Beauty buyers are becoming harder than ever to pin down into a particular “tribe”. Few fit a set behavioural pattern when it comes to putting together a beauty regimen, and we’re seeing men and women adjust their grooming routine on a day by day basis, responding to changes in their home and work environments.
As a result, it’s harder than ever to win loyalty to a product, let alone a whole product collection, and this is underlined by the fact that 59% of Italian women who use facial skincare products prefer to choose from a range of products, rather than use the same ones every day. This pick n’ mix approach affects usage of skincare, haircare, make-up and toiletry products and has led to new developments in both multifunctional and super-segmented products as consumers delete, combine or add to their beauty steps. In some cases, they will use multifunctional products to replace two or more steps, but then supplement them with other segmented products.
Leading the way
It is striking that this flexible approach is taking hold in South Korea and Japan, where its women are famous for following the most complex and comprehensive skincare regimens in the world. Mintel’s research has found that some women have reduced their 8-step routine to a more basic 5-6 steps, partly due to the widespread adoption of BB and CC creams. Others have added more products to bring the daily total to 10 steps, while some women have pared everything back to three or four steps. In Japan, the rationalisation can be even more ruthless, with some women opting for just two steps of a cleansing bar and a moisturising oil, compared to their more rigorous sisters who use eight or more products.
Water or starter essences are emblematic of this flexible approach to skincare products. Initially positioned as a booster to be used between a toner and an essence, these starter essences soon replaced toners altogether. However, while one step has been deleted, another has been added to the end of the skincare ritual. Skin finishers work as an illuminating pre-primer, brightening skin tone, smoothing its texture, providing a hint of coverage and a radiant, hydrated skin finish.
Shaking up haircare regimes
Haircare regimens are also shifting. Taking inspiration from Brazil, where 20% of haircare consumers use 5-6 products regularly and 15% use seven or more, manufacturers around the world are creating products that add new steps to the daily ritual. These tend to borrow from skincare. Natura’s Deep Cleansing Exfoliating Pre-Shampoo, for example, is a rinse off treatment that works like a body scrub to clean the scalp prior to shampooing, while Bathclin’s Mouga L Molty Scalp Cleansing Foam mimics a body toning product with a foam that is massaged into the scalp to stimulate its circulation and activate its sparkling formula. L’Oréal Paris, meanwhile, has used the concept of boosters to develop Fibrology Hair Thickener, which can be mixed with a conditioner or mask to enhance their efficacy.
At the same time, some haircare brands have moved deeper into hybrids to create multifunctional products with enhanced activity. Kracie, from Japan, has launched Prostyle Malca Volume Balance Care Hair Styling Treatment Water, which offers both treatment and styling effects in the on-trend water format.
Natura’s Deep Cleansing Exfoliating Pre-Shampoo
Prostyle Malca Volume Balance Care Hair Styling Treatment Water
More steps for men
Men are also displaying this mix and match approach to grooming routines. So, while 86% of US men prefer to keep their grooming routine as simple as possible, 26% of US men who have appearance concerns spent more time on their shaving/hair removal and 24% spent more time on maintaining their facial skin in 2014 than they did in 2013.
For these appearance-conscious men, brands are supplying more complex beard care regimens that blend skincare and hairstyling language and technology, while Vichy is trying to appeal to both shavers and non-shavers with its Homme Idealizer moisturisers.
Tom Ford for Men Neroli – Portofino Conditioning Beard Oil
Murdock Beard Conditioner
Laboratoires Vichy Homme Idealizer – 5-in-1 Multi-Action Moisturiser
Meanwhile, the 84% of US men who want to keep their grooming routine as simple as possible can opt for the latest multifunctional products like DHC’s All-in-One Moisture Gel, which acts as a facial moisturiser, aftershave and body cream.
DHC’s All-in-One Moisture Gel
Pond’s All-In-One Moisturizer + Toner + Serum
This blending of the multifunctional and super-segmented will continue throughout 2015 and 2016 and will lead to some exciting developments in product development and marketing.
For more information, please visit Mintel’s stand at in-cosmetics, join our interactive product demonstrations on the Innovation Zone and come to our Rituals presentation at the marketing trends theatre at 10.15am on 15 April.
About Mintel
Mintel Beauty & Personal Care is the leading research service for the beauty industry, used by 3,000 brands globally. One of Mintel’s key trends for 2015 is Rituals, an examination of the changing approach to beauty regimens across the world. Visit Mintel in the Innovation Zone at in-cosmetics Barcelona for a tour of some key products that feature in these rituals and learn about some of the implications of customisation and hybrids on future rituals.
For more information please contact us:
Americas: +1 (312) 932 0400, Europe: +44 (0)20 7778 7155, Asia: +86 (21) 63866609
beauty@mintel.com
www.mintel.com/beauty-personal-care