There's no getting away from it: the make-up industry is struggling. Google searches for skin care ingredients have skyrocketed during the pandemic, hair care brands are reporting record-breaking sales and, well, colour cosmetics are no longer a priority for consumers.
Make-up sales, particularly among legacy drugstore brands, have been on a downward trajectory in recent years as shoppers increasingly favoured 'no make-up, make-up', high-end or the latest disruptor brand. Now, prestige brands have taken an unprecedented blow as market researcher The NPD Group confirmed that US sales of luxury make-up plummeted by 52% between April and June 2020.
Certainly, consumer interest in make-up is still massive - James Charles' reality series Instant Influencer has been renewed for a second season and 14-year-old make-up artist Reuben de Maid has just landed a docuseries. But, in an attempt to catch up on sales, colour cosmetics brands are being forced to think further outside of the box than ever before. And that's where 'no pigment' make-up comes in.
While skin care/make-up hybrids are nothing new, Becca Cosmetics' 'no pigment' foundation, as part of the new Becca Zero collection (RRP from £19), has left online beauty consumers confused and intrigued.
The new Becca Cosmetics Zero collection consists of No Pigment Virtual Foundation and the No Pigment Glass Highlighter For Face + Lip. With the tagline 'zero pigment, zero to hide', the range aims to encourage consumers to embrace their natural complexion.
The silicone-free No Pigment Virtual Foundation is designed to smooth and blur the appearance of skin while 'hydrate all day, with a transparent-matte finish'. The multi-purpose No Pigment Glass Highlighter For Face + Lip aims to offer wearers an ideal glow with its non-stick formula.
While Estée Lauder-owned Becca Cosmetics has been the most overt in pushing the 'no pigment' trend, others have expanded into the area in recent months.
KVD Beauty, the Kendo-owned brand, released its colourless High Impact Eyeshadow Primer in June. Where traditional eye primers have a tint to cover veins and help the eyeshadow colour pop, KVD Beauty argues they "muddy the colour and aren’t universal".
Instead, this launch promises a true colour payoff and is designed to be an invisible base for every skin tone.
Morphe has realised that heavy, Instagram make-up looks are becoming out of vogue as consumers across all age groups prioritise skin care and natural-looking make-up.
To maintain sales, the influencer-focused brand has created Morphe 2, an entire new sub-brand fronted by TikTok stars Charli and Dixie D'Amelio.
The line includes the Gloss Pop Face & Eye Gloss, a pigment-free highlighter to help accentuate features.
But is the 'no pigment' trend a marketing gimmick, or does it indicate the future of make-up? While niche, Emma Fishwick, UK Account Manager for The NPD Group, believes 'no pigment' make-up has potential for growth.
"The technological developments in no-pigment formulations ensure that these types of foundations can enhance and smooth the appearance of the skin," she says.
"No pigment make-up is often a nice bridge for brands to offer make-up with skin care benefits whereby consumers would like to opt for products that enhance the skin’s natural features.
"During lockdown consumers have opted for a more natural make-up look while concentrating on their skin care regimes, therefore it is a natural step for brands to experiment with 'no pigment' make-up products."
