Next Big Waves

1. Brand Marketing: How Medicube used TikTok to resonate with today’s skincare consumers #GLASSSKIN Goals 📱

2. Big Players: Shiseido on mixing traditional botanical and scientific ingredients in luxury care 🌱

3. Industry News: Using AI to personalize client experience 🪄

4. Science Insights: How hidden ingredients affect long-term health—case study with phthalates and children’s urine 📖

Macro Influencers + Trending Hashtags: The 2-Pronged Approach of Medicube’s Viral Campaign as a Korean Brand

Medicube’s campaign created a remarkable 28% engagement and 524% return on their ad spend by combining influencer marketing and cross-channel integration. Along with their KOL strategy, Medicube massaged memorable keywords like “glass skin” into their product names and TikTok campaigns, leaving a lasting impression to create the long-tail effect that subliminally reinforces a brand’s presence. Consumers are ready to follow—is your organization ready to lead?

To set the influential tone, Medicube partnered with Michelle Phan, a macro beauty influencer on YouTube with 9 million subscribers. They generated long-form content to be repurposed and shared across various platforms that visually stimulated and entertained people: YouTube videos and shorts, Instagram reels, Meta ads, and TikTok. The YouTube video alone accumulated over 131,000 views and achieved a 524% ROAS.

On top of paid ads, Medicube capitalized on TikTok's viral potential by incorporating "Glass Skin" as a keyword in their product names (AGE-R Glass Skin Trial Set). This move fostered organic growth and made #GlassSkin synonymous with the brand—think skin so flawless and luminous it could be mistaken for pristine glass. With user-generated content raving about how fun the Medicube mask is to apply and peel off, the application process itself was gamified to create a visually engaging experience that’s primed for social media.

@stxph.h

The @Medicube Global collagen wrapping mask just made it easier to wake up with glowy glass skin 🌟 #MedicubePartner #collagenightwrappingm... See more

Cultural Heritage in Ingredients + Packaging: The 2-Pronged Approach of Shiseido’s Storytelling as a Japanese Brand

Shiseido’s new product line intersects high-tech science and heritage traditions. Each product in the Future Solution LX line addresses one specific skin concern by using botanical ingredients, traditionally used in Japanese culture, alongside newly advanced formulations. In the noisy environment of skincare, a premium brand that merges science-driven innovations with cultural heritage can resonate strongly with those who value tradition. This approach not only creates a unique, memorable brand story but also provides a distinctive positioning that adds depth and a warm meaning to the cold chemical formulations.

The line uses sustainable packaging with aesthetic elements borrowed from Japanese tea utensils to feel both futuristic and foundational, reflecting the choice of ingredients. Iconic materials like Nishijin textiles and Tatami-Beri on the box suggest luxury as they reference elements related to historical Japanese craftsmanship. Shiseido’s approach to blending aesthetic storytelling with scientific rigour reflects the rising consumer demand for culturally significant and sustainable products, so back up brands that have consistent storytelling in their design and ingredient choices to create memorable identities.

Image Credit: Shiseido

Beauty in the Digital Age: AI's Role in Personalized Skincare

This Globe and Mail article with the CEO of Dermalogica talks about how AI can be leveraged to better understand customers. The trial-and-error process frustrating today’s skincare shoppers may be replaced with face-mapping AI and chatbots to give customized suggestions based on skin types and individual concerns. With the rise of AI, big brands like Dove, La Roche Posay, and CeraVe are using AI to improve engagement, increase sales, while also acknowledging ethical concerns related to AI's influence on self-image.

Key Points:

1. Personalized Solutions: Vision-based AI scores the user’s skin based on uploaded selfies and a skin questionnaire to recommend products that feel unique to the user’s concern

2. Increased Engagement: Brands report higher purchase rates and order values from customers serviced by AI tools, demonstrating the financial value in enhancing the shopper’s experience

3. Ethical Considerations: While AI can improve product-shopper fit and customer service, concerns about its impact on body image and representation in advertising are growing, prompting brands like Dove to avoid AI-generated imagery

Our Take:

AI integration is changing skincare consumer behaviours: people expect processes to be efficient, personalized, and easy to navigate. At the same time, a human should be kept in the loop to ensure that the AI-generated perspective aligns with consumer values. Brands should balance adopting innovative solutions with social responsibility.

Image Credit: L’Oréal and ModiFace

Study Finds Skincare Exposure Linked to Phthalate Levels in Children’s Urine, Varying by Demographic

A new study examining 630 children across the U.S., aged 4-8, found that phthalate exposure varies by ethnicity and sex. Phthalates, used as stabilizers in products like lotions, have been increasingly linked to developmental risks in children, including potential impacts on brain and reproductive system development, and are classified as possibly carcinogenic.

3 Key Research Findings

1. Phthalate levels in children's urine varied by skincare product type and combinations.

2. Non-Hispanic Black participants had the highest phthalate exposure, highlighting potential racial disparities.

3. Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals differed by demographics, suggesting uneven risk across populations.

Take Action: Key Steps for the Beauty Industry

🧴for brands & manufacturers:

• Conduct ingredient audits to identify and replace phthalates in existing products

• Establish demographic-specific safety protocols in product testing phases

• Launch transparency initiatives showcasing clean ingredient sourcing and provide accessible safety documentation

📢 for marketing & educating consumers:

• Create clear labelling systems to identify endocrine-disrupting chemicals

• Develop educational content to help the public recognize potentially harmful ingredients

• Provide tailored product guidance for at-risk demographic groups

🔬for R&D innovation facilities:

• Invest in research and development of safe, effective phthalate alternatives

• Design preservation systems that meet both safety and stability requirements

• Create targeted product lines with formulations specifically tested for safety across diverse demographic groups.