Formulating beauty for virality
[Image Credits: Biodance, The Ordinary, Milk Makeup, Dieux Skin, Vacation]
Quick musing today: when Instagram was our only creative outlet, beauty brands were all posting static flatlays and hyper-filtered, hyper-editorial shots. Aesthetic packaging was a critical component to standing out. It still is, but I’m hypothesizing that in the age of TikTok videos, Instagram Reels, and Youtube Shorts, beauty brands are going to start formulating products themselves (not just packaging) with virality at the top of the criteria list.
Why? Because we live in a world where social media users are scrolling away from content all the time, and every nanosecond of content needs to be worth it. So if a product’s visuals alone can stop the scroll and explain itself, it’s going to be a hero.
What does that look like? Viral products could be:
An eye-catching, atypical color for its category (see The Ordinary’s Soothing & Barrier Support Serum)
An unusual formulation for its category (see Milk Makeup’s Jelly Tint blush)
Dispensed in a particularly fun way (see Vacation’s Classic Whip sunscreen)
Branded on the product itself (see Dieux’s Forever eye mask or Chanel’s Le Lift)
Rule-breakers in a category (see Biodance’s collagen mask, which is left on overnight - in contrast to other sheet masks that are only recommended for 20 minutes)
Viral products can be aesthetic, but not necessarily. Virality is more about shock factor and remaining in memory.
[Image credits: @sinetmatteo, @makeupbylexh, @dieuxskin, @newmanparkerr, @yourkoreanunni]
