Growth in the rapidly evolving global beauty industry requires innovation, from products to markets to customers. Getting there requires big ideas, skillful execution, and thoughtful leadership from business and creative leaders alike.
The FUTURE50 list is not about newness but businesses where all the elements are coming together in just the right way at just the right time to put them on the leading edge of an increasingly competitive beauty and wellness landscape.
From the start, BeautyMatter has provided actionable insights and business intelligence to navigate the dynamic and constantly changing beauty landscape. With FUTURE50 we look to push boundaries and open minds with ideas and conversations that help define the global beauty landscape.
Meet our line up of powerhouse speakers.
Indie beauty brands are, by their very nature, challengers, but some founders think bigger than others. Laser-focused on what she's building and crystal clear about what it will take, Bubble founder Shai Eisenman is going head-to-head with some of beauty's biggest brands. Informed by data, constant consumer conversations, and looking for true partnership, Bubble met their Gen Z consumers where they were—Walmart. Together, Walmart and Bubble disrupted the skincare aisle, laying the foundation for delivering disruption at scale powered by a deep relationship.
Fireside Chat
The convergence of media, marketing, and technology has redefined the mechanics of building brands in the modern world. Everyone talks about the value of data and a hero product, but the ability to tell a memorable story and create compelling experiences across platforms and IRL that resonate with consumers is invaluable. The future will be a proliferation of channels and the creative devices we use to tell tales and create smartly executed experiences that are perfectly timed, culturally relevant, and connected. Impactful brands understand that content is more than a marketing strategy; it's a tool to create conversation, build community, and design culture at scale bringing brands to life in new ways to engage the next-generation consumers.
Panel Discussion
Global consumers of all ages are no longer limited to buying local brands; increasingly, they see the world as one unified storefront, enabling brands to enter new markets faster. In beauty, brick-and-mortar stores are still essential touchpoints in an omnichannel strategy, but shoppers are looking for more than just products from retailers. Change is the only constant in beauty. We'll discuss the state of the industry with retailers capturing the global beauty consumer, meeting them where they are, and anticipating where they will be going next.
The Numbers: According to Google, 66% of beauty consumers search for information online before purchasing. While the online journey is convenient, the in-store experience remains significant. McKinsey & Co reports 81% of beauty consumers prefer to buy beauty products in-store.
Panel Discussion
The beauty industry stands resilient, fueled by sustained demand, technological innovations, and positive momentum in emerging markets. With the lines between beauty and wellness increasingly blurred, strategic business alignment is transcending traditional boundaries. Amid this transformative landscape, maintaining relevance hinges on embracing novel concepts that intersect with longevity pursuits, the convergence of physical and psychological well-being, and the cultivation of inclusive wellness values.
Presentation: Irina Barbalova, Global Lead, Health and Beauty, Euromonitor International
While the shine has come off the Chinese market as international brands and conglomerates struggle with the slowing growth, it remains the second-largest beauty market in the world. Growth no longer comes easy. Local brands have leveraged their home market advantage, seizing the opportunity with their innate ability to navigate the fast moving marketing ecosystem and raising the bar of success for foreign brands. However, the region remains crucial. McKinsey projects the sector will reach $96 billion by 2027 and represent roughly one-sixth of global beauty retail sales. We'll dive into the current state of the market, consumer sentiment, and what it will take to succeed in the region in the future.
The Numbers: In 2023, the Chinese beauty market registered a modest 5.1% growth, reaching $58 billion, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.
Panel Discussion
Ingredients are the very foundation of the products created by beauty and wellness brands. The innovation happening in labs around the world fuels the creativity of formulators and finds its way into the marketing messages of the buzziest brands. We will talk to three founders leveraging the power of biotech to launch novel molecules that transcend the traditional beauty industry mindset and challenge the limits of what's possible.
The Numbers: Grand View Research reports the global biotechnology market was valued at $1.55 trillion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 13.96% from 2024 to 2030.
Panel Discussion
Fragrance is having a big moment. Niche brands and their visionary founders started rewriting the fragrance playbook and pushing the boundaries of haute perfumery in the early aughts, changing the industry forever. With record sales, new launches, and strategic acquisitions, fragrance players from luxury to mass have been on a tear. Competition is fierce between heritage brands, niche challengers, and new brand concepts, and the market is saturated, but investors have finally become interested in the category. Our panel will discuss current category dynamics, where the opportunities lie, and what the future holds.
The Numbers: According to Euromonitor, the global fragrance market is predicted to grow by 7% to $68.9 billion in 2024. China is growing at 16% percent CAGR. Per capita, fragrance consumption is still relatively low at $1.5 in 2022, far beneath Japan at $4 a head and way below South Korea at $12 a head, signaling room for further growth.
Panel Discussion
The barrier to entry has significantly lowered, making the beauty industry's glow hard to resist. The reality is most companies don't make it past the start-up phase. However, a cohort of indie brands that took the industry by storm a decade ago are now in growth mode with an exit mapped out, but scaling is no easy feat. Today, achieving profitability earlier and building a strategic, sustainable growth model is the name of the game. As the momentum of the launch wears off, these brands face the pressure of growth amid intensifying competition from incumbents and the next crop of indie start-ups looking to challenge the status quo. Three fierce beauty founders share their experience of what it takes to scale in the current beauty landscape.
The Numbers: According to the Small Business Administration, roughly 80% of small businesses survive the first year, and only half of small businesses survive past the five-year mark.
Panel Discussion
A quick overview of global regulatory issues that should be on everyone's radar, from MoCRA deadlines to the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) packaging laws, have been enacted in four states, as well as updates on international regulatory hot topics. We will discuss the practical implications of timely regulatory and sustainability legislation.
Fireside Chat: Meredith Petillo, VP of Technical & Regulatory Affairs, Independent Beauty Association
Seismic disruptions in media, manufacturing, ingredients, technology, and retailing have made the impossible possible for beauty brands in recent years. Never before has the industry been more vibrant, full of potential, driven by innovation, and connected to its customer than it is today—and never has it been more capital intensive to grow and scale. If you want a glimpse at where the beauty industry of tomorrow is headed, look no further than where the dealmakers of today are focusing their time and attention. We’ll discuss the current state of capital raising, the role strategics will play in driving deal activity, and the attributes of the brands and retailers that will be part of the next wave of beauty innovation.
Panel Discussion
Unlike many industry events, FUTURE50 has been purpose-built to foster real connections and more than superficial networking. Programming and scheduling have been crafted with a thoughtful blend of intimate networking opportunities and direct connections that leave room for discussions that dig deeper than passing introductions.
FUTURE50 will be a dynamic gathering and catalyst that imagines what is to come and concretizes the future. Join us in New York City on June 20 as we bring together high-promise brands, smart money, outstanding technologies, state-of-the-art suppliers, and strategic partners that provide pathways for next-stage expansion.
At BeautyMatter everyone is welcome. Join us on June 20th in NYC at Spring Place. Premium and Professional Members will receive a 10% discount on tickets.
