I think if you’re more “plugged in” to beauty online, then brands like Anastasia and ColourPop feel like they are responding most to customer needs and putting out products that other brands might not be thinking of.
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K-Beauty brands, I think?
I actually think they are ahead of trend. They are still cult faves, that beauty addicts like us know about.
Larger beauty trends usually come from the runways, so in that way, it’s the brands that do shows for fashion week that yield influence. However, I think that, in terms of gauging what customers want and creating items that will be in the highest demand, as well as ones that will inspire similar products from other brands, I think Anastasia is at the head of the pack.
Makeup Forever. Stays classic with great base products for every skin type(Primers,HD stick is rocking my would, I love their contour stuff etc), has great quality and will throw in some trendy stuff (Starlight Powers, highlighters) maybe a bit late to the game, but high quality. To be honest, it’s all about your skin and I no longer want to have stripes of glitter on my cheeks! (But I am a Colourpop fan HUGE and ABH MR palette is my favorite)
Anastasia was the first to come to mind- Anastasia and Norvina are Instagram babes and you can sometimes see the influences that come from there pop up in their products faster than other brands. eg: Moonchild palette, browny nude + greige lip options, red/pinky shadow colors.
Anastasia is the first that comes to mind. They may not have invented the latest hot trends, but they’re definitely the brands that comes up with products leveraging these trends the fastest, and with the most success (think about their brow products, which is historically what the brand started with, their highlighters, and their Modern Renaissance palette surfing the red-toned eyeshadow trend).
Also their Contour palette. It was the first contouring item in my stash, not including the use of matte bronzers. I think the first non MUA palette I was aware of was the It Cosmetics ‘My Sculpted Face’ but the ABH contour palette took the lead quickly and was a huge success.
Anastasia and MAC.
Anastasia, YSL, Estee Lauder, MAC, Natasha Denona
I agree with Anastasia and some K-beauty brands.
With out a doubt MAC. They had everything that is on trend right now 15 years ago. The difference is that back then social media didn’t exist and there was no craziness like today.
They tought me how to do nude lip in 1997! The same one that is so “new” a couple of years ago. And highlight also in the 90’s If I remember correct the product name was glimmershimmer. The exact same product as cover fx drops and every other liquid highlighter that is popular today.
Yes! WetnWild is always up with the new and Colourpop! And high ends mermaid products that have come up for Summer. Enjoying the fresh beautiful colors in all!
Anastasia also popped into my head. If we look at things like the more purple-y blue-y highlights and the “holographic” stuff that isn’t actually holographic, I think Moonchild was the first. They were also sort of at the head of the game in popularizing a lot of brow products, and liquid lipsticks.
I think ColourPop changed the game in terms of price. They proved you can have good, ethical product that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, and I think some other brands moves (like MAC lowering their single pan price) may have been based on the fear of ColourPop taking over their market on things like that.
Clear winner to me in ABH, Kim Kardashian wore pure Hollywood highlighter and suddenly the brand was no longer just brows, moonchild highlighter paved the way for the other non traditional color highlighters, they were way ahead of the pack on liquid lipsticks and Modern Renaissance started the red craze that’s currently sweeping every line – 1 year later.
Runners ups: KVD has just killed it with well thought out palettes that have amazing quality. Colourpop for changing the game.
“Futuristists.” I call them awesome.Together these brands are leading a revolution that’s long overdue, and we couldn’t be happier about it. I would agree with the other ladies definitely Anastasia. Love these new products. And new baby to the family is Hourglass. Their new line has some dramatic results. There’s no denying the appeal and efficacy of staple brands like L’Occitane, Chanel, La Prairie and YSL, and that’s precisely why it’s easy to overlook up-and-coming brands that aren’t tried and true.
I think in terms of actual innovation, Korean beauty drives a lot of what we eventually see. Especially in terms of delivery and formulations. Trends are harder to say in my opinion. There were plenty of brands with warm red and orange tones on the market well before ABH; they may have capitalized off of it the best, but I had an Armani palette that centered on a hot pink shade years before MR was released. While I get the point someone else made about MAC with highlight and nude lips, that again was just an uptick in a trend that was capitalized on. Highlighting, contouring and the nude lip have been around longer than most current brands.
Definitely ABH and Kat Von D. at the moment. I think that it was UD a couple of years ago, but somehow they have lost their edge by putting out some substandard products.
For lower end prices, Colour Pop is still the best.
ABH for sure! They pay attention to social media and listen to their fans. Any brand that stays in tune with social media will be on top of trends.
Anastasia, MAC, Kat Von D, Colour Pop.
I agree with your choices but I feel NARS is more on top of that because he’s got so much stuff used in shows. Maybe MJ too.
*K-Beauty seems way ahead of the US, I think, and sets a lot of trends without our realizing it (or maybe that’s just me). Unfortunately, I couldn’t name a K-brand to save my life, aside from Tony Moly (which is great and uber-cute, but I’ve no idea if it’s a trendsetter).
*Cover FX, with their face products, color correctors, and all their mixing drops.
*ABH always seems to be ahead of the pack, from Dip Brow to Modern Renaissance.
* Kat von D has always been unique and not typically a follower. She makes what she likes and thinks her customers will like. She’s so heavily invested personally and artistically in her company, and it shows.
* E.l.f. has been very interesting to watch and see evolve. At first, a little company with super low prices and great products that started getting media attention. Since TPG took over it in 2014, it’s been growing in leaps and bounds, still with mostly great products. I’m not sure if that counts for this question, but it’s interesting to see what happens next.
*ColourPop with their high quality at low prices, massive hit with their hybrid formula, and their marketing style.
*MAC still seems to set a lot of the trends on the fashion runways.
*Maybe Urban Decay…they seem to wax and wane, and I’m not sure about right now. I think they’re trying to again now, as they’ve finally stopped resting on their Naked laurels and have been changing things up. I’m just not sure how well they’re succeeding.