The big skincare debate: Entertaining versus efficacious skincare
With logistics, warehouse and a team in the US dedicated to the North American marketplace, Réduit delved into developing an in-depth understanding of the US skincare market to ascertain what beauty shoppers craved from delivery devices.
As a result, the beauty delivery brand produced a proprietary enhanced delivery method to tackle ineffective application and unnecessary ingredients used in formulations, which it saw as the industry’s biggest problems, Réduit also gathered insights into
Skincare shopper research
During its research and development phase, Réduit also identified two core types of skincare shoppers: beauty buyers looking for entertaining skincare options and product purchasers seeking highly efficacious skincare solutions.
“We noticed a clear divide between consumers looking at entertaining skin care—those who like the idea of skincare and are excited about the new gadgets on the market—versus those who really ‘desire’ skin health and are educating themselves on ingredients, how to penetrate the skin in the best possible way, and above all, are looking for real results for their skin health,” highlights Paul Peros, CEO of Réduit.
The two leading skincare demands are identified by specific needs and values that consumers seek from their selected brands and products. These traits are at the top of the priority list for skincare shoppers when searching for beauty products.
Describing the characteristics of the two skincare buyers’ demographics, Peros emphasizes that this is depicted by “those who entertain versus those who care”. To appeal to these two consumer demands, beauty brands’ marketing strategies indicate their purpose and messaging.
By communicating directly with their target audiences and listening to their skincare demands, brands can carve out a point of differentiation in the marketplace to forge a competitive advantage as well as individualize specific product lines to reflect what shoppers are looking for from their skincare solutions.
Producing skincare that entertains
Keen to find alluring skincare products and brands that reflect their unique styling, shoppers want entertaining skincare options that mirror beauty insights and keep a close eye on leading trends. “They see the newest fad, the sparkliest product, the influencers’ favorite product of the day and they want it,” relays Peros. “They are the queen bee and have a status to protect so fashionably trending products is what they are looking for,” Peros adds.
Describing these entertaining-seeking skincare consumers as “rebellious” and interested in “status symbols”, Peros highlights: “Above all, they want to look good and if it is trending, they will try it.”
However, attracting these skincare shoppers is not without its challenges as while acquisition is possible by creating engaging marketing campaigns and measuring their metrics to hone their appeal, retention is harder.
“These consumers are much more difficult to retain as they will be onto the newest, coolest product on the market within months,” warns Peros. “They are looking for well-priced, mass-marketed products that promise them immediate results to ensure they are always looking good,” Peros emphasizes.
Producing skincare that shows results
Driven by performance, styling and looking at skincare from the perspective of quality, efficacious-seeking consumers are concerned about results.
Referring to these skincare shoppers as “realists”, Peros characterizes these purchasers as those who “really love their skin, want to buy into future trends, believe traditional skincare is benign, and have a greater concern for skin health and safety versus immediate end results”.
“The realists are the tastemakers of their peer group,” says Peros. “They have a much greater concern for skin health and will expect transparency from brands about the ingredients, as well as where the products come from,” Peros continues.
With skincare an integral part of their lifestyle, consumers want transparency and have a strong appetite for information about ingredient provenance and sourcing, clinical tests and research studies as well as reviews and results from existing consumers.
“These realists want others to seek their expertise when it comes to new products they have never seen before,” says Peros. “They are knowledgeable and the first to jump on new skincare trends that promise enhanced results,” details Peros.
Detailing how skincare brands can tap into their needs, Peros goes on to say: “They are tired of mediocre skincare and very open to the new innovations and technologically advanced options that they have never seen before.”
