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Clinical and derm-based brands recast skin care

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NEW YORK — The skin care category kept business afloat during the pandemic. Consumers took more time for self-care, including giving attention to their largest organ — the skin.

There has been a transition in the category with a move to more clinical and derm-based brands. That trend, which often means higher price points, is expected to drive business in 2022. Although experts say it might be challenging to keep up with the sales spikes of 2022 and 2021, skin care will remain a growth opportunity for mass marketers.

Shoppers are studying ingredient stories, and that’s a benefit to many brands on mass shelves that have the buzzy ingredients like niacinamide and hyaluronic acids high on shoppers’ lists. Mass market brands have kept up with the formulas sold in more expensive channels.

That prompted Ulta Beauty, in fact, to move all skin care into one section so shoppers can compare between prestige and mass brands. In the past the brands had been segregated by price.

Sensitive skin emerged over the past few years as a big issue. “We know 70% of women self-identify as having sensitive skin,” says Michael Sabbia, senior director for Cetaphil.

“While this is an overwhelming majority, we also know sensitive skin can be challenging, and those with sensitive skin are often unsure of how best to care for their skin’s needs and are likely searching for advice.” He adds that people are looking for guidance tied to moments when they will be cognizant of their sensitive skin, “whether that’s morning or bedtime, when they’re looking to make a skin improvement decision, or when they’re facing a major life change like starting a new job,” Sabbia says.

To address that issue, Cetaphil worked with leading chains to offer its first-ever buy-one-get-one-free promotion timed to Sensitive Skin Awareness Month in March.

“This is a great opportunity for consumers to build their sensitive skin routines, replenishing their beauty cabinets with cleansers, moisturizers, exfoliators or serums that are unique and tailored to their individual skin type,” Sabbia says. Also, throughout the month, activations will show up in partnership with Walmart, Target, CVS and Walgreens via shelf talkers, newsletters and in-store displays. There will also be a dedicated landing page at Amazon for relevant Sensitive Skin Awareness Month information and products.

CVS has added several new brands to its skin care offer for sensitive skin, such as GoodSkin MD, which merges products safe for sensitive skin with easy-to-read information that makes skin care approachable, according to a spokesperson for CVS.

Derm recommendations drive sales, especially of such brands as CeraVe, LaRoche-Posay, Avene and Cetaphil. An interesting dynamic is that some consumers are either finding it harder to cover costs of specific medications for skin issues or they are not getting reimbursed. That results in professionals recommending more off-the-shelf products, which is another benefit to the mass market. Pharmacists are being called upon to help with recommendations and, in many cases, they work in tandem with beauty consultants. Walgreens’ pharmacists and beauty consultants are crossed trained to help shoppers, as an example.

Brands are working on education gleaned from experts to help. “We heavily rely on our relationships with dermatologists, skin experts and our retailer partners to guide us on what sensitive skin consumers are truly looking for,” says Cetaphil’s Sabbia. “As the No. 1 doctor-recommended sensitive skin care brand, we strive to truly be a science-backed brand so consumers can feel confident when they reach for a Cetaphil product.” Building upon Sensitive Skin Awareness Month, Cetaphil is debuting what it calls the Sensitive Skin Academy. This is a group of dermatologists, qualified skin care specialists and influencer voices who will share their knowledge of sensitive skin and how Cetaphil’s new and improved formulas contain ingredients best suited to address five signs of skin sensitivity, be it dryness, irritation, roughness, tightness or a weakened skin barrier.

Cetaphil has a full pipeline of innovation going into 2022, including the reformulations of its five most iconic products, such as the Gentle Skin Cleanser and Daily Facial Cleanser, which now feature a dermatologist-backed blend of niacinamide, panthenol and glycerin. Four new body washes along with a fragrance-free version of its Daily Facial Cleanser recently launched.

The shift to high-performance skin care is reflected in sales. The brands posting the biggest gains in the 12 weeks ended January 23 and tracked for drug store sales by IRI included CeraVe, RoC, La Roche-Posay, No7 and Cetaphil. According to Google research, the term dermatologist-recommended trended last year in searches.

The segments driving skin care in mass include facial exfoliators, cleansers, creams and serums. NielsenIQ data for 2021 reports facial treatment sales were up 54%, facial skin care sales expanded 21%, sun care sales grew 38%, and hand and body lotion sales expanded 21%. Bath and shower cooled off in 2021, as consumers started going out more, and were faced with gains from 2020 that were difficult to top.

There is another source shoppers look to for advice, and it comes with some controversy and opportunity.

According to NPD, 52% of Gen Z consumers are apt to get skin care information from social media, primarily TikTok. E.l.f. soared in skin care thanks to that exposure. But derms are concerned about some of the information TikTokers post, since they are not clinically trained. Derms are joining the fray. Spate data singles out some of the professionals who have gone viral, such Dr. Andrea Suarez (@drdrayzday) on TikTok and Dr. Sam Ellis (@drsamanthaellis) on Instagram.


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