How can the beauty world better cater to older women and men? Will social media ‘it girls’ continue maintain their influence over consumers? And are niche brands set to break into the mainstream? Three health and beauty experts give their views on where the sector is heading over the next year.

The beauty industry is obsessed with youthfulness, but with only 3% of women over 40 using make-up to look younger, they’re finding it difficult to relate to many brands. Can Beauty Dossier inspire them to break out of their beauty rut with an online course tailored to a mature market?

Gen X may be overlooked by marketers, but they've impacted everything from music to fashion to politics. Now that they’re in their 40s, they’ve replaced drug-fuelled raves with dinner and diapers – but that doesn't mean they're any less cool, as Tiffanie Darke, author ofNow We Are 40, tells Canvas8.

Women over 45 account for 41% of spending on cosmetics and toiletries. For these women, beauty is an investment, and they are prepared to pay for it. But the majority of products fail to target the issues women face as they grow older. So just what are beauty brands missing?