Cosmetic hits

The beauty brands that shook up the industry in 2017.

THE year 2017 was a big one for the beauty industry, with the arrival of multiple new brands shaking up the status quo.

We take a look at some of the newcomers that made headlines over the past 12 months.

1) Fenty Beauty

It may have only made its (long-awaited) debut in September, but Fenty Beauty by Rihanna was the undisputed makeup victory of 2017. The brand’s initial 91-piece debut won global acclaim for its inclusive approach to beauty, thanks to its 40-strong foundation range, and its lineup was quickly bolstered by the addition of a holiday Galaxy Collection and Stunna lip paint, a new lipstick collection. The business was recently named one of the “Inventions of the Year” by Time Magazine.

2) Asos

Fast fashion retailer Asos pulled a surprising move back in September, with the launch of its first-ever ownbrand makeup collection. The 46-piece series was devised to enable everyone to experiment with textures and colours, with the company stating – “At Asos, we want to empower 20-somethings to confidently be themselves, however they choose to do so.”

3) KKW Beauty

Another majorly successful celebrity beauty launch came courtesy of reality TV star and social media powerhouse Kim Kardashian, whose KKW Beauty label began operating this June. Its debut Contour and Highlight Kits sold out in a matter of hours, and the collection has since been extended to include liquid lipsticks and a range of Ultralight Beam highlighters. The star also made her first big move on the fragrance industry this year, launching her KKW Fragrance brand and releasing a sell-out trio of scents in November.

4) Pat McGrath

The iconic makeup mogul Pat McGrath began to build up her cult beauty label, Pat McGrath Labs in 2015, but this year saw her supplement her highly limited-edition launches with a much more accessible permanent collection that is also carried by Sephora. The beauty star also made waves in November, when she teamed up with singer Maggie Lindemann and became the first makeup entrepreneur to sell products through the music streaming service Spotify.

5) 7-Eleven

One of the most unexpected beauty launches of the year came from convenience store 7-Eleven, which dreamed up its debut cosmetics line earlier this fall. The chain store’s 40-piece collection is dubbed Simply Me Beauty, and was designed for millennials on the go, prioritising affordable price points and a fashion-forward vision. – AFP Relaxnews