Beauty & Wellness
Beauty | Wellness | Research
The objective of this PoV is to anticipate the future of the Indian beauty industry by mapping key insights of user perceptions, preferences and aspirations
01.
Our Approach
02.
Secondary research
Industry overview
Trend study
Study of tech interventions
Research plan
Deriving hypothesis
Planning brief
Planning primary research activities
03.
Primary research
Diary study
Observation research
Online survey
In-depth interviews
04.
Data Synthesis and insights
Data clustering
Spectrum mapping
Building personas
From-to insight mapping
Emerging themes
Industry Overview
We conducted comprehensive desk research on both the Indian and global markets to study the latest innovations and trends. Our goal was to gain insights into social media trends, product and technological innovations, market demographics, emerging consumer profiles, and strategies employed by international brands for the Indian market.
50%
Beauty products are bought online by most consumers
Opportunity: To learn what drives consumers to shop online over offline
Source: Forbes
$2.68b
Is the expected valuation of the Indian beauty market in 2020
Opportunity: To understand market growth factors and demands of consumers
Source: Business Standard
70%
Teenage YouTube subscribers trust influencer opinions more than celebrities
Opportunity: Exploring needs and desires of this age group
Source: Starngage
Based on the desk research, we were able to identify three main emerging user groups: teenagers (13-19 years), early adults (20-37 years), and adults (37+ years). We also identified Nutricosmetics, economy beauty brands, and cosmeceuticals as the emerging trends in the beauty and wellness industry in India.
Prevalent Beauty Trends in India
‘Skintellectual’ consumer rise
Digital Interaction
Preference for inclusive brands
Zero Waste Beauty
Rise in bespoke beauty products
Unique experiences
Affordable luxury
Growth in herbal beauty industry
Top Global Tech Interventions
Sephora’s virtual lookbook
A main part of this is the ‘Beauty Hub’, which includes a virtual lookbook as well as the brand’s Virtual Artist service. The latter allows shoppers to get a ‘virtual makeover’ to test how different make-up will look (without actually applying products). From this, Sephora employees are able to offer shoppers a more professional and bespoke experience, powered by technology as well as personal expertise.
Source: TechRepublic
Shiseido IoT*1
Measures ever-changing skin conditions via dedicated app, analyses skin conditions and environmental factors and determines skincare, provides optimal skincare via dedicated machine.
Source: Shiseido
Olay, Future You
The simulation gives users an estimate of how they will look as they age based on their skin care regimen and will help people make the best decisions for their skin.
Source: The Verge
P&G Opte Precision Wand
The Opté Precision Wand scans your face with a tiny camera at 200 frames per second and detects darkness like sunspots, freckles or moles. It then applies a precise amount of makeup or serum via 120 thermal inkjet nozzles. The Opté Precision Wand can apply mineral pigment (makeup), moisturiser or spot-lightening skincare serum.
Source: CNET
Brief: To understand the Indian beauty industry by studying consumption patterns, perception and aspirations of urban Indian women.
Primary Research
40
Images
Diary study conducted to get a peek into popular products carried or used by consumers, understand how products are stored and gather unique individual insights.
15
Participants
A parallel online survey rolled out for as many quantitative data collection as possible aiming to reach the said goal
15
Consumers
Observation study conducted to understand prevalent behaviours, challenges expressed, products in need among women consumers inside retail stores.
25
Participants
Followed by an in depth one-on-one interviews with industry influencers and industry driving consumers
Diary Study
To explore the personal care segment, we approached consumers of various ages to collect pictures of products they use and store at home. Starting our research in their personal spaces, we aimed to understand consumption patterns, investment reasons, and unique insights. We gathered 40 images.
Insights:
Dedicated makeup bags and pouches are evident
Weather determines product investments
A mix of economy brands and aspirational brands products
Consumers tend to get extremely attached with products they get fond of
An aspirational value attached to beauty products, calling “collection”
Lip care products emerged to be the most popular category
Unique products being carried like facial mists, or hair serums
Few medicated products form part of cosmetics collections
Unique segregation of products - everyday vs event based
Packaging determines storage behaviours
Nail polishes and perfumes get their own space
Preliminary Observations
Activities
Carrying shopping bags inside stores
Travelling with toddlers and babies
Forced interaction with store staff
Buyers remorse
Consulting staff for complete looks
Accompanying partners wait patiently
Price conscious consumers
School goers visiting with parents
Environment
Need for natural light to judge colours
Unable to trust brand due to store appearance and staff interaction
Brand comparison with Ayurveda solutions
Facade design and VM impacting consumer interest
Loud customers distracting other shoppers
Observation Research
In a one-day project at Phoenix Market City, Bangalore, we conducted an in-depth assessment of beauty clinics (Keihls, Kaya Skin Clinic), salons (Lakme Salon, Jean-Claude Biguine, Play Salon), beauty product shops (Sephora, Forest Essentials, Kama Ayurveda, Bodyshop, Mac), and wellness centres (Spa Nation, The Thai Spa). Our goal was to understand shop floor behavior and assess key needs and challenges faced by these establishments. We made 15 observations during our research.
Interaction
A paradoxical need for guidance but avoiding interacting with staff
Sale intentions
Live word of mouth marketing
Unsure customers not able to convey their need
Diagnosis in public
Objects
Inaccessible display
Need for gifting solutions
Skin concerns lead to ingredient preferences
International models and product impact on indian skin
physically confirming appointments
Like to touch products on display
Online Survey
We rolled out an online survey to reach a wider audience and gain further insights, validating data obtained from our observation and diary study. Our goal was to enhance the robustness of our findings, and we successfully gathered 15 responses.
Insights
MAC, Bodyshop, Maybelline, Biotique, and Lakmé are the top most preferred brands.
Majority respondents prefer shopping offline in person, over buying online.
Friends and family approval is the most preferred source of seeking approval, followed by self assessment. Expert recommendations, brand value and authenticity certificate take the next three positions.
80% respondents feel hair care products are the most valuable.
Followed by 60% of them saying body moisturisers and perfumes are very important.
Bath and shower products take the third position in terms of relevance.
Face cleansers (42.9%) and Face moisturisers (40%).
In-depth Interviews
“I don’t earn my own money so my parents don’t give me so much leverage that I spend all of it, I have to keep saving and then buy my own things”
- Gen Z User
We conducted face-to-face and phone call interviews to delve deeper into preferred platforms for shopping, product preferences, and the impact of influencers. Our goal was to identify emerging themes around consumption patterns, needs, and aspirations. In total, we carried out 25 interviews, including 11 expert interviews and 14 customer interviews.
“We do a lot of DIY workshops, we teach our customers how to make their own products, we talk about how you can customise your own products based on your skin type”
- Expert & Founder, Bare Necessities
Data Synthesis
Gen Z
Age group 7-22 years
Background
Supper jugglers by nature, they are highly active, indulge in multiple academic and non academic activities. Mostly rely on parents for financial support. Exposed to global beauty trends at a very young age.
Older Millennials
Age group 30-37 years
Background
Includes a large population of working mothers. This age group displays resistance to product change due to being comfortable. Having experimented in their past, they are aware of various akin issues that can be triggered by chemical based products.
Middle Aged
Age group 42+ years
Background
Resistant to experimenting and are happy with their product preferences. They believe in the efficacy of products over aspects like brand value, marketing and reach.
*Note: All illustrations are created by me.
Meaning of beauty
This age group seeks a blend of aesthetics and wellness from beauty product offerings
Medical concerns
Puberty causing acne
Scars
Frequent tanning
Oily skin
Young Millennials
Age group 22-30 years
Background
Includes college goers involved in freelance work or fresh graduates who’ve newly joined their work spaces. Very active by nature, scope for increased travel for work and tourism. Rely on self assessment, are moderate investors. Like to experiment, they try new products/treatments and seek for valuable solutions
Meaning of beauty
Beauty is perceived to be guided by the balance created by attitude and aesthetics
Medical concerns
Hormonal changes makes them stick to tried and tested, non reactive and non risky products
Millennial Housewives
Age group 22-37 years
Background
Enthusiastic about personal and skin care. They put in efforts to take care of their skin and their children. They normally form part of moderate to heavy investor groups.
Meaning of beauty
Beauty is not guided by exterior looks but by ones conduct
Medical concerns
Wrinkling
Under eye concerns
Age related skin issues
Opportunities
Refined relatable staff recruitment who can speak their language and recommend products
Easy in store navigation empowering them to discover products on their own
Exploring looks and trends in store
Age and budget specific makeup guidelines (both online and offline)
Meaning of beauty
To this group, beauty is synonymous to mind and body wellness
Medical concerns
Acne breakouts
Oily skin
Environment impact on skin - mainly pollution driven
Meaning of beauty
Beauty is defined as blend of aesthetics and inner wellness
Medical concerns
No skin issues because of lifestyle as such. Tendency to develop specific skin conditions over time drives their product preference.
Opportunities
Gifting offsprings
Communicating relevant trends
Simplification of online data for easy understanding
Opportunities
Learn of latest trends, in store and get an idea of how to apply new products
New products advertising and promoting online
Instigating motivation to buy offline
Opportunities
What more is a product offering apart from just enhancing aesthetics
Natural/vegan/listing ingredients
Opportunities
Highly engaging in store experiences
Target audience for customised products
Weekday travel and offers
Emerging Trends and Insights
Product Innovation
With natural products currently matching unpredictable urban lifestyles, the nature of products is expected to expand towards catering to unpredictable time management patterns of users, thus making offerings a lot more effortless to use.
Custom based products although can cater to personalised needs, they can be perceived to be a quick stop solution for the need of the hour.
In an industry struggling to get users’ confidence in efficacy and transparency, consumers tend to rely more on medical professionals for beauty product suggestions over suggestions given by technical gadgets used by sales staff due to doubt in intent.
Olfactory experiences of beauty products find place in users and non-users memories.
Cultural Perception
Trust being a major deciding factor in believing in brands, industry leaders will have to weigh out the amount of information to be made available vs how much be kept as brand secrets.
Customers demand a complete fitness and wellness solution along with cosmetic solutions.
Purchase Experience
With brands having DIY cosmetics workshops enabling them recreate products at home, customers enjoy indulging in physically exploring products in store in isolation and subtle guidance wherever needed, taking time before making decisions and feeling materials, before purchasing.
Blurring the differences between online and offline experience can pave the way for a more enhanced shopping experience, allowing users to ensure they have an unanimous brand feedback through all platforms.
Digital Interventions
Consumers although find technology and beauty collaborations intriguing, they may not believe in product recommendations given by tech based gadgets, because of lack of trust in intentions and incorrect diagnosis.
An interconnected platform (online and in-stores) for consumers to be part of a larger community of the brand.
My Learnings
Engaging in my first design research project taught me the importance of deeply understanding user needs and pain points. Conducting interviews and surveys provided firsthand insights that were crucial for synthesizing data and informing design decisions.
Throughout this project, I learned various research methodologies, including diary studies, observational research, in-depth interviews, and survey questionnaires. These methods have since proven invaluable in many other projects.
The project highlighted the significance of collaboration and communication within a team. I gained a wealth of knowledge from my teammates about planning research, conducting interviews, designing surveys, synthesizing data, and deriving actionable insights.
Facing unexpected challenges during the research process taught me to be adaptable and resourceful. These experiences enhanced my problem-solving skills and prepared me for future projects where flexibility is essential.