The foundation category has gotten a makeover. Once associated with heavy coverage and full beats, brands have evolved their offerings to adapt to customers’ proclivity for natural, glowy looks. Skin tints, serum hybrids, sticks, and more formats and formulas have stretched the definition of what foundations are — raising expectations for the once-standard makeup product.
“More than 10 years ago, foundation was a paint job to cover up, but now, it’s about a fusion with skincare,” says Peter Philips, Dior Makeup’s creative and image director of 12 years. “Consumers know more about formulations because of social media, and trends in foundation are always changing — one moment, everyone wants matte skin, then luminous or glass. Right now, it’s all about glowy skin — another word for natural skin — it’s a glorification of your skin after a healthy treatment.”
Despite changing consumer behaviors, foundation is currently the fastest-growing category under facial makeup (foundation, concealers, blush), according to Euromonitor, and is on track to grow 4.5% to $20 billion by 2027. Plus, it’s a money-maker, if done right: according to a McKinsey report, consumers are more likely to splurge on foundation as a product considered to have meaningful differentiation in performance across price points.
Unlike trending color cosmetics, from lip tints to blush, foundation also creates a loyal consumer base that will regularly return to purchase the same item, brands say. That’s why legacy brands have been reluctant to change the formulas in their products until now, says Claudia Soare, president and creative director of Anastasia Beverly Hills. But they can no longer rest on their laurels: in response to shifting demand, legacy brands are rethinking classic formulas, as challenger brands are exploring new base makeup innovations to capture market share.
But still, foundations are not an easy sell in today’s beauty landscape, says Angharad Bate, buying manager at beauty retailer Lookfantastic. “Declining reliance on foundation is a key challenge for retailers and brands,” she says. “Foundation is becoming more occasional as opposed to previously viewed as necessary.”
Brands must figure out how to toe the line, minding makeup trends while releasing foundations that can become go-to hero products for years to come. “The shift is cultural as much as it is cosmetic. Consumers are informed about skin health, treatments, injectables, active ingredients, and formulations. They want to enhance their skin that they’ve spent time and money perfecting,” says Lauren Winslade, founder and CEO of PR and strategy firm Aisle 8.
