high-value customers.
💡 The Halo Effect Is Real
At Fospha, we're always talking about the impact of TikTok, YouTube, and Meta ads on third-party sales channels like Amazon. At eTail West, Ross Wakeham from TikTok reinforced that this ‘spillover’ effect is a huge measurement opportunity for brands.
If you’re interested in learning more about the halo effect, you can lead our latest research here. 🔗
Sector Spotlight 🎥
SUN SAFETY INITIATIVE
L'Oréal, CVS, and Walgreens collaborate on the Sun Responsibly campaign, a strategic initiative aimed at transforming sun care marketing. As projected sales reach $2.5 billion, this movement uses digital platforms and retail integration to elevate brand presence and redefine consumer engagement strategies in eCommerce.
BEAUTY MARKET TRENDS
TikTok Shop's evolving sales dynamics present opportunities within beauty marketing. Despite a brief disruption in January, commerce activity surged, underscoring consumer adaptability. Medicube led with $2.7 million in sales, driven by its Glass Glow Skincare Set. Terra Lotus capitalized on the natural ingredient trend with its beef tallow balm, highlighting the appeal of authenticity in today's market. Meanwhile, Rihanna's Fenty Beauty showcased the power of celebrity influence with its top-selling Perfect Puckr Hydrating Lip Care Duo.
In this rapidly shifting landscape, TikTok's engagement mechanisms enhance product visibility and consumer interaction. The rise of single-dose solutions, as seen with WNP Skincare's hyaluronic acid serum, points to a growing demand for convenience and efficacy. These insights offer beauty marketers strategic leverage in embracing emerging trends and optimizing brand strategies within the digital realm. Understanding these market shifts empowers informed decision-making, ensuring brand relevance and consumer engagement in an increasingly competitive beauty eCommerce space.
BEAUTY MARKET TRENDS
Incorporating AI into dermatology, Dr. Katarina Kesty merges cutting-edge technology with personalized cosmetic care, minimizing risk and elevating standards. Her AI system offers tailored treatments by analyzing unique skin profiles, reshaping the patient experience. This advancement provides strategic insights for boosting brand trust and innovation, pivotal for digital marketing leaders in beauty.
BEAUTY MARKET DYNAMICS
Beauty brands, including Glossier, Urban Decay, and The Ordinary, are ingeniously leveraging nostalgia to captivate consumers, strategically intertwining emotional resonance with digital engagement strategies. The reintroduction of cherished products, such as The Ordinary's Serum Foundation, responds to the pressing consumer desire for sentimental connection, which is increasingly valuable in the digitally-driven beauty market. This move demonstrates an acute awareness of leveraging consumer emotions to fortify digital brand presence and drive eCommerce success.
Navigating the complexities of acquisitions, like Deciem’s by Estée Lauder Companies, underscores the imperative of maintaining brand authenticity amid expansion. These changes pose risks of altering brand perception, challenging the balance of integrating nostalgia-driven marketing without compromising original brand values. This scenario offers significant insights into brand strategy, emphasizing the critical role of maintaining authenticity while innovatively capitalizing on consumer trends. For beauty industry marketing and eCommerce professionals, this serves as a pivotal example of aligning emotional engagement with strategic brand growth in a competitive, digital-first marketplace.
BEAUTY BRAND ADVANCEMENT
Oriflame's innovative Wellosophy skincare range epitomizes a move toward holistic beauty, blending adaptogenic botanicals with nutritional supplements to combat stress-induced skin challenges. This eco-conscious, Vegan Society-certified line not only enhances consumer engagement but also signifies a profound shift towards sustainable practices, demanding attention from digital marketing and eCommerce leaders in the thriving wellness sector.
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Optimization Hub ⚙️
SOCIAL MEDIA TRENDS
Digital Silk's insights for 2025 highlight social media's continued dominance, with 5.24 billion users and emerging trends like TikTok's rise. For marketing success, embrace new platforms, optimize mobile experiences, leverage social commerce, and invest in data analytics. Facebook maintains dominance, while engagement shifts to dynamic, personalized content strategies for increased visibility.
DIGITAL MARKETING EXPANSION
Digital agency ForeToday shared its forward-thinking marketing strategies for SMEs at their 2025 Growth Forum. They champion using AI, machine learning, and first-party data collection amid privacy changes. Despite a market dominated by large brands, ForeToday aspires to boost SME growth threefold.
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