Brands must think beyond surface-level marketing to tap a world with its own rulebook.

BoF had a chemist analyse some of the most popular new 40-plus shade foundation lines to see which brands went beyond adding a bit more pigment to develop makeup for darker skin tones. Some pioneers in the category, including Fenty, fell short.

A new breed of beauty brands is taking a page from fast fashion, winning business by offering cheap and accessible 'dupes' of it-products.