The Changing Complexion of Beauty Even though the past few years have been tough economically for women around the world, beauty is i...
The Changing Complexion of Beauty
Even though the past few years have been tough economically for women around the world, beauty is increasingly regarded as ‘non-negotiable’. Indeed, 83% of women believe there are higher standards of beauty today than there were in the past. In the emerging markets we’re seeing the rapid democratization of beauty. In India, for example, beauty was once restricted to special occasions like weddings but is now viewed by women as an everyday opportunity.
The imperative of beauty is certainly being picked up by the newest group of beauty consumers. Over half of women 16-34 say they started thinking about aging and preserving their looks before the age of 30. This is nearly ten years sooner than those 35+ said they started to think about aging. These young consumers also think they’ve learned
more about beauty, with 72% saying they know more about beauty than
their mom (and these young women are increasingly educating their mothers and
aunts about products). This new knowledge is giving rise to optimism: 76%
clearly believe in the innovation of the beauty industry, agreeing that the
right beauty products can keep them looking younger for longer.
Constant Beauty Reinvention
This combination of necessity, knowledge and innovation has created a
dynamic world of beauty, one which is defined through constant reinvention by
beauty brands and beauty consumers.
Whilst many women laud the impressive choice that
innovation from the beauty industry has created, they also lament the resulting
complexity. Women around the world describe the stress they experience
when attempting to choose between products at the point of purchase.
Women have responded to this increased complexity and choice by arming
themselves with more and more knowledge. Almost 70% of women in Brazil and
Mexico consult a beauty blog for tips and advice at least once a month and
almost 60% of women in Brazil and China consult online reviews at least once a
month.
Nowhere is this dynamism more pronounced than in the emerging markets.
63% of Chinese women and 55% of Brazilian women change their beauty routines
once every couple of months or more. Only 25% of French women make changes this
frequently. Most Europeans said they were making changes less than once or
twice a year, if at all.
The emerging markets may be changing their routines so often because
they’re inspired by the globally dynamic world of beauty. Brazilian women think
Northern Europeans are the most beautiful women in the world, Germans think
Brazilians are the most beautiful and the Chinese give that honor to the
French.
All of this leaves us with a very fast moving world of
beauty. Exposed to constant changes, innovation and inspiration, women have responded
in different ways. We’ve identified five types of beauty consumers based on
their attitudes towards beauty.
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