Astrological marketing: How brands monetize mystical thinking and when should they not be trusted?

It’s getting harder and harder to be skeptical these days. Especially when esotericism permeates every aspect of our lives, including the fashion and beauty industry. How did astrology marketing come about and why is it making millions for brands?

How did it all start?

A new wave of interest in astrology emerged about five years ago. In 2019, investors evaluated how profitable the esoteric services market could be and began investing in various astrological initiatives. According to Google Trends, the pandemic has only contributed to their development. Searches for “natal chart” and “astrology” hit five-year peak in 2020.

One of the first to set the astrology trend in the beauty industry was the ColourPop brand. In 2018, she released a collection of cosmetics dedicated to the zodiac signs. The palette of shadows had twelve colors named after each zodiac sign. The year immediately after Dior launched the Zodiac collection, which consists of bags, scarves and sweaters all with an astrological theme.

In addition to cosmetics, clothes and jewelry, astro prediction applications began to appear. One of the most popular is Co-Star. The app calculates your natal chart, then talks about your character and traits and makes predictions every day. Moreover, you will be able to invite your friends there and then see how your “stars” connect with this or that person today. In 2019, astrology practice revenue exceeded $40 million.

In 2019, Spotify released “cosmic playlists” created specifically for each zodiac sign with an astrologer. And the list doesn’t even end there. Cafes where you can order the Tarot layout with a cup of coffee are becoming more popular day by day.

There are many examples like this, but they all speak of one thing: astrology is a definite trend that is firmly entrenched in every aspect of our lives. And astrology marketing is a strategy that more and more brands are choosing to gain attention and approval among millennials and a younger audience of zoom enthusiasts.

Why does astrological marketing work?

The appeal of Astro products lies in their customization. A scented candle or pendant for Leo will be different from the same product for Scorpio. Each element has its own unique design with which we associate ourselves and feel that we belong to a particular group, in this case a particular zodiac sign.

A great example is MAC Cosmetics eyeshadow palettes for each of the twelve zodiac signs. Or scented candles, the design and color of which is specially chosen for each sign.

Some brands take a simpler route and create collections on an astrological theme, but customize the design for each element – Fire, Water, Air and Earth. For example, so is Vivienne Sabo. The brand has launched a line of four magic shadow palettes, each containing 12 colors.

What’s next – moon phase cosmetics?

However, there is a line in astrology marketing where some brands pursue profits. For example, blogger brand Liza Lash Beauty recently offered a collection of 12 cleansers in the form of planets corresponding to each zodiac sign. The founder of the brand, Lisa Lusch, says that the cleansing spheres will make you feel special as well as completing the facial care. It is true, the only difference between the products is their colors. But the fact that the compositions of the products are the same is at least alarming, because the type and needs of the skin do not depend on the date of birth, and it is foolish to ignore it.

Some beauty brands go even further and address the planetary impact on the skin. This year British brand Inlight Beauty launched a 28-day lunar cycle facial kit. Contains four numbered serum bottles for each week of the month.

And yet we remind you that astrology is a pseudoscience. Therefore, it is better to choose care products according to your needs and skin type, and not according to the phase of the sign or moon. This does not apply to decorative cosmetics – an eyeshadow palette for Aquarius or a lipstick for Capricorn is a harmless example of astrological marketing.