Devices Creating New Mega Beauty Category

According to Diagonal Reports, as reported on www.GCImagazine.com, devices have created a mega category, transforming the skin care market and consumer behavior just as the electric toothbrush and flat iron changed oral care and hair styling. Technology has provided new “red carpet” standards for skin care—i.e., the wow factor.

Technologies including cleansing brushes, light-based platforms and skin care systems have created a market worth billions in U.S. dollars, and exponential growth rates are expected for the foreseeable future.

Technology also is shaping a distinctive beauty culture and its expectations, and this change will impact the demand for all manually applied and removed products. Further, devices are positioned as delivering immediate results, especially for core skin care problems such as anti-aging and blemish removal.

As the market matures, Kline & Company reports that marketers are tasked with scouting pockets of opportunity to expand the reach of these technologies, whether it is through second-, third- and even fourth-generation devices, and more ergonomic designs, or trying to break through distribution channel barriers.

Interest by the Numbers

A March 2013 Mintel report on beauty devices and the U.S. market tracked the level of interest for using at-home skin care devices of 1,020 female Internet users 18 years or older during November 2012. Asking the question, “How interested would you be in trying the following at-home beauty skin care devices?” Mintel found:

for a skin cleansing system—37% would be very interested, 31% would be somewhat interested, 18% may or may not be interested and 11% were not interested in trying it; 3% did not know what it was.

for an exfoliation system—30% were very interested, 31% were somewhat interested, 19% may or may not be interested and 17% were not interested in trying it; 4% did not know what it was.

for a hair removal device—30% were very interested, 24% were somewhat interested, 20% may or may not be interested and 23% were not interested in trying it; 3% did not know what it was.

for a massager/infusion system—26% were very interested, 26% were somewhat interested, 22% may or may not be interested and 20% were not interested in trying it; 7% did not know what it was.

for an LED/laser treatment device—17% were very interested, 19% were somewhat interested, 20% may or may not be interested and 37% were not interested in trying it; 7% did not know what it was.

for diagnostic tools—just 11% were very interested, 22% were somewhat interested, 29% may or may not be interested and 30% were not interested in trying them; 8% did not know what these were.

Source: GCI September 2013

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