Getting sun care away from the beach has been a years-in-the-making effort for dermatologists and brands alike. Now, the skinification of sun care is here, and consumers on a quest for skin health are ready for everyday SPF — their way. “The idea of skincare for health is emerging in tandem with rising consumer interest in overall wellbeing,” says Mintel. “Communicate and educate on relevant benefits for future success.”
The “skinified” sun care product has skin care claims.
“Skinification” has already made waves in hair and makeup — an evolution that has taken place slowly over the past five years and has been accelerated during the massive shifts in behavior during 2020 and 2021. “In France 54% of women who buy makeup say that when shopping for makeup they look for skincare/skin protecting benefits,” says Mintel’s December 2021 report, Redefine sun protection to promote skin health. Now, it’s time for the skinification of sun care. “As dual skincare/makeup products garner more attention, added SPF can differentiate new launches in a crowded marketplace.” To achieve the lock-in-key fit between sun care and the right skin care claims to offer your customers, listen closely to find white space where you can solve specific skin care problems that are bemoaning your existing audience.
The Benchmarking Company’s 2021 survey notes that consumers’ “innovations wish-list” in sun care includes 82% of polled consumers wishing for a “product that will reduce the appearance of dark pigment spots, or skin discoloration” while 79% would like “product designed to tighten, restore crepe/thin skin on lower legs caused by UV exposure.” These skin care goals extend beyond SPF, but pair well with the ultimate goal of healthy skin.
The skinification of sun care can boost consumer use.
Highlighting the skin care claims of an SPF product can help consumers see the multiple use cases of sun care by way of better understanding the multiple benefits of sun care. To make it happen, brands must make sure there is alignment between a customer’s lifestyle and a new product.Mintel’s 2021 report reveals: “In the US, 47% of of adults used skincare products more often this year because they are more concerned about their skin health/hygiene”. And SPF products, along with other environmental protection products, have the opportunity to play in this dual-action space. “In the US, 33% of adults who use skin protection products are willing to pay more for products with added skincare benefits.”
The Benchmarking Company echoes this sentiment, noting in a 2021 poll that “77% of consumers “prefer skincare w/SPF because it’s easily added to daily routine.” As time goes on — and with it, consumers’ evolving desires for superhero cosmetics — the opportunities for category blending extend to sun care and makeup combinations. This allows brands to boost consumer sunscreen use by tapping into white space categories like the eye area (GCI Magazine predicts that optocosmetics will come into focus as we get further into 2022).Brands should communicate the key ingredients and claims a product offers as well as the place for such a product within an existing skin care routine.
Going the extra step of not only calling out what a product does and what it offers — but also identifying exactly where it fits into an existing routine — allows for your customer to envision where and when they would use it. They can see how it fits into the flow of their life. They can see what the experience will be, and what that experience offers, on a more personal level. This moves your new product launch from a nice-to-browse to a manageable addition to their lifestyle — making it more likely to stick.
For sun care products, the key questions to answer are “when” and “how.” Mintel’s 2021 insight puts this concept front and center, noting that brands can “position sunscreen as the last step of the skincare ritual to promote skin health.” Product development efforts can work in tandem with this, as Mintel identifies that brands can “develop SPF products for post-makeup application.”
Communication and education around skin care routines begins at the level of product positioning and extends through a launch via brand education. Thanks to the myriad ways to stay connected to customers — from TikTok and YouTube to influencer partnerships and virtual application classes — the opportunities for education are almost infinite. It’s never too late to start educating your audience on when and how to use a product for maximum efficacy and results.
Curious to see how “skinified” sun care might work in your next launch? Check out some of our white label products with skin care claims, which include consumers’ favorite skin care ingredients like hyaluronic acid and offer therapeutic benefits.
You must be logged in to post a comment.