Skincare is the most dominant category in the beauty industry, accounting for 41% of the overall market share. According to Lookfantastic, skincare is the consumer's highest priority in their beauty regime, with 43% of shoppers spending the most on these products. Due to these consumer habits, several brands and retailers are able to seek new sales opportunities by providing SKUs and services they perhaps had not before. In the UK, supermarkets have begun to roll out skincare-specific aisles and services, including Sainsbury's, which provides ModiFace-powered skin consultations in "skincare takeover" designated areas. The latest supermarket to explore opportunities through skincare is Tesco, presenting a dedicated sensitive skin section in 100 selected stores across the UK.
The section has been created in a bid to help customers who may not know where to turn when experiencing skin issues after it was discovered that 27 million people in the UK suffer from some form of skin sensitivity. The area is split into different categories and groups together products based on skin type, including "sensitive face," "normal-to-dry skin," "very dry skin," and "very dry, itchy skin." Customers can browse products from brands including E45, Cetaphil, Weleda, and Cetraben on these dedicated shelves. There is also a dedicated Aveeno section that reads, "Sensitive skin deserves Aveeno," as part of a partnership Tesco recently entered with the brand.
"This exciting new trial will bring together brands and useful information to help the 40% of the UK population with sensitive skin find the right solution for them," says Sarah Sturgeon, Category Buying Manager for Baby and Beauty at Tesco. "Most customers don't know where to look in stores to find sensitive skin products—so when we learned that the majority of customers want to find solutions alongside other familiar products in the skincare aisle, we created this new dedicated area in-store to make it easy to find the products they need all in one place."
Tesco's aisles have become part of the increased attention to sensitive skincare across the industry. Recently, Ren Clean Skincare launched the All Skin Is Sensitive campaign with a mission to inspire skin confidence through an understanding of the different types of sensitive skin concerns. The campaign shared a range of videos in-store and online, educating consumers on sensitive skin types, from acne-prone skin to those suffering from rosacea and eczema. The videos also highlight sensitive skin causes that consumers may not know, including hormonal contributions, UV damage, stress, and lack of sleep.
"No matter who you are, everyone has the potential and likelihood to experience sensitivity at some point in their life—and the type of sensitivity is unique to the individual. Whether it is experiencing an uncomfortable rash after using a new beauty product or suffering from ongoing dryness and reactive skin—understanding the triggers and types of sensitivity are key to preventing its symptoms and damage to the skin barrier and microbiome, as well as forming the optimal plan for treatment," Dr. Nava Greenfield, Board-Certified Dermatologist, and Ren Clean Skincare Consultant said at the time of the campaign's launch.
Circling back to Aveeno—the brand has pioneered sensitive skin education since it was created in 1945. At the later end of last year, Aveeno released the State of Skin Sensitivity report, which found that there had been a 55% increase in reports of sensitive skin in the past two decades. The brand's campaign for the report highlighted that sensitive skin can factor a psychological impact beyond the skin's surface and encouraged consumers to share images of their skin and their psychological journey with their conditions under #ProudlySensitiveSkin. All submissions were entered into a competition to win a virtual mentoring session with brand partners and skin influencers Tia Mowry and Hyram Yarbro.
The rise of sensitive skin campaigns, as showcased by these brands, evidences an industry shift in priorities where brands are now taking the opportunity to educate consumers and offer resources and products to relieve the concerns and psychological impact of skin conditions.
As more and more businesses dive into sensitive skincare research and product creation, it seems we are entering a time where SKUs will begin to focus more on specific concerns as opposed to generalized categories, contributing towards the soothing of sensitive skin and an increase in opportunities for the industry as a whole.
