By Michelle Leissner The $532 billion global market for cosmetics may be glowing, but it doesn’t make up for the fact that even for the biggest brands, the competition is not pretty. Shiny new products emerge by the minute, targeting an increasingly diverse population of buyers whose options seem almost limitless. Is it even possible in 2018 America, to ever be more than a lipstick’s throw away from a makeup counter? But for all of the seemingly insatiable demand for skin that glows, eyelashes that plump, and an infinite palette of substances to apply to our cheeks, lips and eyelids, cosmetic buyers are finicky consumers. They won’t give you a chance to make them look good unless you make them feel good first. And why shouldn’t they be choosy, with acres of products to choose from? If you’re a brand manager with a budget big enough to bag an A-list…
Today our health, wellness and beauty have never had more of a premium. Beauty is a super-power for our self-expression and we have never had such a wealth of knowledge, experience and product available to us to suit our individual needs and changing styles. But the real future of the beauty and personal care category will be driven by a much deeper knowledge and two-way dialogue with its consumers. 
