{
  "id": 13872463,
  "title": "How Brands Can Get Category Expansion Right",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/how-brands-can-get-category-expansion-right",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-12T04:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business of Fashion",
    "slug": "business-of-fashion",
    "url": "https://www.businessoffashion.com/case-studies/beauty/how-brands-can-get-category-expansion-right/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Most beauty companies launch with a single product category, be it skincare, makeup, fragrance or hair care. However, expanding into multiple categories is the industry's North Star for longevity. A diverse product lineup can safeguard against the cyclical beauty market, and brands are aggressively venturing into uncharted territories to align with evolving consumer preferences. Yet, expanding beyond a core category isn't without pitfalls. Companies driven by investor or retailer pressure may hastily develop their product lines in response to trends, often leading to confusion and eroded brand equity. David Schneidman, consumer and retail managing director at Alvarez & Marsal, advises that startups should first build a strong foundation for their core products before venturing into new territories. The frenzy following the success of Rhode's Glazing Milk Hydrating Ceramide Facial Essence has resulted in a flood of milky toners, while Drunk Elephant's D-Bronzi drops sparked a wave of bronzer drops. Brands that enter new segments purposefully and set trends typically perform better. Summer Fridays spearheaded a lip gloss resurgence with its Lip Butter Balm, which positioned the brand as a skincare product initially, boosting consumer trust. Despite facing competition from skincare and makeup brands, the label continues to expand its lip product line. Supplement maker The Nue Co. ventured into fragrance, hair care brand Odele added body mists to its range, skincare company Medicube introduced body and hair care products, and Marc Jacobs Beauty resurrected its makeup line after a decade of fragrance-only offerings. Each brand carefully analyzed market demand and aligned it with their unique identity to decide the next category to enter, embracing existing trends or deviating from conventional expansion norms.",
  "summary": "Successfully launching a new beauty segment can bring brands fast growth as well as longevity. But in an era of chasing viral trends and hype, companies need to balance quick product development with a coherent point of view, or risk losing their identity entirely.",
  "key_points": [
    "Most beauty companies start with a single product category.",
    "Expanding beyond core category can lead to brand equity erosion.",
    "Successful category expansion requires purposeful strategy and market analysis."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Diversifying product lineups offers beauty brands essential protection against market cycles, provided they prioritize brand identity and consumer trust over reactive expansions driven by fleeting industry trends.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Business of Fashion",
        "title": "BoF Professional Masterclass | How Brands Can Get Category Expansion Right",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/bof-professional-masterclass-how-brands-can-get-category-expansion",
        "published": "2026-10-12T04:30:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}