Most of the world has been getting used to wearing a mask on a regular basis. With this fairly new habit, at least for those living in western countries, skincare and makeup routines have obviously been impacted. Let’s focus on a specific area of the face that has been affected by these changing times : lips. 

In terms of makeup, at the very beginning of the pandemic there was a drop in lipstick use. When everybody was confined at home and remote-work was the only option, there was little need for it, or even for makeup in general. Then lipstick use picked up thanks to video-conferences but it was limited to in-house wearing. Now that life is slowly going back to ‘normal’, lipstick is a hit product again, with sales hitting $34.2 million in the four weeks ending April 18, up more than 80% from the same period a year earlier according to market research firm IRI, which tracks point of sale data at retailers. However, consumers are now looking for products of a different kind. Pre-Covid19, strong colors and high-pigmented formulas were a must among lipstick wearer. Think about the popularity of lip products from Kylie Cosmetics or Huda Beauty. Nowadays, what is the most important for many is to have lipsticks that are transfer-proof (makeup stains on masks are not very appealing) and moisturizing. 

Indeed, lip care is a major consumers’ concern. They want to make sure they have healthy, plump lips so they can wear lipstick or not if they choose to. Wellness is playing a bigger role in beauty and it affects how consumers view beauty and select their products. For that reason, lip care is slowly becoming a routine of its own. Same as we would for the face, we can now exfoliate our lips, have a mask for that dedicated area and use serums and oils to give it maximum hydration. 

Even before the pandemic, brands understood consumers’ desire to focus-care for their lips. Nowadays, many products exist to ensure that all steps for a complete lip care routine can be achieved. 

This segment of the market will keep on gaining traction in the future as consumers turn more and more to hybrid products that offer makeup with care, like pigmented, transfer-proof lipsticks that also treat lips dryness and their overall health.