prevention magazine anti-aging report

Anti-Aging Study – 2010

PREVENTION ANTI-AGING SURVEYTHE BENCHMARKING COMPANY

study objectives

The objective of Prevention Magazine’s second annual Anti-Aging Report is to provide cosmetic

executives and formulators with a comprehensive look at what the anti-aging trenders, spenders

and recommenders are doing to look and feel more beautiful. The hottest category in beauty, anti-

aging has gone beyond simple wrinkle reduction. This study explores the cosmetic consumer’s

true 360° view of anti-aging — from her attitudes towards aging, to her product usage and

expectations, to her purchase behavior, lifestyle and more. This study provides the intelligence,

inspiration and answers that beauty makers need to know to effectively market themselves to

women in this category.

PREVENTION ANTI-AGING SURVEY THE BENCHMARKING COMPANY

methodology

This study is a follow up to Prevention’s 2009 Anti-Aging Benchmark Study. For 2010, The

Benchmarking Company (TBC) surveyed 1580 women. In order to qualify for the online survey,

respondents had to meet same criteria as the 2009 survey including:

� Be women

� Live in the United States

� Be between the ages of 18 and 64

� Have purchased some form of cosmetic, skincare product, fragrance, or nail care product in the

last 6 months

All interviews were conducted online between September 14th and September 24th 2010. TBC

recruited a nationally representative audience of women to take this survey.


Women’s desire to retain a youthful appearance has spawned a goliath of an anti-aging industry.

In fact, according to BCC Research, the global market for anti-aging products and services will

be worth $274.5 billion dollars by the year 2013. The “appearance” section (including facial

rejuvenation, skin rejuvenation, hair care and body shaping markets) of this anti-aging market is

expected to generate $105.4 billion in 2013.

The market for anti-aging products in the US has remained relatively consistent over the last

couple years backed baby boomers who are looking for new ways to slow down the passage of time

and women as young as their 20s trying and buying products that promise to prevent damage.

Given consumers’ unchanging desire to look young and healthy, and the importance accorded to

health and well-being, the anti-aging products market is traditionally resilient to economic cycles.

For women with even the slightest amount of disposable income, the desire to spend (and keep

spending!) on skincare is not hugely impacted by a slowdown.

Marketers know this and have flooded the market with an ever growing variety of products

promising what women are seeking — to firm, smooth, brighten, and tighten skin. Women have

executive summary


become shrewd in evaluating claims and look for brands that have been scientifically tested and

contain the latest anti-aging ingredients.

And although anti-aging information is everywhere — women don’t listen to it all. The influence of

friends, family, and traditional media will always be a factor, but women are increasingly looking

towards the experts (dermatologists, facialists, and clinical trials) and consumer reviews (often in

the form of online videos) to help them make informed decisions.

Increasing consumer concerns regarding harmful skin cancer and wrinkles caused by recurrent

exposure to sun has resulted in an increased interest in and use for multipurpose products with

dual benefits of moisturizing and sun protection.

Like any other industry, anti-aging products also contend with skepticism. To continue to grow,

anti-aging developers are going to have to convince women that anti-aging products are safe,

effective, and worth the cost. The product category with the least consumer buy in? Anti-aging

ingestibles.

The revelations for beauty brands in this eye-opening study are many. Here are the 2010 key anti-

aging power vitals:

1. Women know what they like. And what they don’t. One of the most interesting differences

between the 2009 Anti-Aging study and the 2010 is the extent to which respondents report

perceiving a difference between brands of their favorite anti-aging products. Across all

categories – serums, body cream, eye cream, sun protection, and even face wash - more

respondents perceive a difference in the quality of the brands available.

In 2009, across all product categories, an average of 44% of respondents reported seeing a

difference between brands of their favorite anti-aging products. In 2010, this number jumped

to nearly 60%. Furthermore, the number who report perceiving a “great deal of difference”

blossomed to 20% from 13%.

This suggests that marketers have been successful in conveying to women the value of their

proprietary formulas, lines, and ingredients. It also suggests having tried multiple brands of

anti-aging products, women are liking what they find. Through beauty education and trial

and error, they’ve learned the ins-and-outs of anti-aging’s most powerful ingredients – protein

enzymes, peptides, and vitamins.

executive summary


This also suggests that women have found brands that work. Only 14% of women who have

tried new anti-aging products in the past 12 months report not being satisfied with any of the

ones they tried which is 4% lower than last year.

More than anything else, women want efficacy. It comes as no surprise then that when asked

about different anti-aging aspects of the anti-aging products they are currently using, women

point to proof and innovation as the most appealing. 76% find it appealing when the claims

were scientifically proven and 68% find it appealing when products included the latest and

greatest ingredients. Women clearly believe that these elements make a difference and will buy

brands that differentiate themselves with effective ingredients and proven results.

Interestingly, at the same time they report seeing a greater difference between brands, women

do not report a similar willingness to pay a premium for these products. Anti-aging products

vary greatly in price and before she splurges on a $100 prestige lotion, she checks and makes

sure that it works better than the $20 mass option.

Clinical trials have repeatedly shown that the best anti-aging products come from both prestige

and mass channels. In one of the most recent and widely covered studies, Good Housekeeping’s

2010 Anti-Aging Study 22 “best of category” awards were given to the top anti-aging

performers in each category. 10 of these awards went to more expensive prestige brands

(average cost: $66) such as Chanel, Fresh Sugar, and Mary Kay. The other 12, however, went to

less expensive mass brands (average cost: $23) such as Boots and Olay. These types of findings

are covered extensively by beauty blogs and magazines. Beauty information consumers are well

aware that some brands work better than others, but they also know that they don’t necessarily

have to pay a premium to get the best product available.

2. Big spenders want big results. All women want effective-anti aging products, but no one seems

to be more informed or more brand aware than those with household incomes of $100K+. If

you want to engage these consumers, you’d better be on your game. They expect a lot from

their anti-aging products and are willing to pay more for brands that they trust. 3 in 4 report

a willingness to pay more for brands they trust — 14% more than the overall sample. These

women are especially on the lookout for the latest and greatest ingredients, and are 8% more

likely to find the latest and greatest ingredient to be extremely appealing when considering a

new anti-aging product.

executive summary


If you’re going to engage these women, you can’t let them down. They are more likely to

share their opinions on beauty and skincare products with others. 42% of these women share

skincare advice with friends and family — 11% more than women overall.

While friend and family recommendations are important sources of beauty information to them

(59%) — these women prefer to hear from the experts. The opinions of their dermatologist

(84%) and facialists (62%) matter most. Even simply having a demonologist endorsed seal or

signage (57%) matters almost as much to these women as do recommendations from family/

friends.

She’s a busy woman and feels pressure to look good everywhere she goes — at work, at home,

while socializing. These women are 11% more likely to be employed fulltime than the overall

sample. They are 9% more likely to consider themselves career minded, 13% more likely

to consider themselves fitness minded, and 6% more likely to consider themselves socially

responsible and stylish than the overall sample.

Inclined to try and “do it all” and “fit it all in” this busy women is more likely than any other

segment to shop for beauty products online. Half of women with household incomes of $100K+

have shopped online for beauty products in the last 12 months — 13% more than the overall

sample. And when she shops online, she’s likely to do it a bit differently than everyone else. In

general, women of all income levels first head directly to a brand’s website when shopping for

beauty products online. However, women with the highest incomes head to Sephora next most

often while women with average and lower than average incomes are just as likely to head to

Amazon.com. Women with the highest incomes want beauty authority!

When shopping online, these women are 13% more likely to buy facial anti-aging products

and 6% more likely to buy anti-aging body products and/or hair care. In addition, these women

love to peruse the latest and greatest products and 55% of them will buy a product they find

interesting, even in if they weren’t planning to do so ahead of time.

To her, all of this is effort is worth it! 72% of these women think they look younger than their

age (and a quarter think they look more than 10 years younger!). There’s money to be made in

helping them keep it up – 54% say they would spend more than $100/year to look 10 years

younger and more than a quarter say they will pay more than $200/year.

executive summary


3. Multiple the benefit and you multiply her interest. Women’s primary motivation in using anti-

aging products is to protect against and delay the signs of aging. And perhaps no other product

is as helpful in assisting with this as the daily application of sunscreen. Fortunately women

have heeded the warnings and now regularly use products containing an SPF — 82% of

women to be exact. Among those with household incomes of $100K+, this number jumps to an

amazing 90%! However, there’s still room for improvement — and she knows it.

6 in 10 respondents think that they should use sunscreen every day but only 3 in 10 manage

to do so. 69% of respondents think that they should at the very least wear sunscreen during

outside activities but only 55% are doing so.

So while women know they need sunscreen in their daily lives, they have not been as diligent

as they would like at working it into their daily routine. Of those who say they manage to wear

sunscreen regularly, the vast majority (81%) use a cosmetic or skincare product that contains

an SPF while only a fifth (19%) say they use a traditional sunscreen. On the other hand, those

who use sunscreen only occasionally are much more likely to rely on a traditional sunscreen

(64%).

The desire for greater sun protection daily is likely the reason that women love products

that already contain an SPF. 76% of women find multi-functional products that offer a dual

benefit (such as moisturizer with SPF) appealing and 4 in 10 women find this type of product

to be extremely appealing. Even better? Women would love to sneak this cancer fighting and

anti-aging ingredients into every aspect of their beauty regimen — even their hair care. 70%

consider an SPF something that would be “nice to have” in their hair care products with 30%

even already consider it a “must have.” Clearly, SPF still matters to this increasingly health-

conscious audience.

4. YouTube = growing beauty powerhouse among younger consumers. Beauty information is no

longer the sole property of magazines and dermatologists. Women are now getting a significant

portion of their beauty information from online videos — especially younger women.

Overall, a third of women have watched online videos about beauty products or procedures to

get beauty tips. Among women in their 20s however, this number jumps to 42%.

Younger women are much more likely to turn to YouTube for their online beauty information

executive summary


needs than are older women. Women over the age of 40 who watch online beauty videos

primarily watch them on beauty websites (55%) and brand websites (52%). Women younger

than 40 however go straight to sites like YouTube (58%). In fact, YouTube is almost as common

a regular beauty information destination among women younger than 40 (19%) as Glamour.com

(21%) or Cosmo.com (22%) — the most popular beauty websites.

Clearly, if you want to catch her online, you need to be in action, online.

5. Ingestibles — Not a bad idea, but not there yet. In spite of dramatic growth in awareness of

nutraceuticals, when they think anti-aging, women still tend to think of topical treatments.

Anti-aging beverages, drinks, and supplements have not yet fully captured her interest. Only

10% of respondents report having purchased an anti-aging beverage, drink, or supplement

and this level of involvement is consistent across all age groups. Why haven’t they tried them?

Simple — hasn’t seen many of these products (39%). The next most common reason is that

they don’t have enough information to justify the purchase (30%). Still, there is promise in this

area. Only a fifth of respondents report that they don’t think these types of supplements work

(22%) and only a fifth think they are too expensive (20%). Clearly, for this category to take off,

a strong awareness campaign is needed.

executive summary


When it comes to aging, women bemoan the loss of confidence and control more than anything

else. In fact, women’s most pressing aging concerns are “feeling less secure about my appearance”

(53%), “feeling less control over my looks/appearance” (46%), and “feeling less desirable to my

partner” (38%).

Interestingly, women report these same aging concerns no matter their age. The only exceptions to

this are that women in their 50’s are more likely to report a concern about the effects of aging on

their career (21% compared to 15% overall) while younger women are more likely to be concerned

about the effects of aging on their ability to attract a mate. Women in their 20s are the most likely

to admit concerns about being “less desirable/beautiful to my partner” (43%) or concerns about

their “attractiveness as a potential partner” (26%).

women & aging


Q. Which of the following concerns do you have about getting older?

Unweighted Base (1580) All 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59

I feel less secure about my appearance 53% 57% 55% 53% 47%

I feel less control over my looks/appearance 46% 45% 46% 48% 47%

I feel less desirable/beautiful to my partner 38% 43% 40% 37% 31%

I feel that my attractiveness as a potential partner is reduced 23% 26% 22% 23% 21%

I am not concerned with looking older 18% 20% 15% 18% 19%

Difficulty getting a new job/return to the workforce 15% 9% 13% 18% 21%

Fear of being aged-out of my current job 8% 8% 6% 8% 10%

When looking in the mirror, the physical signs of aging that irritate women the most include fine

lines and wrinkles (58%), dark circles (47%), and sagging skin/loss of elasticity (41%).

Interestingly, there are certain signs of aging that bother the <40 year old group more than the

40+ year old group. One of them is cellulite. Women under 40 are 14% more likely to report

being bothered by cellulite than are older women. These younger women are also more likely to be

bothered by dark circles (6% difference) and rough texture/blotchiness (4% difference). Perhaps

because of an increased focus on looking young and youthful and increased expectations from their

anti-aging products, younger women lament the appearance of certain signs of aging that older

women accept more realistically.

women & aging


women & aging

Q. What signs of aging bother you most?

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0Fine lines

anddeep wrinkles

Saggingskin/loss ofelasticity

Back ofmy handslooking

wrinkled/olderthan my

age

Roughtexture/

blotchiness

Excessdryness

Cellulite Hyper-pigmentation(brown spots)

Dull tone Brokencapillaries

Darkcircles

< 4040+

While women are clear about which signs of aging bother them the most, they are often less

consistent on how they feel about noticing these signs of aging. In fact, although women’s feelings

towards noticing the signs of aging vary widely, they split almost perfectly into three different

mindsets. A third of women find noticing the signs of aging to be an acceptable part of life, a third

feels neutral about it, and a third finds this phenomenon unacceptable.

Q. How do you feel about noticing the signs of aging on your face and body?

Completely acceptable

Acceptable

Neutral

Unacceptable

Completely unacceptable

26%25%

6% 7%

37%


Women know their skin and are quick to notice any changes in tone or elasticity. Most women

report first noticing the signs of aging creeping up during her 30’s. By the time they hit their 40’s,

almost all women report having noticed the signs of aging on their face or body.

Q. At what age did you first notice the signs of aging on your face or body?

14%

16%

12%

10%

8%

6%

4%

2%

0%20–24 25–29 30–34 35–39 40–44 45–49 50–54 55–59 60+

What’s the first thing they do when they notice these signs of aging? They head to the anti-aging

aisle. 42% of women report buying anti-aging products after noticing signs of aging on their face

or body — the most common plan of action. This is especially true of women with higher incomes.

For example, 47% of women with household incomes of $100K+ head straight to the anti-aging

aisle compared to only 39% of women with household incomes of <$50K.

The next step? A renewed focus on their diet. 37% of women report starting to eat more healthfully

after noticing the signs of aging — the second most common plan of action. Unlike the most

common answer (“I purchased anti-aging products”), however, women of all income levels are

similarly likely to report combatting the signs of aging by starting to eat better or changing the way

they eat. After all, it’s good for their skin, their health, and their wallet!

Wealthy or not, very few women decide to take more drastic anti-aging measures. Only 1-2% of

women decide to go under the knife or get Botox injections.

women & aging


women & aging

Q. If you did notice signs of aging on your face or body, which of the following actions did you take? (Pick all that apply)

Unweighted Base 1510 AllI purchased anti-aging products 42%I started to eat better or changed the way I ate 37%I used more sunscreen or reduced by time in the sun 31%I used hair color to cover grey hair 27%I started to increase how much I exercised 26%I did not take any action 26%I started a diet to lose weight 23%I received a Botox treatment 2%I had cosmetic surgery 1%


usage of anti-aging products

Anti-aging products are on the scene and are here to stay. The vast majority of women (67%) have

used anti-aging products in the past 12 months. This number is consistent with the number of

women who reported using anti-aging products in 2009 (69%). The older she gets, the more likely

she is to seek out extra help. Women’s use of anti-aging products increases dramatically with age.

64% of women in their 20’s report using anti-aging products in the last 12 months compared to

81% of women in their 50’s.

Q. Have you used anti-aging products in the last 12 months?

70

90

80

60

50

40

30

20

10

018–29 yo 30–39 yo 40–49 yo 50–59 yo

62%72%

77%81%


Women’s use of anti-aging products may vary with age, but it does not vary to the same extent

with income. She wants her anti-aging products and if she has disposable income, she’s going to

buy them. For example, those with lower household incomes (<$50K) are 6% less likely to report

using anti-aging products than those with above average household incomes ($50K+). But there

is not a significant difference between the rate that those who have above average household

incomes ($50-99K) (75%) try anti-aging products and those who have significantly above average

household incomes ($100K+) ($76%). This suggests that for those with disposable income, anti-

aging products may be among their first non-necessity purchases.

Women are using a number of anti-aging products — and keep trying new ones. About 70% of

women have tried at least one new anti-aging product in the past year and a quarter of women

report having tried three or more. For the most part, women are largely satisfied with the anti-

aging products they have used recently. In fact, only 14% of women who have tried new anti-aging

products in the past 12 months report not being satisfied with any of the ones they tried which is

4% lower than last year. Clearly, the products she’s using are the products she likes.

motivation

What motivates her most? Women’s primary objectives in using for using anti-aging products are to

protect, delay, and repair. Their top motivations for using anti-aging products include:

� To protect against future aging (64%)

� To slow down future damage (62%)

� To repair damaged skin and minimize signs of aging (60%)

As she ages however, her focus shifts. For those 40 years old or older, “repairing damaged skin and

minimizing the signs of aging” jumps to the primary motivation (69%). Along those same lines, “to

reduce/eliminate wrinkles” (62%) also jumps onto the list of top motivators.

instant anti-agingThese women don’t have a lot of extra time on their hands to invest in another routine so it’s no

surprise that so women are very open to the idea of “instant” anti-aging products. When asked

about their interest in products that instantly fill fine lines or temporarily freeze isolated skin region

to reduce visible wrinkles, 57% say they are “very” or “somewhat likely” to buy these types of



products. When asked about which approach to instant anti-aging they prefer (filling or freezing),

the vast majority of women (70%) say they would rather use a product that “fills.”

sun concerns

When it comes to sun, women have heeded the warnings and now regularly use products

containing an SPF. Overall, 82% of women report using products with and SPF. Though she’s still

aware that she can do better.

Sunscreen “should use” vs. Sunscreen “do use”

Unweighted Base (1580) Should use Do use DifferenceDuring the summertime 71% 56% -15%

On vacation 59% 45% -14%

For outside activities 69% 55% -14%

Only when I go to the beach/pool 28% 29% 1%

Every day 61% 29% -32%

“Should Use”: Q. During which activities do you think you should be wearing sunscreen? (Pick all that apply) “Do Use”: Q. When do you wear sunscreen? (Pick all that apply)

This suggests that while women have accepted the need for sunscreen in their daily lives, they

have not been as dilligent as they would like in making SPF a part of their daily routine.

Of those who say they manage to wear sunscreen daily, the vast majority (81%) say they use

a cosmetic or skincare product with an SPF while only a fifth (19%) say they use a traditional

sunscreen cream or lotion. On the other hand, those who use sunscreen only occasionally are much

more likely to rely on a traditional sunscreen (64%) than a skin or cosmetic product with sunscreen

in it (36%).

hair

Women’s anti-aging concerns don’t stop with her skin. They are also very concerned with

maintaining the youth and vitality of their hair. Women’s biggest concerns about aging and their

hair are “breakage” (41%), “greys” (39%), “loss of shine” (38%), and “thinning” (36%). To




combat these problems, women look for certain “must haves” in their favorite hair care products,

including:

� Moisturizing agents

� Color protectors

� Essential oils

And, hey, if they can afford it, it doesn’t hurt to have these either (“nice to haves”):

� Fruit or botanical extracts

� Growth stimulating ingredients

� SPF ingredients

� Anti-aging ingredients

Women are always on the lookout for ways to improve the health of their hair. About a fifth of

women have taken the step of trying dietary supplements designed to help improve the health of

their hair (21%). Interestingly, this number grows to 1 in 4 among those 40 years old or older.

Perhaps not surprisingly, most women have tried coloring their hair (58%). Their motive? Mainly to

cover up a few greys (40%). Others however dye their hair to enhance (“add highlights/lowlights”

(26%)) or change their look (“completely change the color of my hair” (24%)).

And when it comes to coloring, women rely on both themselves and professionals for management

of their hair color. About three quarters of women (73%) who color their hair have done so on their

own while over half (57%) have gone to the professionals.

anti-aging color cosmetics

Although growing in awareness, anti-aging color cosmetics are still not as commonly used as anti-

aging skincare. Only 24% of women report using color cosmetics that provide anti-aging benefits.

Similar to general anti-aging product usage, older women are more likely to be using anti-aging

color cosmetics than are younger women. For instance, only 20% of women 18-29 report using

anti-aging color cosmetics compared to 26% of 30 year olds, 24% of 40 year olds, and 28% of 50

year olds.


The most popular anti-aging color cosmetic? Foundation by a landslide. 76% of the women who

report using color cosmetics with anti-aging properties report using an anti-aging foundation.

This is nearly twice as high as the next most common cosmetics — lipstick (40%) and concealer

(40%).

Q. Which of the following color cosmetics with anti-aging benefits do you use? (Pick all that apply)

Do useInterested in

using (among non users)

Unweighted Base 386 1194

Foundation 76% 59%Lipstick/lipgloss 40% 54%Concealer 40% 44%Face powder 38% 37%Eye shadow 30% 36%Blush 22% 27%Primer 22% 22%Mascara 20% 30%Eyeliner 19% 26%Lip liner 10% 15%

Anti-aging beverages, drinks, and supplementsanti-aging beverages, drinks, and supplements

When they think anti-aging, women still tend to think of topical treatments. Anti-aging beverages,

drinks, and supplements have not yet fully grabbed her attention — or wallet. Only 10% of

respondents report having purchased an anti-aging beverage, drink, or supplement and this is

consistent across all age groups. Why haven’t they tried them? Simple — they haven’t seen many

of these products (39%). The next most common reason is that they don’t have enough information

to justify the purchase (30%). Still, the potential is there. Only a fifth of respondents report

that they don’t think these types of supplements work (19%) and only a fifth think they are too

expensive (20%).




organic and natural beauty products

Unlike ingestible anti-aging supplements, women have found a place in their lives for natural

beauty products. Nearly 40% of respondents report currently purchasing natural beauty products

and 20% report purchasing organic beauty products.

Organic Beauty Products

80%

20%

Natural Beauty Products

38%

60%

NoYes

This trend is strongest among younger women — especially towards organics. Women ages 18-29

are more likely to buy organic beauty products than anyone else. A quarter of women ages 18-29

report having purchased organic beauty products compared to 21% of women in their 30s, 18% of

women in their 40s, and only 16% of women in their 50s.


All anti-aging products are not created equal. She knows what she likes and what she doesn’t

like. Most women are likely to say that they see “some difference” between anti-aging skincare

brands while roughly a fifth are likely to say that they see “a great deal of difference”. The level of

difference varies depending on the anti-aging product. Women are most likely to report a great deal

of difference between brands when it comes to eye cream (nearly a quarter do so) and are least

likely to report any difference between brands of face wash (only 15% say there is a great deal of

difference between brands of face wash).

Interestingly, one of the largest differences between the 2009 study and the 2010 Anti-Aging

Study is that more women in 2010 report seeing a great deal of difference between anti-aging

skincare brands across almost all categories. This suggests that marketers have been effectively

communicating the values of their anti-aging brands and that women who have tried these

products have been pleased with the results.

perception of anti–aging products



Q. How much of a difference do you believe there is among anti-aging skincare brands in the following categories?

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%

Anti-agingeye cream

Anti-agingeye serum

Anti-agingday cream

Anti-agingbody cream

Anti-agingface wash

Anti-agingsun

protection

20092010

changing it up

While a majority of women admit to seeing a difference between brands of anti-aging products,

they are not necessarily the most loyal of customers just yet. 42%, say they could be lured away

from their current brand with a free sample from another brand. Others are susceptible to good

deals. 36% say they would try a new brand if it was less expensive and 30% say they would try a

new brand if they had a coupon. Interestingly, friend and family recommendations don’t necessarily

trump a good deal. A recommendation from friends or family has about the same amount of brand

influence (29%) as a coupon (30%).

Still, efficacy reigns supreme. When they do shell out for anti-aging products, women expect to

see results. And if they’re not happy with the results they’re getting, they’ll think about switching.

When asked why they might consider switching from their current brand of anti-aging products,

43% of women said they would if they weren’t getting the results they wanted.


topical anti-aging vs. surgical procedures

She may not be ready for surgery, but she’s intrigued by the promised benefit. Skincare claims that

topical anti-aging products work as effectively as surgical procedures appeal to slightly more than

half the women surveyed (52%). The reasons these claims are not even more appealing may be

because women either don’t believe these claims (44%) or are not sure whether to believe them

(42%).

Interestingly, these claims are most appealing to older women. 57% of women in their 50s find

this claim appealing compared to only 47% of women in their late teens and 20s.



What is she willing to pay?

To look 10 years younger, women of all ages are willing to open their checkbooks and drop some

cash. Most are would pay between $50–100 every six months (56%), roughly a fifth are willing

to pay between $101–200 (17%), and a 15% are willing to pay $200 or more! And it’s not just

women who are older. Interestingly, this willingness to spend starts in her 20s and carries through

at similar levels through her 50s.

So what will she pay for? Women are most likely to shell out for anti-aging products that they use

on their face. Eye cream (35%) and day cream (32%) are the two products that respondents report

being most willing to pay a premium for. On the other hand, they are least likely to pay a premium

for more utilitarian items like face wash (59%), sun protection (58%), or body cream (58%).

purchase behavior


Unweighted Base (1580) Would pay Would not pay Don’t knowAnti-aging eye cream 35% 45% 20%Anti-aging day cream 32% 49% 19%Anti-aging serum 27% 51% 22%Anti-aging face wash 21% 59% 20%Anti-aging sun protection 22% 58% 20%Anti-aging body cream 21% 58% 21%

deciding where to shop

Still, she’s a savvy shopper and is always looking for the best price and most convenient location.

When asked about her anti-aging shopping habits, she cites the following as her most important

purchase decision factors when deciding where to shop:

� [If the store] offers the lowest price (72%)

� [If the store has a] convenient location (67%)

� [If the store] offers samples to try before I buy (64%)

� Store employees are knowledgeable/can answer my questions (62%)

pulling the reigns

Don’t think it’s always about prestige. She wants her time and her dollar valued What’s holding

her back from buying more anti-aging products? Short answer: the cost. 72% of women say they

would buy more anti-aging products if they were less expensive. And although not as important as

cost, about half (54%) say that they would buy more if the products did what they promised. She

expects value and results. If you want her to keep buying your brand, your products must deliver.

purchase behavior


purchase behavior

Q. I would use/buy more anti-aging skincare or makeup products if… (Pick all that apply)

Unweighted Base 1580 2010They were more affordable 72%The products did what they promised 54%They offered more coupons/discounts 43%They offered more promotional packages or free samples 39%They were proven to work in clinical trials 29%The benefits of using them were explained more clearly to me 24%They were easier to use 14%I had less sensitive skin 12%Other 4%

And, given the at-times significant cost of anti-aging products, over half of women say they have

taken various money saving actions in the past month to save on their favorite anti-aging products

(66%). The two most common actions were that they waited until their products were on sale /

they had a coupon or they stopped using the product all together. What will she abandon first?

Surprisingly, eye cream was the product most likely to be abandoned (16%), followed by night

cream (14%).

Q. Have you taken any actions to save money on your anti-aging purchases in within the last 12 months?

Day Cream

Eye Cream

Night Cream

Unweighted Base 1580 1580 1580

I have stopped using this product 11% 16% 14%

I switched to a less expensive name brand product 12% 9% 10%

I switched to a less expensive generic brand product 9% 8% 7%

I purchased from off-price or less-expensive retailers 10% 9% 9%

I purchased this product online 6% 6% 6%

I waited until my products were on sale/ I had a coupon 15% 14% 14%

I did not change my purchasing behavior 44% 44% 45%


shopping habits

We may be recovering from a recession and budgeting may be high on everyone’s “to-do” list but

women enjoy shopping. And the majority report shopping for beauty products at least every other

month (62%).

Q. How often do you shop for beauty products?

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%Weekly Twice a

monthMonthly Every three

monthsOnce a

yearEvery twomonths

6%

11%

25%

20%

26%

12%

Beauty buyers do most of their shopping for anti-aging products where it’s most convenient —

at mass retailers (60%) and drugstores (45%). In contrast, they do little of their shopping at

outlets that involve an “extra step” like picking up the phone or going online. Catalogs (4%)

and infomercials (2%) are the two lowest scoring sources. These numbers have not changed

significantly over the past 12 months.

purchase behavior


Q. Where do you purchase your anti-aging cosmetics or products?

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Mass r

etaile

rs

Drugsto

re

Depart

ment s

tore

Beauty

speci

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store Onli

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Grocery

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Indep

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perso

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use c

lub

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logist

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ial

online shopping habits

What is she looking for when shopping for anti-aging products online? Most likely she’s looking

to replenish her stock. 67% of online anti-aging purchases are replacements while 37% are new

purchases. The new anti-aging item they are most likely to buy online? Nail and hand products

(42%).

Many women shop for general skincare products shopping online (36%). When they click and ship,

most purchase from:

� Directly from a beauty brand site (37%)

� From Amazon.com (34%)

� From Sephora.com (32%)

purchase behavior


beauty information sources

Sources of health and beauty information are everywhere and women have come to rely on a wide

variety of “beauty authorities.” Those they trust most, however, have a “personal” or “in-person”

connection.

Q. How influential are the following resources when it comes to advice on your skincare?

Unweighted Base 1580“Very” or “Somewhat”

Dermatologist 77%

Family/friends 61%

Dermatologist endorsed seals or signage 55%

Facialist 53%

Magazine editorials/articles 46%

Beauty specialty store associate 40%


Unweighted Base 1580“Very” or “Somewhat”

Online beauty sites 39%

Department store cosmetic counter associate 34%

Blogs 27%

Drug store cosmetic counter associate 25%

People who post beauty tip videos on video-sharing sites (ie YouTube) 22%

When seeking beauty information, women tend to head straight to specific beauty magazines,

websites, and TV shows. Still, 46% gather beauty insights while watching/reading a variety of

media, not solely focused on beauty.

Q. Where do you get the majority of your information on beauty products and tips?

Unweighted Base 1580 All

Read, watch or listen to specific beauty magazines, websites, TV shows 54%

Read, watch or listen to a variety of media, not solely focused on beauty 46%

At the same time, the number of different sources women rely on for beauty advice and insight

continues to expand. The latest trend — online videos — is no longer simply trendy — it’s rapidly

becoming a “must have.” Roughly a third of women say they have sought beauty information about

products, tips, or procedures from online videos. The younger the woman, the more likely she is

to have sought out beauty information from online videos. In fact, women ages 18 -29 are almost

10% more likely to say they have sought beauty information from online videos than any other age

group. Women in their 30s, 40s, and 50s all report a similar level of beauty video usage (about

30%).

To find these videos, women look to general beauty websites or blogs (50%), brand websites

(44%), or video sharing sites like YouTube (44%). Interestingly, however, younger women and older

women vary greatly in their preferred source of beauty videos. Younger women are most likely to

checkout YouTube (62%), while women ages 40 and older are much more likely to visit a brand’s

website (53%).



Interestingly, beauty blogs are not as popular as online videos. 27% of respondents say they have

read beauty blogs for product news or tips. Similarly to online videos however, beauty blogs are

much more popular among the 20-something crowd (32%) than the 40+ crowd (24%).

The most popular beauty websites and online communities include:

� Glamour magazine (29%)

� Cosmopolitan magazine (17%)

� Beauty.com (14%)

� YouTube (14%)

The most popular magazines include:

� Good Housekeeping (25%)

� Glamour (24%)

� Prevention (20%)

Watched online video for beauty advice

67%

34%

Read beauty blogs

27%

73%

NoYes



today’s anti-ager

Today’s woman feels pretty good about her anti-aging routine. In fact, more women think they

look younger than their actual age (65%) than think they look their actual age (28%). And this

difference grows more pronounced with time:

Women in their 20s: � 38% say they look their actual age

� 44% say they look 5 years younger

� 9% say they look 10 or more years younger



� 18% say they look 10 or more years younger



� 29% say they look 10 or more years younger!



� 33% say they look 10 or more years younger!


Women appear to attribute this difference between their actual and perceived ages to their lifestyle

as well as their beauty regimen. Women are as likely to describe themselves as “health-conscious”

(37%) as they are “well groomed” (35%).

Most of these women make healthy living a priority. They take care of themselves and maintain

lofty health goals and careful regimens:

� 71% drink enough water

� 64% watch what they eat

� 62% get enough sleep

� 57% maintain a healthy weight

One area that they struggle with however, is fitting exercise into their busy routines. Only half the

women surveyed (48%) report that they exercise regularly. Women in their 50s are least likely to

report that they fit exercise into their regular routine (43%).

How does she see herself? When asked to describe themselves, a majority answered “family

focused” (66%) and “responsible” (61%). It comes as no surprise then that the next most

common attributes are characteristics that help them provide for those around them including

being “practical” (47%), and “thrifty” (40%). They’re not all business all the time though. 40%

of these women consider themselves to be laid back. 37% sociable. 36% optimistic. And 35%

adventurous.

today’s anti-ager

5165 MacArthur Boulevard 2nd FloorWashington, DC 20016Office: (202) 249-1500

www.benchmarkingco.com

prevention magazine anti-aging report

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