EXAMINING KOSAS COSMETICS

Clean beauty is a focus on natural, cruelty-free and vegan products within the makeup and hair industry. Within the past few years, there has been an incredible demand for clean beauty. In fact, a Harper’s BAZAAR poll discovered more than 60% of women would be willing to spend on new brands if they were offering natural products [1]. Nestled with the rise of social media, “indie” clean beauty brands such as Glossier and Kosas began to target consumers through the means of Instagram advertising, and invest into influencers and celebrities that support the usage of clean, sustainable and eco-conscious products. In a domino effect, notable popular and luxury beauty brands began to brainstorm ways to “tap in” to the “online clean beauty” lifestyle (i.e. Covergirl’s “Clean Fresh” line.)

The brand Kosas, similar to Glossier, was simply an e-commerce beauty business that received Instagram fame before obtaining retail space with stores such as Sephora and Credo within the past year. Kosas unique selling point? Being a beauty brand for “skincare freaks.”

At WWD’s 2020 Digital Beauty Forum, Ipsy co-founder Jennifer Goldfarb states that “the next big idea in beauty is community.”

“The brands that will win in the future are the ones that can activate their customers, their followers, their fans, and really bring them into their brand, help them build the brand, product development, marketing, all aspects of the business” [1].

Kosas Cosmetics founder and chemist Sheena Yaitanes believes makeup should ultimately be easy to apply and be good for your skin – and not the other way around. Personally, I think one of the biggest takeaways as to why I decided to follow Kosas on Instagram was their ability to show vulnerability; making the brand approachable for consumers like myself who take skincare to another level. I distinctly remember Sheena posting a video of herself bare-faced and discussing her issues with her skin, and how she never felt her makeup was helping her in any way – so she created a beauty brand of her own to solve that issue. That stood out to me.

By posting such a video, I felt “tapped in”. I believe in the same kind of mission: wearing every-day, simple products that can benefit my skin and not harm it. Moreover, Kosas Cosmetics embraces diversity within their makeup line and that is another plus in my book. In the example below, Kosas Cosmetics translates their brand in a fun way by incorporating videos of their products on various skin tones/age groups.

In an interview with Cosmetic Executive Women, Sheena says the drive to Kosas success was their marketing efforts in the digital web space. “Kosas is resonating strongly with audiences on social media, and seeing a ton of growth without paid influencer partnerships because we are having such honest, transparent conversations with our customers.” [3]

Not only are they creating a beauty brand that reaches the acne-prone customer with simplified skin-nourishing products, but they make it an effort to include their customer base within their campaigns. By creating personalized experiences, Kosas Cosmetics is able to reach their consumer base in a more intimate matter.

A 2017 Epsilon online survey of 1,000 consumers between the ages of 18-64 found the appeal for personalization within retail is high in demand. 80% of respondents indicated they are more likely to do business with a company if it offers personalized experiences and 90% indicating that they find personalization appealing [4].

For example, customers interested in Kosas but unsure of the right hues/benefits for their skin can zoom call a Kosas expert to find the best products. Additionally, Kosas customers are able to participate in product development panels to help inform future product decisions.

Overall, Kosas Cosmetics is a huge influence in the wave of clean ingredient trends in the beauty industry. No longer are the days needed to perform 15 tasks to nourish, prime, and protect our skin before applying makeup. With Kosas, the layer of protection, hydration, and treatment is already in the product.

They are, word for word “reinventing the formula for beauty.”

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Sources:

[1] March, Bridget. “13 Beauty Trends That Will Dominate in 2020.” Harper’s BAZAAR, 2 Jan. 2020, www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/beauty/beauty-shows-trends/a30279675/2020-beauty-trends/.

[2] Collins, Allison. “How Beauty Businesses Are Using Data to Inform Products, Marketing.” WWD, WWD, 20 Mar. 2020, wwd.com/beauty-industry-news/beauty-features/beauty-inc-newsletter-how-beauty-businesses-are-using-data-to-inform-products-marketing-1203539793/.

[3] “5 Minutes with Sheena Yaitanes of Kosas Cosmetics.” Cosmetic Executive Women, 27 Feb. 2020, www.cew.org/beauty_news/5-minutes-with-sheena-yaitanes-of-kosas-cosmetics/?i=XnD9Q3ES2Qhqv655ZF4n88YDvP09ley5bjKW0sr4xm91rpzM+8yIvbF6j6zQTgQh+y9woHDxvOzFClBQvUxpyVgvdskjy%2FZMH+5mbDPB2bd16g1cewY2kP+Vsf3ybQSl.

[4] Admin. “New Epsilon Research Indicates 80% of Consumers Are More Likely to Make a Purchase When Brands Offer Personalized Experiences.” The Industry’s Most Advanced Data-Driven Marketing, us.epsilon.com/pressroom/new-epsilon-research-indicates-80-of-consumers-are-more-likely-to-make-a-purchase-when-brands-offer-personalized-experiences.