How Fluide Withstood the Rise and Fall of Lipstick During the Pandemic (2022)

When Liquid launched in 2018 as a cosmetics brand, he had a narrow line of products – more precisely, only three products. But that was a major part of her strategy.

With deep purple, bold red and even a metallic hue of gold, Fluide Liquid Lipstick were its flagship offering, which quickly became the best seller, forcing Fluide to expand its lineup in 2019 and 2020.

Branded as “Makeup for Everyone,” Fluide intended to offer cosmetics that anyone could proudly wear, regardless of gender identity and expressiveness.

Then came the pandemic. As society began to disguise itself and stopped attending events – or, in some cases, the office – lipstick sales fell everywhere. Four weeks before April 11, 2020 McKinsey has announced an Amazon sale “Lip care and color” in the United States fell 15% and prices fell 28%.

The same was true at Fluide, where her liquid lipsticks and especially lip glosses that can stick to masks have succeeded. This meant a change in tactics when it came to marketing.

“We definitely gave up lip products during the pandemic. We launched several fabric face masks just for fun, ”says Laura Kraber, co-founder of Fluide.

In addition to masks, Fluide relied on its eye makeup offerings. When lipstick sales fell, consumers turned to eye shadow, mascara and eyelashes. Laura says the brand launched it Brilliant Eyeliner Universal Liner and worked on a palette of shadows.

“It’s a lot of fun because when you wear a mask, your eye makeup really has to pop out,” she says.

The new focus on eye products has helped the brand overcome the pandemic and survive more strongly on the other side.

Return to color

Although the pandemic is not over, lip color has returned significantly, as masks are needed in many places. Fluide noticed that lipstick sales are back, and recently released a collection for lip boredom.

“They sell very well and I think the liquid lipstick is back, and the lipstick in general,” Laura says. This is also shown in Fluide Marketing, which is once again showcasing lip products.

According to the NPDRevenue from sales of lip products increased by 48% in the first quarter of 2022 compared to 2021. Another IRI report showed that sales of lipstick grew by 80% in 2021.

“We wanted to get back to pushing one of the strongest salespeople in history,” Laura says.

The lipstick index is rising again

The weakening of camouflage has certainly affected, but some are also wondering whether this is a return to the so-called “lipstick index” a term established in 2001 Leonardo Lauder, then CEO of Estée Lauder.

He theorized that the growth of lipstick sales is a sign of the collapse of the economy, and that women turn to makeup in difficult economic times because it is an affordable luxury – a relatively inexpensive way to pamper yourself when expensive things are out of reach.

This is a concept that has been questioned. Quartz, for example, reported sales of lipstick actually fell during the 2009 recession.

In part, this may be due to changing consumer trends – lipstick is no longer a means to a little happiness. Other small home-based amenities, many of which were limited, could take him off the throne.

“Maybe it’s good for the house now – it’s a candle or a heavy blanket, or a silk pillowcase, or bath salt, or something for your kitchen, because you cook a lot at home,” says Laura. “I just think the ways we can treat ourselves now have grown exponentially.”

Be that as it may, beauty and skin care products are growing in popularity as well pandemic shopping habits shift and that projected that the global beauty industry will be worth $ 756 billion by 2026 compared to $ 493.34 billion in 2018. This is good for those who deal with Lipstick and Fluide.

“Lip color depends a lot on how you look for your money and the impact it will have on you,” says Laura.

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