Twist-up stick formats, known as multi sticks or multi-balms, that can be applied to the lips, cheeks, skin or hands have become staple products in the 2-minute makeup bag, favoured for their convenience. In South Korea, stick formats have been dubbed 'un-tact beauty' as their application avoids direct contact with hands, which accelerated their appeal during the Covid-19 crisis. The cost of living crisis will further the allure of stick formats as they become a smart way to reduce the number of products purchased.

K-beauty brand Kahi has seen searches for its Wrinkle Bounce Multi Balm go from 100,000 in 2021, to 12 million in one year. It offers four multi-purpose skincare stick-balms and has expanded its multitasking formats to make-up. The all-over highlighter and KissTin Balm is a tinted format that can be used as a coloured lipbalm, blusher and eyeshadow, offering value for money. The product features ingredients such as its patented salmon complex, shisandra berry, gromwell root, gardenia and turmeric extract.

How to action this: think cross-category. The possibilities for stick formats are broad, from an all-over moisturiser that also functions as a brow gel to a haircare tool for slicking away flyaways and taming beards, so highlight all the ways your product can be used as an efficient, all-in-one alternative that helps save on multiple, individual purchases. MiMC One's (Japan) Styling Herb Balm comes in black, dark brown and clear, and is designed to cover grey hair and touch-up flyaways while delivering scalp- and hair-nourishing benefits.

Leverage the desire for sustainability and cost saving with refillable stick formats, such a LA-based brand Bite's refillable deodorant sticks. Explore zero-waste packaging. Papr’s (US) The Everything Stick is a multi-purpose moisturiser packaged in 100% PCR paper that can be home-composted.

Value-focused consumers want both quantity and quality. Tapping into the trend for FUNctionals, products that deliver multiple applications or tools without compromising efficacy will appeal, saving money and sparking small moments of joy. Luxcrime's (Indonesia) 4-in-1 brush set is a smart design. Comprising a foundation brush, eyeshadow and blending and creasing blush in a single, compact format, it makes on-the-go touch-ups easy. Similarly, Ilia's Multi-Stick Face Palette features the US brand's best-selling shades in a buildable, solid texture that can be applied and blended onto the cheeks, eyes or lips using just fingers; no separate brush is needed.

How to action this: as supply chain disruptions continue to contribute to rising unit prices and material shortages, combining multiple hero products in one smart format is a sensible solution for brands, enabling them to meet consumer demand and keep costs low. This is also an opportunity to revisit packaging designs and formats to reduce manufacturing and shipping costs.

Create simple, compact, lightweight designs that have added functionality. Alleyoop (US) is a master of multi-functional formats. The Pen Pal is a 4-in-1 touch-up pen that is an eyeliner, lip liner, brow pencil and highlighter in an easy-to-use click pen format. Customers can choose between three flattering palettes, with each pen featuring four coloured liners, such as black eyeliner, taupe brow liner, nude pink lip liner and champagne highlighter.

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