Genderless Cosmetics: Fewer Labels for More Success
The expression genderless , or in Portuguese, "without gender", has been taking more and more space in the sectors of commerce, featuring products that do not use gender in the choice of their target audience. This trend comes to revolutionize the market, not only in the cosmetics field, having great acceptance by current generations. Even though some categories within the hygiene and care products are mostly unisex, the difference is noticeable in terms of the advertising of skin care and makeup products, which usually have a female target audience in their campaign, such as fragrances, which for the most part they are sold separately to defined genres through product marketing.
New in the national market and highlighted abroad
Brazil is one of the big players in the cosmetics market, occupying fourth place in the international market in 2018. According to reports by ABIHPEC (Brazilian Association of Personal Hygiene, Perfumery and Cosmetics), in the first two months of 2019, exports in this sector of the country reached the value of US$87.3 million, while the flow of trade from January to February of the same year reached US$202.4 million. Also based on the ABIHPEC report, from January to February 2018 the ranking of cosmetic exporters in Brazil was composed of Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay and Peru, respectively, with Argentina accounting for US$30.7 million in the year in question. Gender-free category products are still a novelty in the Brazilian market, but they seem to be very well received in the US market - where several genderless brands have their birthplace. One example is the Brazilian brand Simple Organic, which, in addition to being a vegan brand, is openly positioned when its products are for "whoever wants to use it". The brand has already won some awards, including the North American Indie Beauty Expo award for best moisturizing lotion, in New York.
However, when dealing with genderless products, it is also important to recognize the cosmetics market aimed at the male public, which, according to Apex-Brasil, will have a growth rate between 2016 and 2021 of 24.7% in the America region Latin. According to data from Sebrae, representing 23% of world sales in 2017, Latin America ranks second in the market for men's beauty and hygiene products in the world, and in Brazil, also in 2017, sales to the male public reached R$19.7 billion, and the forecast is for a growth of 62% of this amount by the year 2022. The issue is that the genderless movement and its adherence by brands seem to directly influence the purchase of cosmetics by the male public . According to the British website FutureThinking, based on a survey carried out and published by them, among men aged 18 to 24, 41% of them would be interested in adopting routines and obtaining body and facial care products if the product's marketing is neutral as to genre.
We have already had many renowned brands launching genderless cosmetics, including Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton, and even Brazilian ones, such as O Boticário and Natura. A movement that has been growing more and more and receiving more support, which is consolidating in Brazil with new national brands joining the company, as mentioned above, while it is already more advanced in the international market, being a great investment opportunity for export. In addition to being a standout feature of the brand within a market that is going through this transition, genderless cosmetics they have a larger target audience, a cause to support, a wider reach and a lot of room for development within the commercial sector.
The importance of assistance from an international consultancy
The genderless market is a current, innovative market with different aspects within the cosmetics area. For less risky and more successful investments, the process of internationalizing a brand and exporting its products must be done carefully. A detailed analysis of the market is necessary for a more sensible direction, through the international consultancy, which will also help with the tariff barriers and bureaucracies found along the way, creating a personalized strategic planning with great results for the product in question.
By Mariah Piero on 05/27/2020
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