In 2022, American beauty customers came together to support the industry’s recovery from pandemic lows. 75 percent of American female beauty consumers claim that their importance for purchasing beauty products has increased since the start of the pandemic.
It’s unclear at this point if she will continue to buy despite inflation and a potential recession in 2023. What is evident is that a less than optimistic economic outlook has not dampened her exuberant eagerness to explore new beauty products in the upcoming year.
The Benchmarking Company asked thousands of American women who identify as beauty consumers to offer their opinions on new items they tested and loved in 2022 and what they’re seeking for most in quantitative primary research studies from March to October 2022.
What Beauty Consumers Tried in 2022
Every beauty marketer is aware that the launch of cutting-edge new SKUs should entice both early adopters and consumers who will wait to make an unconventional purchase once the dust has subsided.
In 2022, 71% of consumers who purchased cosmetics indicated they used a new cosmetic or personal care item. Because these goods differed from others they had previously used, our survey respondents said they were initially apprehensive to purchase them.
Many of the items meet the requirements that customers are increasingly looking for in a cosmetic: the product should solve a problem, it should be tailored to the consumer’s preferences and needs (where possible), and if it touches the skin at all, it should be gentle and should have healthy skin care benefit.
What Consumers Excited to Try in Beauty in 2023
The consumer is most eager to explore new goods in the key three categories of facial skin care, hair care, and makeup in the upcoming year.
Respondents most frequently mentioned better, more inventive product types that they already use when asked what she’s most eager to explore from these categories (via open-ended feedback), as opposed to truly disruptive product types. They consist of the following:
- The most often mentioned product categories for facial skin care included exfoliators, masks, moisturizers, retinol and retinol substitutes, and serums.
- These products all promote younger-looking skin and anti-aging. For younger consumers, the focus is on skin aging prevention, while for older consumers, it is on anti-aging/maintenance.
- The most often mentioned hair care items were anti-frizz, curl, new at-home color, hair growth, hair masks, oils, conditioners (traditional and leave-in), and scalp treatments.
- Makeup: Eye makeup items in general, particularly eye shadows with novel new color palettes, items to encourage thicker, longer, and fuller lashes, brow items (especially stickers), contour items, and skin-friendly foundation formulas, were most frequently mentioned.
For 2023, wellness offerings will grow.
While respondents’ spending and interest in beauty products still lean heavily toward hair, facial skin care, and makeup for the coming year, new product categories like supplements, intimate care, and sexual wellness products offer hope for growth that aligns with consumer expectations of product offerings to advance overall wellness.
The Sexual Revolution and Intimate Care
The stigma around sexual health and intimate care goods is unquestionably outdated. With companies like Maude teaming up with Sephora earlier this year to offer 20 SKUs and household names like Foria, Dame, and Rosebud, intimate care and sexual wellbeing have a bright future.
Ninety-eight percent of female beauty consumers agree that sexual wellness and intimate care are crucial components of overall health and happiness, and 94% of them value the fact that brands are creating products to meet these demands.
The consumer’s desire for a total mind/body wellness product, rather than just an aesthetic, is satisfied by intimate care and sexual wellness items. Additionally, they are lifelong, cross-generational product needs. In actuality, only 15% of female purchasers across generations claimed they didn’t require a sexual wellness item in their lives.
Supplements and Ingestibles
The general supplement market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 9.9% from 2021 to 2030 as a result of increased health concerns brought on by COVID-19 and a stronger emphasis on health and wellbeing.From 2022 to 2030, the market for beauty supplements alone is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 4.8%.
Consumers who were surveyed also reported using supplements for a variety of skin care purposes, such as regenerating collagen and firming skin (60%), maintaining clear skin and good skin health (55%), reducing fine lines and wrinkles (40%), hydrating the skin (33%), enhancing glow and radiance (29%), and obtaining additional antioxidant protection (28%).
Seventy-six percent (76%) of women who already take a beauty or general wellness supplement would be keen on taking another for hydration (78%), metabolism boost (73%), anti-aging/reduction of lines and wrinkles (75%), healthier/shinier hair (68%), or building muscle (78%), managing stress (64%), or supporting weight loss for healthy skin(tied at 63%).
According to 92% of consumers of beauty products, the greatest strategy for achieving your aesthetic goals is to take supplements in addition to your current skin care and hair care routine.
76% of consumers anticipate that cosmetic companies will provide dietary supplements to go along with their regular line of topical products for skin, hair, and body care.
77% believe supplements made by beauty brands will be of good quality.
93% of respondents agreed with the statement: “I would anticipate beauty brands to promote these products with customer claims as proof points” Proof of efficacy is frequently required before customers will purchase new items, just like with any other product offering.