BEAUTY
Skincare as Makeup, or Makeup as Skincare? Hybrid Beauty Continues to Rise
By: Megan Petrik Edited by: Caroline DiNitto
Courtesy of Sephora
You may have heard of popular hybrid beauty items like the Drunk Elephant Bronzing Drops on TikTok, with trending influencers like Alix Earle and Kylie Larsen promoting the product. Beauty companies like Drunk Elephant are marketing their products as both skincare and makeup – and consumer interest in hybrid beauty is growing. According to Mintel, consumers’ shrinking budgets and focus on clean products are sparking their focus on essentials and driving a more simplistic beauty routine following the COVID-19 pandemic. And it makes sense – the word “hybrid” popped into our world in 2020 and became a multifaceted explanation for hybrid learning in school, among other things like hybrid cars.
However, the origin of hybrid beauty dates back to the rise of Blemish Balm Creams, known as BB Creams, in Korea during the early 2000s. BB cream is a foundation product that offers minimal coverage while being gentle on the skin. German dermatologist Dr. Christine Schrammek first developed in Germany for her patients to use after intense skin treatments, like chemical peels and laser surgeries, to reduce inflammation and provide coverage. Though she developed the BB cream in 1967, it didn’t take off until the early 2000s, when 30 years later, BB cream became popular throughout Asia. Korean celebrities heavily promoted the product, attributing it to their flawless skin and calling it a “miracle cream.” The hybrid beauty product quickly made its way to the United States, and the trend has only evolved with time.
A notable attribute of hybrid products is the simplification of people’s beauty routines. The “clean girl” aesthetic influences this trend, as combining skincare and makeup minimizes the number of products, making beauty a multitasking and healthy affair. Hybrid products are convenient for users and reveal the younger generation’s concern with overconsumption. Also, the “clean girl” aesthetic is so persistent in beauty trends that it’s influencing beauty standards. Just last month, Pamela Anderson demonstrated this changing perception of beauty as she wore no makeup to Paris Fashion Week but got much praise for her natural look.
Courtesy of Allure
Previously, the beauty industry profited heavily from pinpointing many specific concerns in women’s skin and makeup routines. There were countless products intended for each step of a hefty process. Now, brands are marketing and launching products that claim to address a previous wrong through makeup and skincare synergy.
Vogue recently shared best-selling hybrid products, such as Kosas’ Revealer Concealer, Ilia’s Limitless Lash Mascara, Jones Road’s Miracle Balm, and Victoria Beckham Beauty’s Satin Kajal Liner. These hybrid products' highlighted ingredients are hyaluronic acid, shea butter, jojoba oil, and chamomile extract. The ingredients have known benefits for people’s skin, like reducing redness, providing moisture, and reducing signs of aging. However, the article acknowledges that most hybrid products are just new iterations of old ones, so be wary of buying a new product with the same targeted use as your current product. It is essential to look at all the ingredients in a product to know what you’re putting in or on your body because most of us don’t investigate exactly what constitutes FDA approval or “clean” labels.
If the intent is to find natural products that are healthy for the skin, then hybrid products may not be the first destination. Instead, look for clean beauty brands, such as Merit Beauty or Thrive Causemetics, whose entire brand is pure (made from natural ingredients free from toxic chemicals or synthetic fillers) rather than a few select items.
Still, the most crucial step is to look harder, pushing back against marketing strategies by discovering your information. All marketing caters to lazy viewers, so if you just take a few extra minutes to research brands and ingredients, you are on your way to beating the system and helping your overall health.
While I admire the push away from overconsumption and towards natural ingredients, it’s important to be keenly aware of the products they buy. If you are trying to combat overconsumption, consider researching if it’s worth purchasing an expensive or trending item that will eliminate others, and then search for useful hybrid beauty products. Just buying famous products because they cleverly combine skincare and makeup seems to be counterintuitive if there is no preconceived purpose. Besides, marketing is still marketing, and there is a reason that products go viral on TikTok.

