Edited, the global retail intelligence company, recently released their summer trend analysis reports. Across the research presented, it became apparent that fragrance, skincare, and at-home beauty-tech the trends to watch this summer. Across lifestyle and pure-play retailers, here are this season's biggest beauty trends from May through to July.

Lifestyle Retailers:

• Fragrance came in as a heavy trend this summer, with Zara placing 44% of its investments here throughout the research period.
• Skincare was also popular, with this product region accounting for over 50% of retailer Boohoo's product arrivals during the research period.
• Since the pandemic, consumers have wanted to experience at-home treatments, seeing a rise of beauty tech trends in retailers such as H&M, who recently released three new skin-tech tools, all priced at £17.99.
• The top arrival categories for May were: 53.7% makeup, 15.4% skincare, 11.8% fragrance, 8% bath and body, and 5.5% hair.
• The top arrival categories for June were: 49.6% makeup, 26.6% fragrance, 8.1% bath and body, 6.9% skincare, and 4.4% nails.
• The top arrival categories for July were: 44.7% makeup, 15.5% skincare, 12.2% fragrance, 11% bath and body, and 10% hair.

"Color and creativity return to beauty, as makeup is the most invested category across retailers in July. Consumers are also searching for bold beauty inspiration online after wearing less makeup during the height of the pandemic. Consumers continue to invest in at-home skincare tools, with mass-market retailer H&M dropping three affordable options in July. With many shoppers cutting back on spending due to inflation, DIY products will continue to be sought after," says Heather Ibberson, Fashion and Beauty Retail Analyst at Edited.

Pure-Play Retailers:

• Hair products have replaced nail products at pure-play retailers during the research period, with the likes of Beauty Bay releasing their haircare range in June.
• Personal care, body care, and beauty have also seen a rise in product prices due to inflation, with brands such as Glossier and e.l.f. Cosmetics raising some product prices between £1-4 ($1.21-$4.85).
• Tanning products also saw an increase, with Boots being the biggest investor, and Bare by Vogue, Bondi Sands, and Sally Hansen being the most stocked brands.
• Dermaplaning has also gained traction, with Sephora launching a how-to guide in June, which received heavy praise.
• Chlorophyll is the newest skincare ingredient craze. After going viral on TikTok last year, the ingredient is now being used in products such as the recently released Cult Beauty Chlorophyll Detox Mask.
• The top arrival categories for May were: 32.3% makeup, 30% nails, 12.5% skincare, 9.3% bath and body, and 7.4% hair.
• The top arrival categories for June were: 35.5% makeup, 18.6% hair, 14.5% skincare, 13.9% nails, and 9.1% bath and body.
• The top arrival categories for July were: 58.4% makeup, 24.1% skincare, 8.4% bath and body, 5.5% hair, and 3.2% fragrance.      

"Skincare has remained a big focus for consumers, who have kept up with routines learned during lockdown. In particular, there has been increased education around SPF and retinol, with shoppers continuing to invest in expert skincare tools and products. Interest in skincare has also extended to the scalp, with a range of brands releasing scalp scrubs and oils this year," continues Ibberson.

Upon analysis of the research period and looking at Instagram and Pinterest, where the likes of tanning drops, Barbiecore makeup, and summer scents heavily trend, Edited believes that Y2K themes will be the biggest trends for 2022. Ibberson comments on this,  "Nostalgia continues to influence beauty trends. Bleached brows are rising; silver and frosted eyeshadows, hair clips, glossy lips, and hair gems are also trending and likely to stay for a few more seasons, in line with rising maximalist beauty trends. Subculture trends are also infiltrating the beauty market. The Barbiecore aesthetic sees bold fuchsia eyeshadow looks promoted by retailers and a spike in consumer searches for pink nail inspiration on Pinterest."

As we go through 2022, it is clear that self-care and exterior appearance continue to grow across both physical and online retailers. Consumers want to have fun this summer, with most users looking for bright colors and a sun-kissed glow. The comfort of nostalgia is bringing color, maximalism, and Barbie-like looks to the forefront of the beauty space. The question is worth asking, will these fragrance, skincare, and at-home beauty-tech trends simply be for summer, or will they continue to brighten up the beauty industry in the upcoming winter months?