Takeaways from 25th WWD Beauty CEO Summit

Baird’s Beauty & Wellness team recently attended the 25th WWD CEO Summit in New York. Given that this was the 25th anniversary of the first such event, the conference was full of reflections on how the beauty industry has evolved over the last quarter century. Some of the most notable themes throughout the two day event are outlined below:

1. GenZ: just how different are they from the rest of us?
2. Brick & mortar: keys to success are to find the right partners and to make shopping an experience
3. Med spas: more welcoming than a doctor’s office, but more personal than a makeup bar
4. The science of beauty: the lab is the hottest testing ground today
5. When it comes to beauty regimens, increasingly simple can be special, and less can be more
6. Amazon has finally emerged as a highly relevant channel for prestige beauty