Consumers’ Skin Care Ingredient Preferences

Ninety-five percent of U.S. females look for specific ingredients in their skin care products to combat their top concerns, but are they aware of what these ingredients actually do, or are these consumers seeking out ingredients simply because they are familiar with them? Are these shoppers buying into new ingredient promises, or do those hip and trendy ingredients scare them off?

In this article, derived from the results of The Benchmarking Company’s February 2021 original primary research study of more than 4,700 U.S. female-identifying beauty consumers, we’ll look at:

• the consumer’s (from this point forward, “her/she”) propensity to buy products with old-school tried-and-true ingredients versus new and trendy ingredients;

• ingredients that she’s using now in her skin care products as well as those she’s interested in trying;

• her level of awareness of ingredient types;

• her relationship with retinol and the retinol-alternatives she’s seeking;

• and what she expects on labels about ingredients from beauty brands moving forward.

Consumers look to brands to innovate and solve problems for which they’ve been seeking solutions. Ingredient innovation can help to address concerns while creating opportunities for beauty brands to capitalize on her zest to try what’s new.

Skin Care User Types

Throughout the pandemic, caring for her skin has been a constant for the U.S. beauty buyer. Thirty-eight percent consider themselves to be “intermediate” level skin care users, committed to using three to five skin care products daily; 27% say they’re “basic” level users who typically apply up to three products daily, such as cleanser, moisturizer and eye cream; and 34% call themselves “advanced” users, who apply more than five products daily that might include cleanser, toner, moisturizer, eye cream, treatments, serums, essences, mists, exfoliators and masks.

For the full article, check out Global Cosmetic Industry's March 2021 digital magazine.