The top four reasons why beauty transparency counts

20 Apr 2021 --- Today, in the modern beauty and personal care landscape, shoppers want more information on the products they purchase. With transparency a key component to building trust, we are actively seeking out the brands and ranges that do or are willing to provide it.  

This article delves into the main drivers and consumer concerns influencing growing demands for transparency, with indie brand What’s In My Jar (WIMJ), co-founder Maria Semykoz. Let’s take a look at the top four reasons transparency has become crucial in today’s BPC industry. 

Click to Enlarge1. Rise of online product discovery and buying 

A number of factors drive brick-and-mortar product discovery and buying, namely on-shelf availability, sales personnel advice, high-ticket advertisements and marketing, along with product packaging claims. The problem, however, when it comes to the physical BPC industry is that brand communication is restricted to the amount of space available to provide information. Much of this information is not in plain sight for consumers to easily access. Ingredient lists and clinical test information, for example, are written in small font, escaping the notice of most consumers. 

“Online changes the rules of the game because in the digital space, a customer can dive into the information about the product almost without restriction, zooming in on any aspect that is important to them, personally,” highlights Semykoz.

For many consumers, the aspects they are keen to focus on are the formulas’ ingredients, including the concentrations used and sourcing, the product and ingredients’ efficacy, and packaging details. Ethical aspects of the supply chain, including animal testing, suitability for a vegan lifestyle, and sustainability, are also important.

2. Beauty as self-expression

Consumer BPC choices are increasingly becoming a way for consumers to express their identity. 

“In a way, the category has become more ‘personal’ than ever,” outlines Semykoz. Highlighting what this means for shoppers, Semykoz explains: “The consumers’ stake and interest in the product information increases; they really want to get to the bottom of the questions that matter to them, be it ethics of the supply chain, value for money, or evidence behind the product efficacy.”

Personalization is no longer confined to a product’s efficacy but extends to the individual shopper’s values. Which, in turn, steers the product questions that interest consumers. External influences, such as key trends and socially-conscious progression in the world around us, matter too. “These questions evolve, and brands need to be prepared to maintain a continuous transparent dialogue with the consumers,” says Semykoz.

3. Perception of “being fooled by the beauty industry for decades”

WIMJ’s Semykoz highlights how internet-powered media, particularly independent blogs and podcasts, have made the information that used to be for beauty industry insiders now readily available to consumers. Today, shoppers are increasingly aware of the notion of claim ingredients. Semykoz describes these as the “ingredients added to formulas in order to support a compelling marketing story rather than for providing real skin care benefits.” Continuing to explain the lack of trust this creates, Semykoz states that these are “legal but not the most honest way of claim substantiation.” 

Another prolific and unhelpful development is the onset of “empty marketing expressions, such as ‘recommended by dermatologists’ and ‘hypoallergenic’,” says Semykoz. “As well as the marketing of products [that is] harmful for the target consumers’ skin conditions, such as menthol washes, highly abrasive scrubs and alcohol toners for acne-prone skin,” Semykoz continues. 

As consumers have become skeptical and suspicious of product claims and brand intentions, some trends initially emerge as challengers to mainstream skin care. Citing natural beauty, clean beauty and ingredient concentration disclosure, Semykoz notes: “All these trends raise the bar in terms of transparency expectation from consumers; they want to know more and no question about a product is off-limits to them anymore.” 

Click to Enlarge4. Increase in adverse skin reactions 

Concerns around adverse skin reactions, including irritant contact and allergic dermatitis from personal care products, are also more pronounced in the consumers’ decision-making process.

"Recent studies have documented what dermatologists have been warning us for at least a decade," says Semykoz, outlining how industry data shows up to 60% of consumers in developed countries consider their skin to be sensitive and are mindful of potential irritants in personal care products.  

“With the increase in the number of skin care products and ingredients that people’s skin is exposed to, irritant and allergic skin reactions are bound to rise,” adds Semykoz. As a result, “this naturally drives more focus on ingredient list and transparency around both the product formulations and testing”. 

Indie challenger brands lead

“All these trends are amplified by marketing efforts from indie, challenger brands who use consumers’ concerns — both legitimate and misguided  — and gaps in the ‘big beauty’ player’s communication to differentiate themselves and build their own brand equity,” concludes Semykoz.

While securing entry and positioning in the BPC world is no small task, building a point of differentiation and remaining there is equally as challenging. Generating welcome attention to gain placement and strength within the marketplace is naturally a priority, which means building trust and credibility through transparency is a core priority for beauty brands in 2021. 

By Natasha Spencer-Jolliffe, BPC Insights Senior Journalist