Page 49 - Retail Pharmacy Assistants - November 2020

SKIN CARE 47 Products and their appeal A pharmacy owner in central Melbourne, who wishes to remain anonymous, says customers, in her experience, are “very attached to skin care products they can apply”. “During the pandemic, I’ve noticed that many customers appear happy to buy Sukin and Nivea skin care products,” the pharmacist said. She attributes this to people wanting affordable but quality products, which “these brands” provide. “Don’t forget the sustainability factor,” she said, “which counts in terms of Sukin products being vegan, cruelty free, eco oriented, carbon neutral and grey water safe.” She says Sukin’s 100 per cent vegan Signature range is popular, with all the products free from phthalates, mineral oils and synthetic fragrances. “Customers also appear to appreciate the range’s indigenous ingredients, such as Kakadu plum, quandong, pure ribose, and cramble oil.” The pharmacist says serums generally are a “firm favourite” for women looking for “that something to perk up their skin”. “I think it’s because women have been feeling a lot of stress, fear and anxiety about their own lives and the state of their country, and the world in general, during the pandemic, and are looking for something enriching and full of self-love and self-care,” she said. “And with their high concentrations and potency, serums meet the need.” She says she assists customers in selecting a serum based on what they’re trying to achieve. If the intention is to slow ageing, a serum that contains retinol, glycolic acid and vitamin C is the answer, she says. However, if the purpose is to moisturise skin, a product that contains hyaluronic acid and peptide is the answer, she adds, as it makes for glowing skin and assists the skin in repairing itself. “I advise customers to apply a serum in the morning and the evening to their face and neck after cleansing their skin,” she said. “They should ideally be applied before any makeup or sunscreen is applied.” The pharmacist says skin care products are “also most certainly not just being bought by women, but men as well”. This is unsurprising, considering that men’s personal-care market is expected to take in $230 billion globally. This is reinforced by recent research from Roy Morgan indicating that a greater proportion of men today are using and buying skin care products than ever before. According to Roy Morgan, more than 2.1 million millennial women and just over one million millennial men use skin care products and buy such a product in an average six months. Nivea is the clear market leader, reaching 25 per cent of the core millennial skin care market, about double the proportion of its nearest rival Sukin, on 12 per cent. Other well-known skin care brands include L’Oreal at eight per cent, Olay at six per cent, Dove at five per cent, and Garnier at four per cent. This is in line with previous Roy Morgan research indicating that in the year to March 2016, 3.7 million Australian men aged 14 and over bought at least one skin care product in any given six months. Hand/body lotion emerged as the most popular skin care product, with 26.8 per cent of those surveyed buying such a product in an average six months, followed by facial moisturiser at 21.5 per cent and facial cleanser at 17.8 per cent. This pattern is consistent for all age groups except the under-25s, who are marginally more likely to buy facial cleanser (24.7 per cent of respondents) than hand/body lotion (24.2 per cent). Of all the age groups, 25 to 34-year-olds are most likely to buy hand/body lotion (31 per cent), facial moisturiser (27.4 per cent) and/or facial cleanser (26 per cent). The research shows that Nivea is in a league of its own, with its face-care products bought by 17.9 per cent of surveyed men who buy skin care products in an average six months, with L’Oréal coming in second at 5.8 per cent and Olay third at five per cent. Nivea also emerged as the most popular brand for hand/ body lotions, bought by 10.2 per cent of surveyed male skin care buyers in an average six months, with Vaseline Intensive Care coming in at 7.1 per cent and QV at 6.8 per cent. RETAIL PHARMACY ASSISTANTS • NOV 2020