New SPF and Lip Launches are Catapulting Skin Care’s Buzziest Brands on Social, Data Shows
Call it the summer of SPF.
While it’s typical for a wave of SPF launches to land during the warmer-weather months, the category is seeing heightened momentum this year thanks to increased consumer adoption and a slew of buzzy, first-time entrants — Glow Recipe, Sol de Janeiro and Drunk Elephant among them.
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In fact, data from Traackr indicates that the majority of the top 10 skin care brands by VIT (or brand vitality score, a metric which measures a brand’s social media impact, reach and trust) in May benefited from launches in either sun care or the ever-growing lip care category.
“It’s important to plan out your influencer marketing strategy to align with predictable seasonal content trends,” said Kayla Quock, director of brand marketing at Traackr, adding that while skin care is second only to fragrance in terms of overall category VIT growth, “spring is a slower season for skin care, as it’s sandwiched between two seasons — winter and summer — that often see specialized skin care product launches.”
It was self-tanning brand, Tan-Luxe, which took the top spot by VIT in May after inaugurating a limited-edition launch and campaign with its first celebrity collaborator, Paris Hilton. Though data indicates the brand had been seeing steady growth in social media momentum for months, the collaboration bolstered its VIT in May to 22,100 — up 77 percent versus April.
Glow Recipe, meanwhile, nabbed an impactful mix of organic and sponsored mentions for its new Watermelon Glow SPF stick from creators including Monica Hamada, Alexa Johnson and Katie Fang, noted Quock; Neutrogena looked to male fitness influencers like Ashten Barnes (@itsashtenbarnes) and Michael Archer (@_kingarcher) to promote its new sport SPF spray.
Laneige and Summer Fridays, number four and number six on the ranking, respectively, both benefited from new additions to their respective lip balm franchises — the former recruiting Alix Earle for the launch of its blueberry and mango Lip Glowy Balm launches.
The top 10 skin care brands by VIT in May, per Traackr.
1. Tan-Luxe
VIT: 22,100
Top-mentioned product: Paris Hilton x Tan-Luxe Airbrush 360 Self-tan Mist
2. Glow Recipe
VIT: 16,400
Top product: Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Balm SPF 45
3. Sol de Janeiro
VIT: 15,900
Top product: Rio Radiance SPF 50 collection, Bum Bum Cream
4. Laneige
VIT: 15,800
Top product: Lip Glowy Balm in new Blueberry and Mango flavors
5. Neutrogena
VIT: 15,400
Top product: Ultimate Sport Body Spray Sunscreen
6. Summer Fridays
VIT: 14,300
Most recent launch: Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm in Iced Coffee
7. Skkn by Kim
VIT: 13,400
Most recent launch: Skkn by Kim Resurfacing Mask
8. Drunk Elephant
VIT: 13,000
Most recent launch: Drunk Elephant’s new Umbra Tinte Mineral Crème SPF 30/PA+++
9. Peace Out Skincare
VIT: 12,500
Most recent launch: Peace Out Skincare Redness + Clarifying Mist
10. Fenty Skin
VIT: 11,700
Most recent launch: Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor Huez SPF 30 Tinted Moisturizer
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