Boom in indie cosmetic players feeds growth in Indonesia

Reflecting the trend behind industry innovation and growth worldwide, particularly in the biggest market in the world, the US, young, on-point brands are emerging at a speed that is hard to keep up with and Indonesian’s consumers are lapping them up.

The big players still have their place in the country, with domestic players such as PT Mustika Ratu and the Martha Tilaar Group and multinationals such as Unilever and L’Oréal still carving out the biggest slice of the market amongst them.

Smaller, younger and more nimble​

However, It is smaller indie companies that are seeing the most rapid rates of expansion, with more nimble and younger teams often being able to hit on the trends that permeate this fast-paced industry.

Those companies include names such as Sugarpill, Morphe, Melt Cosmetics, Jeffree Star Cosmetics, Violet Voss, Makeup Geek, Girlactick, SauceBox Cosmetics, Gerard Cosmetics, EX1, Velour Lashes, ColourPop, Zoeva, Sigma Beauty.

One US-based indie beauty company, Sigma Beauty, has turned to a clever ‘piggybacking’ strategy to expand its presence in the country, after announcing a collaboration with online fashion retailer Zalora, enabling it to tap into the retailers distribution all over the country.

Getting digital strategy right​

What characterizes these Indonesian indie cosmetic companies, as well as similar businesses all over the world, is that they are particularly aggressive online, with marketing campaigns featuring digital retail platforms and social media.

Indeed, one of the driving forces behind the launch of the Beauty Indonesia event, which will be held in Jakarta April 19 – 21, 2017, is the growing importance that the emerging indie brands are having in the Indonesian market.

Show organiser UBM says the B2B event will serve as a platform for innovation, research and development, business growth and education for the entire industry, while specifically platforming indie businesses.

Said to be the first ever trade-only show in the country, it will also have a specific focus on the international industry, as well as platforming industry categories such as natural, beauty salon finished cosmetics and personal care and professional hair, nail and makeup.