Are we in the midst of a beauty brand identity crisis?

Is it better to be a jack-of-all-trades or a master of one? In a crowded industry, clarity is currency.

With analyst Euromonitor International stating that 25% of all new brand launches falling within the beauty and personal care category – an industry now valued at more than US$599 billion – standing out is increasingly difficult. 

While growth is worth celebrating, market saturation has placed pressure on brands of all sizes to deliver more, faster, and often at the risk of losing sight of what made them resonate in the first place.

To survive and thrive brands tend to adopt one of two strategies: either becoming a ‘one-stop shop’ across categories, or anchoring their identity around a singular focus. 

But. how do these opposing approaches land with today’s beauty consumer, who is both more ingredient-aware and emotionally driven than ever before?

Fenty has evolved slowly over eight years to include cosmetics, skin care, fragrance and hair care

The temptation to do it all

A full gondola of offerings may be the dream for many beauty founders, but moving too fast can create confusion around brand identity. 

“The pressure to be everything to everyone is one of the fastest ways for a brand to lose its identity, and consumer trust along with it,” says Brand Marketing and Communications Consultant Stacey Levine.

That said, broad product portfolios can work, provided the expansion is strategic and well-rooted in brand values. 

“Trust here is earned in a different way, often through brand persona, cultural relevance and high-performing hero products,” explains Riani Kenyon, Consumer Behaviour Analyst at insights agency Canvas8. 

“Take Charlotte Tilbury or Fenty Beauty – their expansion across categories feels less like a scattergun approach and more like a natural extension of a well-defined brand universe.”

Both brands provide strong case studies in building depth before breadth.

Fenty Beauty’s evolution over eight years has seen it grow from colour cosmetics to cult favourites across skin care and, most recently, hair care.

Crucially, one theme has remained constant: its ‘beauty for all’ ethos. 

Consumers appreciate when a brand takes its time to scale and brings them along for the journey

“Fenty Beauty started with colour cosmetics, did that perfectly, and waited three years before expanding into skin care, and another four before launching hair care,” says Levine.

“It gave each category time to build brand love before doing more.”

Charlotte Tilbury has followed a similarly measured path.

Launching in 2013 with a luxury colour cosmetics line, the brand introduced a single skincare sku to complement its