Consumers have a holistic view of skincare, says report from Lycored

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A new report from Lycored (Secaucus, NJ) called “The Inner Light,” which investigates what the concept of the “healthy glow” means to skincare consumers, sheds some light on the results consumers want from their skincare regimen. “Healthy glow” is a trending end-goal of skincare routines mentioned in a number of consumer publication, but there is no definition of the term, therefore Lyrored sought to understand what it means to consumers.

In the survey, 500 respondents across six different countries were presented with eight possible skincare goals and asked to choose the five they most wanted to achieve. These goals included: a healthy glow, natural appearance, radiance, smooth texture, youthful appearance, even complexion, reduced redness, and overall / holistic wellness. Results showed that “natural appearance” was the most important among respondents, chosen by 77%, 22% of which ranked it at number one.

“Natural appearance” was following by “smooth texture,” ranked in the top five by 76% of respondents, healthy glow (72%), youthful appearance (64%), even complexion (61%), overall/holistic wellness (56%), radiance (53%), and reduced redness (37%). “The findings confirm that ‘glow’ is a key goal for skincare consumers, and also suggest that they are more likely to use the term than ‘radiance,’” states the report. “The results are also in line with previous research on the growing importance of naturality and the diminishing appeal of simply appearing younger.”

The stress placed on looking more natural also connects to the desire for products with natural ingredients. Even the term “glow” is understood very holistically by consumers. When asked which words they most associate with the idea of a healthy glow, 47% of survey respondents chose “overall/holistic wellness.” Additionally, 34% said mental or emotional wellness was a term they associated with a healthy glow, and 97% agreed with the statement: “Good mental and emotional wellness is a necessary component to achieve a healthy glow.”

A holistic view of having a healthy glow was highest among Asian respondents, specifically from China (75%), Japan (56%), and Korea (51%), compared to Western respondents from the United States (38%), and the United Kingdom and France (36%). Results also showed that a majority of respondents (73%) believed that a healthy glow was achieved with a combination of internal (nutritional) and external (topically applied cosmetics) factors. This tracks with findings that respondents also placed a high value on having a healthy lifestyle. For example, 98% agreed with the statement: “Good nutrition is necessary to achieve a healthy glow.”

When asked which five factors, out of ten, were most likely to give them a healthy glow, 66% of respondents chose getting the right amount of sleep, then healthy diet/nutrition (65%), hydration (56%), skincare products (39%), and exercise (36%). Respondents also ranked four foods in order of how likely they were to give them a healthy glow. At the top was food rich in vitamin E (79%),  then food rich in carotenoids, such as carrots and tomatoes (65%), followed by food rich in collagen (46%), and then food infused with rosemary (11%).