Consumers take control as customisation in beauty grows

The recent launch of L’Oréal’s Makeup Genius app hit the headlines as a fantastic way of guiding women to the right products for their colouring and preferences. However, this launch doesn’t sit in isolation. It’s actually the culmination of women’s growing desire to reflect their individual needs and concerns across the beauty landscape. Mintel have recognised this ‘Customisation’ trend as instrumental in the 2014 beauty world as many are no longer willing to be passive recipients of cookie-cutter skincare, haircare and make-up products.

The Customisation trend is largely driven by younger, internet-savvy consumers who are conditioned to expect quick solutions and are willing to utilise both online and in-store diagnostics to get them. In the UK, 24% of hair colourant users are interested in an in-store colour-match service for more personalised solutions. Skincare perhaps offers the most potential for personalisation. In the US, for instance 72% of anti-ageing skincare users are interested in products designed for their life stage.

We see no signs of this trend slowing down. However, a personalised product must, by definition, evolve to suit consumers’ changing needs. It will therefore be vital for brands to continue their conversations with consumers and involve them in future product development. That way, the personalised will remain truly personal.

As well as L’Oréal’, other brands have also recognised the way that women mix and match products to suit their daily needs, here are our top 6…

Clarins Radiance Plus Golden Glow Booster – an elegant solution for women who want to add a touch of self-tan on occasion to their day or night cream

Phytomer 12H Moisturizing Flash Gel – adds a hydrating boost to make- up on skincare products.

US eSalon – a more sophisticated solution that brings consumers and colorists together online to create a personalised hair colorants, which is then delivered to the customers door.

Codage – a French skincare specialist using detailed online questionnaires to select the best products for consumers. They go the extra mile by allowing them to add and subtract ingredients from the formulations.

BeautyDNA – an online monthly subscription service that matches customers with their best suited beauty products after they complete an online questionnaire. This again shows how guiding consumers in their choice is important; Mintel’s report finds that one in five (17%) US women are confused by the number of facial skincare products currently available.

Personal Cell Sciences’ U-Autologous collection – this product wins the prize for the most personalised as it contains consumers’ own stem cells collected via mini-liposuction. Although this approach goes far down the customisation path, the use of biomimetic ingredients, such as peptides and planet stem cells that mimic natural mechanisms occurring in the human body to counter the ageing process, are on the rise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mintel is the official research partner at in-cosmetics Asia, the leading personal care ingredients show in Asia, where global cosmetic ingredient suppliers exhibit their innovative products to cosmetic manufacturers from across Asia and the rest of the world.

For more information, visit //www.mintel.com/events/in-cosmetics-asia-2014