To make a product a success, sometimes all that’s needed is to
reinvent the basics.

From nail polish and mascara, to blush and eye liner, today’s
companies are reformatting makeup drawer staples by having them follow beauty’s
buzzword-of-the moment: gel.

“Some of the top-selling products are older lines with a
newer twist. Companies are using different formats, like gel, to deliver new
[variations on the classics],” said Karen Grant, Vice President and Global
Beauty Analyst for the NPD Group.

The success of gel manicures
helped pave the way for this lucrative trend, with both mass and prestige
cosmetic companies cashing in on the craze. Products including Bobbi Brown’s
Long Wear Gel Eyeliner, Maybelline’s first gel mousse mascara, Volum’ Express
Mega Plus, and DiorSkin Nude Natural Glow Crème-Gel
Makeup are all hits with today’s consumers.

According to NPD, one of the driving forces behind this
growing phenomenon is that customers want something slightly familiar, as they
are less inclined to take risks with their money these days.

“All spending is a luxury so for some consumers they still
want to feel like they are getting something fresh, new and different, but the
fact is, if the [product] is something that is familiar it seems far less
risky.”