Last week, BoF and Integra Fragrances invited executives from the likes of Kering, Armani, Sunnei, Ginori and La Double J to discover how experiential retail is evolving and the growing significance of scent and sensory marketing.

As the candle category has boomed, the product now matters just as much as the branding around it — a sentiment reflected across beauty.

From fragrance to skin care to hair care, independent brands are making their mark on the beauty industry, but competition is stiff and scaling these businesses is more complex than ever.

Kering’s rumoured plan to someday bring its largest brand’s beauty business in house may take years to pull off, but is already sending shockwaves throughout the industry.

Facing a possible recession, private investors are tightening their purse strings. This means fashion and beauty start-ups must preserve cash and undertake creative tactics to secure capital.

Beauty brands have a natural edge on TikTok and YouTube, but are lagging the fashion industry in making a splash in the virtual world. Without the logos and distinctive characteristics of apparel and accessories, it’s unclear how skin care, makeup and fragrance will establish a presence and a purpose in web3.

After a hard pivot to e-commerce during the pandemic, many brands are back to working with retailers. This time, they say the terms have changed in their favour.

Makeup is now growing twice as fast as skin care as beauty shoppers turn to neon eyeshadows and bold shimmery blushes to create looks inspired by TikTok trends and the Y2K revival.