Maximalist Makeup: Kitty's Gyaru-Inspired Aesthetic and Market Insights

Describing her complex make-up routine, Kitty uses multiple steps to achieve a colorful and unique look. Inspired by Japanese techniques, she focuses on bold colors and sharp shapes designed to visually enlarge the eyes. "It is very maximalist because it’s a lot of fun colours, a lot of sharp shapes," she notes.

One significant frustration for Kitty is the scarcity of strong, pure colors in mainstream cosmetics. While she utilizes MAC single eyeshadows for white detailing, she wishes for a more extensive range of shades. "A lot of brands don’t do pure colours anymore. There’s a lot of just beiges and browns," she expresses.

The exaggerated eye shape in her make-up is a nod to Japanese aesthetics, featuring vivid colors and graphic designs. For Kitty, make-up transcends conventional beauty norms; it is about creativity and enjoyment.

Unlike her younger days spent watching tutorials, Kitty now confidently develops her own techniques. She enjoys experimenting with products in unconventional ways, stating, "I really like to experiment with products, putting them in places they’re not normally supposed to be."

Despite advancements in beauty technology, Kitty prefers shopping in-store. She finds value in the tactile experience of testing products before purchase, assessing aspects like color, texture, and wear. "I’d rather try it on in person, see how the colour looks, see the texture and the wear of it," she affirms.

Kitty’s shopping habits reflect a strong preference for physical stores, particularly for unconventional shades integral to her style. Her dream product is a colorful lip kit offering shades beyond traditional reds and pinks. She imagines matching lipsticks and liners in playful shades like blue, green, and purple, packaged creatively like a crayon box. "I’d love for there to be a lip kit where you had a lipstick and a lip liner, but they were the same colour," she shares.

At present, Kitty often resorts to face paint or cosmetic paint to find unique lipstick shades. Her experiences highlight a significant gap in the colour cosmetics market, as she seeks brands that cater to consumers wanting more than neutral options. A broader spectrum of unconventional pigments and formats could encourage more creative exploration in make-up.

Key insights suggest that maximalist consumers yearn for bolder colors, while Japanese aesthetics continue to inspire creative beauty users. Physical retail remains crucial for those wanting hands-on product testing, and matching lip products in diverse shades present a promising opportunity for the industry.