Getting personal: Personal care brands aim to help consumers with pandemic-related needs
It’s the $64,000 question in the personal care category.
Will consumers, who have spent so much time during the quarantine taking care of their own personal care needs, return to old patterns or keep doing the same thing?
Retail industry officials said they hope that the reopening of the economy across the country will encourage shoppers to pay a lot more attention to their personal care needs and, while many expect a return to old habits, they also hope that they start buying more products at mass outlets.
Retailers and brand experts predict shuffling of space and an emphasis on such categories as products to solve mask-induced breakouts; more at-home grooming; and natural, but effective, hair and skin care.
The “Maskne” Problem
Mask-induced acne, or “maskne,” is a real thing caused by constantly wearing a protective mask. Masks resulted in an uptick in acne for all ages, with Google searches for “maskne” soaring 811% from March to June. Wearing masks also has resulted in a spike in sales of lip care, derm-quality skin care and eye makeup. Many retailers are creating sanitation stations and merchandising all protective products, along with skin care and acne treatments.
Natural but Effective
The pandemic raised consumer demand for natural products, but specifically those that do not sacrifice performance. According to data from Kline Group, the global natural personal care market expanded 9% in 2019. During quarantine, U.S. interest in natural products grew even stronger. Still, consumers remain confused about what really constitutes natural.
To reduce the bewilderment, Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble has embarked on a Responsible Beauty campaign that helps people navigate purchasing choices. One goal is to ensure shoppers know how to make choices that do not sacrifice safety or performance, and that they do not need to decide between science and nature. The company has formed a Responsible Beauty Advisory Council to assist as it builds the program. A few examples of Responsible Beauty in action include Olay refillable pods and Waterl<ess, a new water-free hair care line requiring zero water to use.
Transparency in the Boardroom
COVID-19 was not the only major issue the world dealt with over the past few months. Following the high-profile death of George Floyd, race relations moved to the front burner. Sharon Chuter, founder of Los Angeles-based Uoma Beauty, has called for beauty companies to “Pull Up for Change,” and reveal the number of Black employees. Looking inward, many beauty giants are making a pledge to actively hire more Black employees. Retailers also took action with Walmart, CVS Pharmacy and Walgreens, vowing to stop the practice of locking up beauty products for Black shoppers. Additionally, retailers plan to add more space to brands that serve America’s more diverse shopper profile. Sephora, in fact, took a “15% pledge” to devote 15% of shelf space to Black-owned brands.