How Companies Are Seizing The Accessible Democratization Movement

Democratization And Accessibility Lessons For Global Brands

An industry that is riding the rails of this positive moment in democratization is the global skincare market, which is expected to grow from $393B in 2024 to $758B by 2032 across all channels.

Take a look at what online platforms are doing to drive growth in the health, beauty and wellness sectors. Big and small brands are shifting to DTC engagement with consumers and influencers to augment retail—and build new categories of revenue. And with the immense draw of #GRWM (Get Ready With Me), skincare routine videos popularized by influencers and young emerging companies are in the driver’s seat of next-gen brand adoption.

This democratization and adoption trend is happening across social media platforms including YouTube. But TikTok, with its engaging short-form, celebrity and influencer infused videos, has moved ahead—influencing and curating billions in sales for small businesses (SMBs). The parent company conducted a study, with Oxford Economics, stating that SMB’s generated over $14B in revenue on its platform last year. Yes I now, even though this sites company data, the trend seems clear.

This 2024 Global Beauty Analysis report points to a shifting brand and retail landscape—and how consumer expectations and preferences are driving the next-wave of growth. It states the U.S. market is characterized by diversity, “with a wide range of ethnic backgrounds and skin types, American consumers are experimental, willing to try new, more personalized products and brands—especially those endorsed by celebrities or influencers.”

One company seizing these trends with an entirely different approach, than the mass-market brans is Curology Inc. Founded in 2014, the company is a pioneer in personalized skincare, delivering prescription and derm-backed solutions that transform patients’ skin. I talked with the company’s CEO, Heather Wallace, about how they carved out their growth niche and if they are headed toward the mass-market. “As a dermatologist-founded company, medical rigor and patient care have always been the backbone of everything we do. While we were born online with our telehealth services, we are focused on making smart investments to maintain and build our customer base well beyond the nearly 6 million patients who already trust us.”

Bringing Next-Gen Products To Mass-Market Platforms

A major piece of Curology’s strategy is to continue evolving its offering to meet consumers where they are, making dermatological care more affordable, personal and accessible to the rest of us. With a pro-grade customer base, they are expanding into omnichannel retail to make its dermatologist-designed, non-prescription products even more accessible to a wider range of consumers.

The expansion strategy seems to be paying off with big retail location numbers. As of 2023, Curology was the no. 1 facial skincare launch at Target over the last 4 years. This year, they launched on Amazon, and announced partnerships with some of the biggest retailers. In July 2024, Curology announced its launch in CVS Pharmacy Stores nationwide, and recently announced they will be in Walmart stores across the U.S. Walace commented, “With Walmart known for its Everyday Low Prices, this retail launch allows us to make dermatologist-approved, effective skincare products accessible to a broader set of consumers.”

Accessible And Transparent Brand DNA

When I asked about examples with CTL, I was fascinated by some of the offerings his company has to help clients reboot the imbalance of power and bolster the supply chain with technological innovation.

One such initiative we discussed, “Factories of the Future”, is an interesting example of how digital manufacturing can streamline production. Tech Mahindra recently collaborated with a leading Indian multinational car manufacturer that faced a critical need for end-to-end IT, digital manufacturing, and automation implementation at a scale unmatched in the industry. The company deployed a $40 million complex Manufacturing Execution System (MES) and IT infrastructure across a 230-acre site, supporting 20 large manufacturing shops spread across 700 acres. This solution integrated advanced digital manufacturing and simulation technologies, including BOM Management, Factory 3-D Layouts, and Logistics Planning, enabling seamless real-time operations. By leveraging modern network architecture and the Internet of Things (IoT), production processes can be transformed into more flexible and efficient systems.

With supply chains rocked by unprecedented disruptions, it is also imperative to build resilient supply chains of the future, powered by the precision of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Traditionally, supply chain operations have relied on manual, spreadsheet-based analytics, making them vulnerable to errors and inefficiencies. These are now being transformed by integrating AI-driven forecasting models that drastically reduce errors. That beats old spreadsheets.

Through AI, Mahindra and others are enabling enterprises to relocate production closer to key markets, reducing over-dependence on single sources, and maintaining competitive cost-efficiency. What’s important is having AI-powered enterprise resource planning systems that simplify decision-making and ensure the right information is available at the right time—allowing operators to make swift, agile, and informed decisions.

Democratization Meets Conscious Consumers

Consumer behavior is reshaping in 2024. There’s a lot to choose from, too much technology and a lot more thought put into our wellness—putting us in an overwhelming Paradox of Plenty. The health, beauty, and wellness industry is being driven, in large part, by younger consumers who are focused on authenticity, transparency, and a strong digital presence.

Younger consumer expectations are influencing how big brands need to step up their accessibility and transparency, for example how they disclose ingredient information. Young brands are seizing this moment across sectors, from food to household products. Randi Shinder, CEO of SBLA, agrees, “Brands harnessing the power of science and biotechnology owe consumers deeper educational context. Upping the information game is more than just smart branding, it’s a responsibility to make science accessible in beauty and personal care.”

No matter your generation, boomer to Z, there’s no denying the growing popularity and emphasis on self-care. Whether mental or physical, we’re in an era of embracing taking care of ourselves. That looks different for every individual. The big-dog brands in all sectors, that recognize this, genuinely address it, and provide accessible options will be the ones who keep customers coming back, no matter what era—or Taylor Swift album—we’re in.