NEW YORK, May 6 ― At this week's Met Gala, Alicia Keys unveiled a line that goes beyond a makeup collection: the new hybrid line bridges skincare and makeup. It's a growing phenomenon in the cosmetics industry, capitalising on the trend for holistic beauty, with a host of eyeshadows, lipsticks, foundations, and other blushes formulated for skin health.

In 2016, singer Alicia Keys was one of the first public figures to opt to go makeup-free, preferring to care for her skin rather than cover it with artifice, a statement of self-affirmation. It's a choice that has become not exactly common, but much more frequent six years later, boosted by the pandemic and the necessity of wearing a mask as well as a desire to embrace a more authentic beauty. Over on TikTok it even got controversial, with followers of the 'no-makeup' hashtag denouncing filters and retouching in favor of natural shots.

So when the singer of "If I Ain't Got You” unveiled her first collection of makeup during Monday night's Met Gala, a year after launching her brand of skincare, Keys Soulcare, reviews have poured onto the social networks. Except that the artist is not denying making a beauty statement, on the contrary, she now fuses skincare and color, in a kind of hybrid makeup "that nurtures and celebrates what makes you, you,” as the Instagram account for the brand points out.

This first 'color-skincare' collection, simply called "Make You,” consists of a handful of products formulated to take care of the skin, while giving it that touch of pep that is sometimes missing for those who have given up on makeup. The aim is to allow women ― and men ― to define their own beauty standards. Key products include a transparent gel for smoothing and defining eyebrows, a nourishing and moisturizing blush, and a nourishing lip balm in vitamin-rich shades. And of course it was Alicia Keys herself who presented the first look from this collection.

Skincare-makeup, a long-term trend

But the American singer is not the only one betting on multi-tasking makeup, or 2-in- products; several brands have recently got into this niche market, with items suited to a new routine that puts together beauty, health, and well-being. It's the very concept of holistic beauty, which offers a plethora of real advantages, including saving time and money, not to mention a reduction in packaging that comes along with these types of products.

Eclo, a relatively new French brand, takes this idea even further, offering makeup that aims to be natural from formulations to packaging, concocted from ingredients selected for their ability to regenerate soil and care for the skin: hemp, rye, and seaweed. A lipstick, a blush, and an eyeshadow, offered in a wide range of colors, already make up this collection, which should soon be expanding, given the success of the crowdfunding campaign launched on Ulule.

If over a decade ago, the emergence of BB creams paved the way for this phenomenon, the pandemic has clearly accelerated the shift to the all-in-one concept in the world of makeup. Complexion creams, tinted serums, complexion enhancers, and lip oils are all a product of this trend, which permits a growing number of consumers to no longer have to choose between makeup and (natural) skin beauty. A good compromise, in short, which should continue gaining fans around the world. ― ETX Studio