With boundless energy and an infectious optimism, WWD Beauty Biz cover model Liu Wen perfectly epitomizes the go-go energy of her native country, China. As such, she was a natural choice to front this issue, the ultimate guide to spring’s most compelling beauty products, places and trends. Coming off a rough 2009, the beauty industry has rebounded with vigor, unleashing a slew of ideas designed to reinject some much-needed excitement into the category.
On the product front, the news ranges from amped-up efficacy, as with Clinique’s newest brightening serum that promises prescription-strength results, to all-out fun, such as the slew of brightly hued lipsticks and glosses with out-of-the-ordinary applicators. There is a preponderance of pomegranate, the newest superfruit to show up in everything from skin care to scent, as well as a resurgence of marine-based beautifiers, be they inspired by the colors of the sea or infused with oceanic ingredients. For a complete look at the season’s most exciting launches, click here.
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The spa business has undergone a radical change, as well, in the past 18 months. The question: How does a business based on the principle of pampering reinvent itself when self-indulgence is now largely shunned? The answer: Many spas have started to transform themselves into havens of health and well-being, adopting a 360-degree approach that goes far beyond a focus on the external and instead treats clients holistically. Find out who’s on the vanguard of this new movement in “Serenity Now.”
When it comes to hair and makeup on the runways, New York doesn’t usually find itself on the edge. But at the recent fall 2010 collections, held in February, there was a palpable difference backstage and on the catwalk. Color made a comeback in a major way, be it on the eyes, with bold shadowed looks, or on the lips, with heavily pigmented, opaque pouts. At Derek Lam, for instance, makeup artist Tom Pecheux brushed layer upon layer of sapphire eye shadow from lid to brow, highlighting it with a bronze liner, while lips ranged from orange to aubergine, a wide spectrum of colors, but sharing a commonality in terms of strength and impact. In hair, the news was texture, be it dry, matte and artfully undone or all-out curly, with wave upon wave of ringlets making their way down the runway. “New York’s New Beauties” presents an insider’s overview of the season’s key beauty trends. Combined, we think they point to a bold future for the industry. I’d love to hear what you think. E-mail me at jenny_fine@condenast.com.