Beauty care marketing: the ever expanding natural market
Note to beauty care marketers – the more we learn about certain ingredients that are common in skincare and cosmetic products (from Sulfates to Parabens to Benzoyl Peroxide), the more we want to avoid them all together! Rather than give up our entire beauty regimen, we’re reading labels and making more natural choices to bypass toxic ingredients.
Living in a generation post a chemical revolution that allowed Americans to have whatever they want, whenever they want for marginal prices, millennials are reacting to the lack of transparency on potentially hazardous ingredients that women in our mother’s generations didn’t even bat an eye out. My mom often jokes about how they would chase the DDT truck that drove through their neighborhood spraying for bugs. For real! But, times are changing, and we are moving forward with the kind of knowledge that our parent’s did not have regarding the effects of synthetic ingredients on our bodies.
In a recent study, surveyors found that over half of women (54%) are checking labels on their skincare products and buying accordingly. The study also highlights that the skincare segment is the most important for products that include natural ingredients within the category of beauty. Interestingly enough, women are willing to pay more for the peace of mind that natural and safe ingredients bring. This factor marks a departure from the trend of brands racing to be the lowest price point. As with the food industry, it is a positive change to note that consumers are willing to dish out a little extra cash for quality, safety and product integrity.
Out of this trend, the beauty industry has exploded with brands catering to every Green consciousness from organic beauty products sourced from natural ingredients to probiotic skincare to products suitable for vegan beauties. Besides the obvious impact of the products we use on our bodies, a movement is growing for companies with ethical practices who focus on lowering the carbon footprint of their factories.
As organic, natural, and green skin care moves from the fringes to the main stream, the market is open to companies that can get it right. The consumers clamoring for these products aren’t green market hippies; they are educated professionals willing to spend some cash on a well-conceived, respectful product that works. The spoils will go to the brands that can strike the balance between all natural, luxury and efficacy.