Beauty trends: The next big things

Discovery method: “I meet with everyone, which can be exhausting, but you never know what new ingredient or brand you’ll come across.”

Personal favorites: “I use two products every morning: La Prairie Essence of Skin Caviar Eye Complex—it’s the only thing that depuffs my eyes—and Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Eyeliner in Mahogany Brown, a rich brown that defines my eyes in a natural-looking way. Laura herself taught me how to apply it on my inner rims with a flat eyeliner brush. I’ve been loyal to Sisley Paris Eau du Soir Body Cream since the beginning of my career. I get a compliment on the subtle floral scent every day.”

Greatest hit: “I walked into Bond No. 9 when it first opened, and the distinctive perfume bottles stopped me in my tracks. Years later, it’s still one of our most popular brands.”

Biggest flop: “Custom-made skin-care lines never resonated, and we couldn’t figure out why. It should have been the ultimate in personalization.”

Next big things: “We saw metallics on the spring runways, but I haven’t seen anything like Nars Disco Inferno nail polish, a sheer silver with iridescent green and mauve. We think it’s going to be the nail color of the season. We also think luxurious body products will make a resurgence: La Mer Soleil de la Mer Gradual Tan and Reparative Body Sun Lotion SPF 30 [available in April] are the brand’s first self-tanner and body sunscreen. La Prairie Cellular Mineral Body Exfoliator gently scrubs skin with amethyst and diamond powder, and the silky gel-like formula leaves a veil of moisture behind. Marni’s first fragrance [available in March] is a feminine, spicy floral with cinnamon and rose notes. I love the artful polka-dot bottle. And leave it to Tom Ford to make the spring’s pink trend incredibly sexy, with ten lipsticks [available in March] that create a sheer veil of dewy color.”

Discovery method: “Right now I have about 75 submissions from the past three weeks sitting in my office. I find some great stuff that way. I also keep an eye out during my travels. I just brought home ten products from Istanbul to experiment with.”

Personal favorites: “I’ve used Nars Sheer Lipstick in Fast Ride for years and years. It’s not a best-seller, but it’s the perfect red. Even though I try every new mascara, I always go back to Trish McEvoy High Volume. It never smudges, and you can pile it on without it clumping. And I use M-61 Vitablast C to brighten my skin. It sounds self-serving since it’s my own line, but I’m not alone—it’s actually the fourth-best-selling product at Bluemercury.”

Greatest hit: “Thirteen years ago, Acqua di Parma sent me their Colonia fragrance. It was back when that was the only one they offered. I fell in love with it immediately.”

Biggest flop: “I’m 90 percent vegan, and natural and organic products are my pet category. It’s a challenge to educate customers on the purity of the formulas. Also, we all want to eat healthfully, but we stray. The same behavior happens with these products.”

Next big things: “ReVive Glycolic Renewal Peel Professional System [available in April] uses glycolic acid, which is a great exfoliator, but tends to irritate sensitive skin. This formula is still potent, but it feels soothing, even if it’s applied every day. You can use it in the morning, right before putting on your makeup, and it won’t make your skin red. Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Even Finish Compact Foundation [available in March] gives skin a dewy finish. I’m saying grandma is back, because we’re seeing a ton of new powders and compact foundations, only now they’re creamy and luminescent.”

Discovery method: “A lot of people don’t know that Sephora was inspired by the success of duty-free shops in France. Lots of beauty junkies work in our stores, and they’re always searching for the next big thing. My team and I discovered Ciate nail polish in London early on, and it’s been a huge success.”

Personal favorites: “Josie Maran Argan Oil is one of my staples. I’m on a plane every week, and it keeps my skin moisturized and healthy. Givenchy Noir Couture 4 in 1 Mascara does everything—it makes my lashes look so long and thick, it’s unreal—and my go-to lip product is Fresh Sugar Coral Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15. It’s a sheer, sherbet-y nude that brightens up my complexion.”

Greatest hits: “Six years ago, Make Up For Ever was still relatively obscure. We knew that if clients saw how amazing the color range was, as makeup artists already had, it would be a huge hit. Now it’s one of Sephora’s top brands. Perfume rollerballs have been a big success for us, too—they used to be a gift with purchase, then Stella McCartney started making them. Now we sell over 80 different rollerball fragrances.”

Biggest flop: “BB creams didn’t take off right away. We were the first U.S. retailer to carry one in 2011—specifically, Dr. Jart BB cream from Korea—but there was a lot of confusion around the concept at first.”

Next big things: “Electric shades like tangerine and saturated lip colors in matte reds and pinks are hot makeup trends for 2013. No question. Givenchy Le Rouge Lipstick [available in March] gives you high-pigment, long-wearing matte color in just one swipe. The case is leather and so cool-looking, and select shades come with matching nail polish. We’re also excited about a completely new category: tinted lip oils that also treat fine lines around the mouth. Bite Beauty just launched its Cinnamon Plumping Lip Oil, a soft red shade with hydrating argan oil and the antioxidant resveratrol. BB creams are evolving into multitasking CC creams that give slightly more coverage and have targeted skin-care treatment ingredients, like vitamin C for brightening. You’re going to see innovations in that area from Sephora Collection, Smashbox, and Ole Henriksen.”

Discovery method: “We have the ability to nurture new talent, so people come knocking on my door every day. The worthy innovators create something that’s better than anything available out there, and working with them is fabulous.”

Personal favorites: “Makeup artist Terry de Gunzburg thought a moisturizing face powder would be great—I mean, why wouldn’t you? That’s why By Terry Hyaluronic Face Powder is unlike anything else—it’s a powder with moisturizing hyaluronic acid and a matte satin finish. My other obsession is Kevyn Aucoin Beauty The Eye Shadow Single. A lot of neutral shadows look too pink or chalky, but these have a hint of yellow that blends perfectly with your skin.”

Greatest hit: “London plastic surgeon Marko Lens used me as a sounding board when developing Zelens skin care. His PHA Bio-Peel Resurfacing Pads exfoliate with polyhydroxy acid, which is tolerated by even the most sensitive skin. And they go on in just one swipe. You don’t have to bother with a second neutralizing step.”

Biggest flops: “I opened London’s first juice bar inside Space NK in 1993. I couldn’t get anyone to drink the stuff! I was way too early on the trend. I think I’ll leave juices to the Organic Avenues of the world.”

Next big things: “Facialist Eve Lom is currently working on foundation, tinted moisturizer, and concealers. Her new line will come in a wide range of shades and glow-inducing textures—I’m not allowed to reveal too much just yet, but it’s loaded with skin-care benefits. Also, the ReAura—a handheld laser from Philips that uses a gentler version of Fraxel—is revolutionizing at-home gadgets. It treats fine lines, evens skin texture, reduces age spots, and boosts radiance. I know it sounds like a marketing gimmick, but it’s not—it’s pending FDA approval, and it’s already selling extremely well at Space NK stores in Europe. Also, African Botanics Marula Cleansing Oil and Marula Face Mask [available this fall] contain a high concentration of marula oil, an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant botanical from South Africa. It’s a hot topic among R&D experts. It has the potential to be the next argan oil.”

Discovery method: “I used to work in music, and I find the coolest products the same way I used to find the best bands: by being immersed in the industry and networking constantly. But to be honest, I couldn’t tell you what’s up-and-coming in music anymore.”

Personal favorites: “I’m not proud of this, but on the rare occasion that I go out late wearing Uslu Airlines lipstick, it’s still on the next morning. It never fades unevenly. I’m pretty obsessed with Sachajuan Volume Powder, too; it’s the best dry shampoo.”

Greatest hit: “Brad Biophotonic Skin Care has products with fermented exfoliating acids that come in sleek violet glass bottles, which keep UV light from degrading the formulas. I found the line in a Hong Kong department store, but it turns out that Brad is actually from Los Angeles.”

Biggest flop: “I love facial-cleansing oils, but no one else did. It was too counterintuitive.”

Next big things: “No one knows this yet, but we are going to import Rouge Bunny Rouge skin care from Russia later this year. The Seraphic Veil Moisturizer has a spongy texture that I’m obsessed with. It makes my skin so soft and radiant, it’s insane. Verso, a skin-care line from Sweden, uses a proprietary form of vitamin A that’s eight times stronger than retinol but won’t irritate sensitive skin. I haven’t seen anything else like it—and it will be available in March. I’m really an eye-cream freak. I’ve been testing Brad Biophotonic eye cream [available this year] for the past six months. It’s more hydrating than the others I’ve tried, and it has the most gorgeous opalescent purple color. And the body treatment I’m excited about isn’t a cream but a new serum—Sans Body Serum [available in May]—with serious anti-aging ingredients, like peptides and antioxidants. Lastly, hair colorist Christophe Robin created a sea-salt scrub for the scalp. It feels amazing, and it takes the itch out after you get your color done.”

Discovery method: “I buy a lot of beauty products at boutiques, high-end stores, and salons—I know, rough job—and go to trade shows like Cosmoprof in Italy. But I have to be careful. There are great brands that aren’t ready to do business on our scale or in the U.S. If they have enough interest, they usually work with us to make it happen.”

Personal favorites: “I really can’t live without my Ramy Perfect Brow Wand. It’s got a brow pencil and highlighter—I call it my magic stick.”

Greatest hit: “I fell in love with Minus 417, a skin-care brand with Dead Sea minerals, several years ago at Cosmoprof. No one had heard of it in the U.S. We started demo-ing the Miracle Immediate Wrinkle Filler at Duane Reade Look Boutiques. You literally watch wrinkles disappear. Customers were hooked.”

Biggest flop: “We all have flops, but it’s not always that you picked wrong. Some small brands don’t have the funding to succeed; other times you hit on a trend before customers are ready. I don’t consider those -failures—you have to 
keep trying.”

Next big things: “Scunci Hair Chalk from Conair makes it easy to experiment with trendy hair colors. It looks like a flatiron, but instead of straightening hair, it deposits temporary streaks of colorful chalk. Tini Beauty Nailtini Manicure Kit is the first 3-D nail art available at Look Boutiques. It gives nails a cool beaded texture like you’d get from a salon manicure.”