The Salon du Luxe podcast delves into the future of the beauty industry and the ongoing battle between digitally native vertical brands (DNVBs) and large corporations. In this year’s edition of the Salon du Luxe Paris, Adrien Garcia interviews Joël Palix, the founder of Palix Unlimited, in a partnership with Plink, a podcast white label creation studio.
Joël Palix highlights the emergence of cosmetic nationalism as a new trend. He points out the rise of local brands in China, India, and Africa that may not have a strong global presence yet but are positioned to benefit from their vast domestic markets in the future. Drawing from his 30 years of experience in the beauty industry, Palix played a crucial role in the establishment of Feelunique, an online platform for beauty product sales. His mission is to provide a wide range of products from around the world to customers who may not have easy access to them. Throughout his career, Palix has witnessed a regionalization of the beauty market. Initially, only France, the United States, and Japan dominated the market, but consumer demand has driven changes and given rise to new players. The K-beauty trend, influenced by knowledgeable Korean consumers, has captivated the beauty world. Another significant trend is the growing preference for local brands and exotic products. Feelunique has successfully tapped into this demand by enabling Chinese consumers to access Western beauty products that are not officially registered in China. These consumers then share their experience with these products on Instagram, embracing the use of exotic beauty items.
Palix highlights the “structural war” between DNVBs and beauty giants that has been fueled by digital platforms. DNVBs are challenging large corporations in their pursuit of a monopoly in the beauty industry. Palix references Huda Beauty, a successful brand from Dubai, whose emergence would have been unimaginable a few years ago. Korean skincare brands have also made an impact on the European market, while independent American brands influenced by Hollywood creativity have gained recognition. Furthermore, the clean beauty movement in the United States has flourished due to fewer regulations on ingredients and formulas in the past. Large corporations have managed to remain in the market by extending their reach with laboratories and creative studios. Perfume is often associated with Paris and its olfactory tradition, while skincare is associated with Asia due to stricter requirements.
DNVBs, born in the digital era, are gradually disrupting the dominance of industry giants by capturing a significant market share. Consumers are passionate about discovering new brands, which has given rise to these successful DNVBs. Palix emphasizes that the beauty industry is highly fragmented, without a monopoly held by any single entity. This challenges big corporations to rethink their strategies. Beauty is becoming both globalized and localized, presenting an opportunity for entrepreneurs who have unique rituals or ingredients and the determination to pursue their vision.
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