The beauty and cosmetics industry has long focused on marketing to a narrow demographic of homogeneous women. However, social media and greater acceptance of non-binary gender identities and gender presentations are challenging the beauty industry to be more diverse and inclusive. Younger generations are abandoning conventional notions of gender and social media platforms are spurring the democratization of beauty that allows for transcending gender-based beauty boundaries and for consumers across the gender spectrum to emerge as the creative directors of their own beauty without corporate brands dictating how they should look. Our panel of queer beauty experts and bloggers will discuss how these changes are are impacting the landscape of the beauty and cosmetics industry.

Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.