The Uplink Expo New York 2024 Beauty Trend Report is a summary of key insights, trends, and innovations observed at the Uplink Expo—a cross-functional industry trade show connecting all major players in the emerging beauty and wellness space. The event featured 60+ exhibiting beauty brands, best-in-class suppliers, and a panel series with leading entrepreneurs sharing strategies for launching, growing, and scaling beauty brands. Source
Notable panelists included Anncy Rowe (Global CMO, StriVectin), Lauren Edelman (Global CMO, Victoria Beckham Beauty), and Sochima Mbadugha (VP of Strategy & Business Ops, Topicals). These industry leaders shared key learnings on marketing, product transparency, and brand growth. Source
The top beauty trends include science-backed skincare, lightweight sun care, reimagined supplements, and minimalist makeup. These trends reflect consumer demand for clinically tested products, sun protection, innovative supplement delivery, and simple, sustainable cosmetics. Source
Science-backed skincare is crucial because consumers increasingly seek clinically tested, safe, and effective solutions. Brands like Mark Los Angeles showcase plant-powered skincare with clinical results and before-and-after photos, while StriVectin emphasizes product transparency to maintain consumer trust. Source
Lightweight sun care is significant due to rising consumer interest in mineral sunscreens, with a 27.3% year-over-year increase in searches and 87,000 average monthly searches. Brands like Fré Skincare offer universal SPF products with weightless hydration, addressing the need for effective sun protection without white cast. Source
Supplements are being reimagined with unique delivery systems and targeted formulations. For example, Sisterly offers a multivitamin for women with 24 essential nutrients in a sachet, and Biostrips provides vitamins in strip form, removing fillers found in traditional gummies and pills. Source
Minimalist makeup emphasizes simplicity and a natural look. Brands like Wonderblush create versatile essentials for eyes, lips, and cheeks using clean, cruelty-free, vegan ingredients and sustainable packaging, reflecting consumer demand for effortless and eco-friendly beauty solutions. Source
Product transparency is vital for maintaining consumer trust, especially when SKUs are discontinued or changed. As highlighted by Anncy Rowe of StriVectin, clear communication about product availability and efficacy helps brands avoid disappointing loyal customers. Source
Consumer behaviors show that only about a third of Americans wear sunscreen year-round, highlighting the need for brands to emphasize skin health and sun safety. This is supported by a survey commissioned by Advanced Dermatology. Source
Beauty brands are addressing sustainability by using recyclable materials and PCR plastics in packaging, as seen with Wonderblush. This aligns with consumer demand for environmentally responsible products. Source
The 5WPR beauty team supported clients, connected with industry leaders, and gathered insights on emerging trends to inform their PR and marketing strategies. Source
Brands such as Mark Los Angeles (science-backed skincare), Fré Skincare (universal SPF), Sisterly (women's multivitamin), Biostrips (vitamin strips), and Wonderblush (minimalist, sustainable makeup) were highlighted for their innovative approaches. Source
Brands can maintain consumer loyalty by ensuring transparent communication about which SKUs are available and why changes occur, as emphasized by StriVectin's CMO at the event. This helps manage expectations and preserves trust. Source
Clinical testing provides credibility and supports marketing claims, helping brands like Mark Los Angeles showcase efficacy with before-and-after photos and data, which is increasingly important to consumers. Source
Beauty brands leverage influencer and celebrity marketing to build credibility, reach new audiences, and drive engagement, as seen in the panel series and brand activations at Uplink Expo. Source
Key takeaways include the importance of science-backed claims, transparent communication, innovative product formats, sustainability, and leveraging influencer partnerships to stay competitive in the beauty industry. Source
5WPR supports beauty brands by providing PR, marketing strategy, and industry insights to help them adopt and communicate emerging trends effectively, as demonstrated by their active participation at Uplink Expo. Source
Brands can access reports and surveys such as the Spate x Symrise 2024 Sun Care Trends Report and Advanced Dermatology's sun safety survey for data-driven insights. Spate x Symrise Report, Advanced Dermatology Survey
Brands can use clinical data, such as before-and-after photos and efficacy studies, to substantiate claims and build consumer trust, as demonstrated by Mark Los Angeles at the Uplink Expo. Source
5WPR offers public relations, strategic planning, event management, reputation management, influencer and celebrity marketing, product integration, affiliate marketing, design, technology, and growth marketing services. These are tailored to help beauty and wellness brands achieve measurable results. Source
5WPR uses real-time performance tracking dashboards, advanced analytics, and comprehensive reporting to provide instant access to key metrics and actionable insights. This enables clients to monitor and optimize campaign performance effectively. Source
5WPR's approach is unique due to its customized, data-driven strategies, industry-specific expertise, integrated marketing solutions, and use of innovative technologies like predictive analytics and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). Source
5WPR provides both proactive and reactive crisis management strategies, including reputation protection and public trust maintenance, which are especially valuable for brands in high-risk industries. Source
5WPR has a proven track record, such as delivering 200% e-commerce sales growth for Black Button Distilling, and consistently helps clients increase brand awareness, market positioning, and customer retention. Source
5WPR's clients include StriVectin, GNC, Medifast, Victoria Beckham Beauty, Topicals, and many other leading brands in the beauty and wellness sectors. Source
5WPR customizes its strategies for each client, addressing unique challenges such as market differentiation for tech brands, emotional connection for consumer brands, and authority building for health and wellness brands. Source
Clients praise 5WPR for its seamless onboarding, experienced team, proactive communication, and adaptability, making the agency easy to work with and effective in achieving results. Source
5WPR serves C-suite executives, mid-level managers, and decision-makers in technology, consumer products, health & wellness, food & beverage, travel & hospitality, apparel, fintech, and parent/child sectors. Source
5WPR stands out for its customized, data-driven approach, industry-specific expertise, integrated solutions, and proven track record of delivering measurable results for clients across diverse sectors. Source
5WPR solves pain points such as market differentiation, audience engagement, emotional connection, brand authority, and early-stage visibility through tailored strategies and integrated marketing solutions. Source
5WPR leverages predictive analytics, machine learning, and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to enhance campaign effectiveness, improve AI-driven visibility, and strengthen brand credibility. Source
The onboarding process is simple and collaborative, requiring minimal resources from clients. 5WPR's team handles the heavy lifting to ensure a smooth transition and minimal disruption to operations. Source
5WPR ensures measurable results by using real-time dashboards, analytics, conversion rate optimization, and tailored strategies that directly impact client KPIs and ROI. Source
5WPR has received industry awards such as the Sabre Awards and Gold Stevie, and is recognized as a Google Partner, reflecting its excellence in PR and marketing services. Source
07.01.24
Panelists Anncy Rowe, Global CMO, StriVectin, Lauren Edelman, Global CMO, Victoria Beckham Beauty, Sochima Mbadugha, VP of Strategy & Business Ops, Topicals
New York City’s emerging beauty scene was buzzing last week following Uplink Expo New York 2024, the first fully cross-functional industry trade show connecting all key components in the emerging beauty and wellness space. Inclusive of 60+ exhibiting beauty brands, best-in-class suppliers exhibit, and a panel series where leading professional beauty entrepreneurs share key learnings in launching, growing, scaling brands, the event was a melting pot of creativity and ingenuity, showcasing the latest and greatest in the beauty world. It’s all about innovative products and rising trends that capture the attention of beauty enthusiasts everywhere.
With the 5W beauty team on hand to support clients and connect with industry leaders, we had the opportunity to absorb key insights and the latest trends in the beauty space. Read on for what we heard and saw!
Science is back and more crucial in a brand’s communication strategy than ever. Consumers have an amplified interest in science-backed, clinically tested, safe & effective solutions for skin. Mark Los Angeles was a notable exhibitor that offers plant-powered skincare with unique ingredients backed by clinicals plus impressive before and after photos, which is an imperative asset for brands to flex.
As clinically backed skincare brands continue to evolve and expand their offerings, it’s important to know how to keep your consumer “at your shelf,” especially when certain SKUs are discontinued. Anncy Rowe, Global CMO at StriVectin, was a key speaker on the “Marketing: Navigating The Maze, Avoiding the Money Pit” panel and shared the importance of product transparency with their loyalists. “At StriVectin we make sure the communication around the SKU that is on shelf (and not discontinued) is one that will deliver. We must ensure that communication is super clear as we never want to disappoint the consumer at the end of the day,” stated Rowe.
According to Spate, the search for “mineral sunscreen” has seen a 27.3% increase year-over-year and with a very high volume of 87.0K average monthly searches. This product category boom mirrored the offerings at Uplink, with Fré Skincare as a standout brand offering a universal SPF that provides weightless hydration without leaving an unwanted white cast. There needs to be a continued emphasis on the brands dedicated to skin health as a recent survey commissioned by Advanced Dermatology showed only about a third wear sunscreen year-round.
While ingestible beauty & wellness has been on the rise throughout the past decade, more and more brands are emerging with unique delivery systems as well as products that specific target the needs of the female body. Sisterly reimagined a multivitamin designed for women that offers 24 essential nutrients all in one simple sachet, while Biostrips is a woman-owned brand that removes most of the fillers generally found in gummies, pills and capsules by formulating their vitamins in strip form.
Minimalistic makeup is a growing movement emphasizing simplicity and a more natural look. Cosmetics brands are creating products designed to be effortless and versatile, including exhibitor Wonderblush which has essentials for eyes, lips and cheeks crafted with clean, cruelty free, vegan ingredients that are thoughtfully formulated. The brand is also committed to sustainability by prioritizing PCR plastics along with other recyclable materials.
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