What do skincare consumers want?

First, we presented respondents with a list of eight possible skincare goals (a healthy glow, natural
appearance, radiance, smooth texture, youthful appearance, even complexion, reduced redness and
overall/holistic wellness). They were asked to choose the five they most wanted to achieve in their own skincare
regimes and to rank them in order of importance. The goal that scored highest was “natural skin appearance”,
which was important to 77% of consumers, with 22% ranking it in the first place. Interestingly, men were slightly
more likely than women to rate naturality as an important
skincare goal (82% compared to 74%). The next most important goal was smooth texture, which
76% of survey respondents ranked in their top five, followed by healthy glow (72%), youthful appearance
(64%), even complexion (61%), overall/holistic wellness (56%), radiance (53%) and reduced redness (37%).

The findings confirm that “glow” is a key goal for skincare consumers, and also suggest that they are more likely to
use the term than “radiance”. The results are also in line with previous research on the growing importance of
naturality and the diminishing appeal of simply appearing younger. As one commentator has put it:

“The trend to aspire to [look] ten years younger is gradually being eclipsed by the
desire for a healthy, natural, youthful glow.”

This is also a key finding for manufacturers sourcing ingredients for skincare products because a consumer
who is focused on achieving naturality is also likely to want products containing natural ingredients.