The beauty industry, so it appears, never lulls; seemingly powering through economic downturns, recessions and unstable economies as women (and men) worldwide clamber to buy the latest products from their brand of choice. As Chrissy Teigen, Gigi Hadid, and the Jenner and Kardashian sisters have shown, just about anyone can become a household name by creating a (very) successful living for themselves in the beauty industry thanks to the power of social
Instagram, the medium of choice for these beauty mavens, is as a result of the changing Millennial consumer. Catalyst, a global research NPO, found that the Millennial generation (born between 1984 to 2004) currently account for 15% of the global workforce and, by 2025, is estimated to escalate to 75%. Recognising the buying power of this digitally savvy market is what these beauty icons recognise as the future of the beauty industry.
Recognising the future of this unique symbiotic relationship between Instagram influencers and brands in SA is Yasmin Kathoria, Creative Director of The NWJ Bridal & Beauty Experience which brings to our shores the first beauty show of its kind; showcasing cutting-edge beauty trends with bridal masterclasses, hair and make-up tutorials, brow artistry, male-grooming trends and make-over shows by collaborating with social media influencers and beauty brand ambassadors.
“Beauty is a recession-proof industry and is broadening in its terminology; individual expression has come to the fore; make-up artists, models, hairdressers, barbers, models, and celebrities, who dare to push the limits of traditional beauty to accentuate identity, are being recognised as a powerful marketing tools just by being themselves on their social media platforms,” says Kathoria.
Identifying with this finding, beauty influencers drive trends and brand sales through their social media accounts, generating and maintaining followers, while sparking interest from brands that identify with their personal brands.
“Millennials depend on social media for their news, entertainment, and trends but not through advertising; they look for visual inspiration from people that they identify with – the influencers of their interest,” says Kathoria.
Still tackling this week and today I’m rocking @esteelaudersa Pure Colour Envy Lash in PURPLE 💜💜💜.
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Check out Cythia'sbeauty and make-up tutorials on Instagram
Locally, the influencer market is growing steadily; beauty fanatics like Aisha Baker (Baked Online), The Threaded Man, Bonang Matheba, Hencoe Beukes, Cynthia Gwebu, Mihlali Ndamase, Aldytha da Silva (Make-Up Your Mind), Jaydé Mouton (The Glam Doll Diary) and Laurina Machite are inspiring their followers with personalised techniques and subsequently driving beauty product sales and trends.
*The NWJ Bridal & Beauty Experience, takes place from March 2 to Sunday, March 4 2018 and will showcase pioneering beauty trends together with bridal masterclasses, hair and make-up tutorials, brow artistry, male-grooming trends, innovative brand product sampling, live interviews with social media influencers and leading beauty brand ambassadors, make-over shows and competitions. For more information about The NWJ Bridal & Beauty Experience, visit www.nwjbridalandbeauty.co.za