Mix-and-match skincare routines to shake up salon retail
UK women are ditching the mantra of “cleanse, tone, moisturise,” preferring to mix and match products to suit their skin needs, according to the latest stats from Imogen Matthews Associates.
Brits are seeking less prescriptive and more personalised skincare routines, to suit fast-paced lifestyles, the analyst’s Skincare Premium Market Report found. “The premium skincare market was worth £503m in 2015 and is a substantial and influential category within the beauty industry,” said Imogen Matthews.
“However, growth slowed to just 2.3% in 2015. While cleansers and moisturisers form the backbone of many women’s routines, the opportunities for growth will come from exciting new product concepts and technologies. Skincare brands need to ready themselves for these changes.”
This shift is driving consumer behaviour. One in 10 women now use a face oil and/or mask – the two fastest growing categories in premium skincare, up 31% and 19% respectively. However, the report also found that more than half of young women aged 18–24 use facial wipes and are highly likely to use wash-off cleansers, exfoliators, scrubs and micellar water.
Matthews commented: “However, when it comes to other types of skincare, including new growth sectors, they don’t show the same enthusiasm. Two out of three women [in this age group] say they don’t like a fuss and have a very simple routine, suggesting they should be a strong target for other and newer skincare formats."
Interestingly, women aged over 55 use moisturisers and serums more than any other age group – with a third using a different moisturiser for day and night. Yet, this age group is much more sceptical about scientific claims when choosing products, with 40% ignoring claims. “Older women are a much under-represented demographic when it comes to skincare,” adds Matthews. “Considering that so many skincare brands lay great store by making anti-ageing claims, they should firstly heed the views of this important and lucrative group.”