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  Consumer Data, (De)Coded.  

COVID-19 Insights: Beauty - Jun 2020

Analyze trends and changes in the Beauty landscape during the COVID-19 crisis.




Introduction

The following report continues last month's investigation (see COVID-19 Insights: Beauty - May 2020) of trending consumer conversation topics in Beauty amidst the COVID-19 crisis.

Nail Products Rebound

Nail Product conversation appears to be rebounding, while share gains for Lip and Face Products back in April are proving short-lived.



Face Masks Impact Cosmetics and Skin Care

Face Masks are contributing to conversation increases around Mascara and acne-related concerns, though it is unlikely to be the main driver. If consumers adopt wearing Face Masks into the Fall, it will be interesting to see whether specific skin concerns change with the seasons or remain fixed to the new behavior.



On-Premise Continues Recovery

Conversation for on-premise Beauty locations like salon and spa are on their way to returning to pre-COVID-19 levels. In comparison to last month, consumers are less likely to discuss health and safety concerns in their conversations of reopening.



Sun Care Underperforms

Sun Care conversation is underperforming compared to last year. Impacts to travel plans, and summer vacation plans in particular, appear to be driving Sun Care's less than stellar performance.



Sustainability Fluctuates

Eco-conscious topics are continuing to grow as we progress further in time. Temporarily overlooked at the start and height of the COVID-19 crisis, as consumers settled in, sustainability efforts rebounded. They are still on an upward trajectory despite some short-term setbacks. Continuous monitoring is advised.



The State of Self Care

Self care has started to decline in Beauty conversations after experiencing extreme growth. This may be due to declining COVID-19 related topics overall as well as consumers reaching a new normal in their routines. It could also be that self care has hit its saturation point in the Beauty category.



Nail Products Rebound

Toward the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in the US, Nail Products lost nearly 5% share of Cosmetics conversation, likely due to salon closures. However, since April, conversation of Nail Products has begun rebounding. In fact, Nail Products' conversation share of Cosmetics in June this year is slightly higher than it was at the same time last year.

In contrast, share gains for Lip and Face Products seen back in April did not last. Lip and Face Products' shares of Cosmetics in June 2020 are currently below their comparable rates in June 2019.

Product Performance in Cosmetics Conversations

Closures during COVID-19 may have created a build up of demand for nail-related services that are now beginning to show as many cities reopen. Professional nail services, like Nail Art, Manicure and Pedicure, are driving the growth in Nail Product conversations.


X-axis Raw Penetration - rel chng 3 mn How have specific products grown or declined in Nail Product conversations over 3 months?

 
Various location-based references to club, spa, studio and salon are also contributing to the growth in Nail Product conversations. As socializing generally and nightlife in particular recover from recent months of social distancing, consumers may be motivated to seek specialized nail services so they can look their best.


X-axis Raw Penetration - rel chng 3 mn How have specific products grown or declined in Nail Product conversations over 3 months?

 
That is not to say, however, that months of quarantining have not resulted in some behavioral changes that may outlast the quarantine itself. Do it yourself related topics appeared to have peaked in April and have been declining since within the context of Nail Product conversations. Even so, conversation levels for these topics are still higher on a YOY comparison.

Interestingly, self taught is emerging as a topic in Nail Product conversations and continues to grow. Businesses should continue to monitor whether consumers potentially strike a balance between on-premise nail services and at home teaching.

DIY Related Topics: Performance in Nail Products


Face Masks Impact Cosmetics and Skin Care

Because (medical) Face Masks or face coverings are being adopted to help stop the spread of disease, consumers who are venturing in public may be less likely to adhere strictly to their full Cosmetics regimen. With limited facial exposure, consumers may be prioritizing specific parts of their faces, like their eyes, when they do wear makeup. Within the last 3 months, conversation about Mascara within the context of Face Masks has increased about 15%.

Skin Care, and Blemish Control more specifically, experienced a drop in Face Masks conversation between Feb. and May as consumers began talking about a wider variety of products in these conversations.

Products' Performance in Face Mask Conversation

However, over the last three months, consumers have increasingly mentioned specific skin concerns related to acne and irritation. Although they may no longer be referencing specific products related to Blemish Control, their expressed concerns indicate that demand for these types of products still exists and is in fact growing.


X-axis Penetration Pctl Is this skin concern over or under represented in Face Masks conversations relative to Beauty?
Y-axis Raw Penetration - rel chng 3 mn Which skin concerns have grown or declined in Face Masks conversations over 3 months?
Circle Shading Raw Penetration - rel chng 3 mn Which skin concerns have grown or declined in Face Masks conversations over 3 months?
Circle Size Topic Prominence Number of posts/conversation related to the topic

 
While it is likely this is impacted by the use of Face Masks, the increase in specific skin concerns may also be driven by seasonal Sun Care concerns. If consumers are wearing facial sunscreens more often in the warmer months, they might also be more expressive of some of specific acne-related concerns related to sunscreen wearing. Businesses should keep in mind the seasonality of skin concerns when considering investments in this space.


X-axis Penetration Pctl Is this skin concern over or under represented in Sun Care conversations relative to Beauty?
Y-axis Raw Penetration - rel chng 12 mn Which skin concerns have grown or declined in Sun Care conversations over 12 months?
Circle Shading Raw Penetration - rel chng 12 mn Which skin concerns have grown or declined in Sun Care conversations over 12 months?
Circle Size Topic Prominence Number of posts/conversation related to the topic

 

On-Premise Continues Recovery

Given that many states are now in Phase 3 of reopening, it makes sense that conversation for on-premise Beauty locations like salon and spa are on their way to returning to pre-COVID-19 levels.

DIY treatments may have temporarily fulfilled consumers' desire to pamper themselves in a way they would normally only receive from a spa experience, but some data suggest that the lasting implications of this may be minimal.

In Apr, conversation levels of spa and DIY were nearly the same before both began returning to normative levels. DIY is no longer growing month over month in Beauty convesation, and it remains a tiny portion of overall conversation.

DIY vs. On-Premise in Beauty Conversation

In the last month, consumers appear to have largely accepted the risks of re-engaging socially and are focusing their attention on the excitement and flurry of activity that is accompanying reopenings. References to hygiene and safety-related concerns have decreased but still remain important to reopening conversation.


X-axis Penetration Pctl Is this concern over or under represented in reopening conversations relative to Beauty?
Y-axis Raw Penetration - rel chng 1 mn Which concerns have grown or declined in reopening conversations over 1 month?
Circle Shading Raw Penetration - rel chng 1 mn Which concerns have grown or declined in reopening conversations over 1 month?
Circle Size Topic Prominence Number of posts/conversation related to the Topic

 

Sun Care Underperforms

Sun Care conversation is underperforming compared to last year. Recent reopenings have not been able to make up for the fact that consumers have been obligated to remain at home or indoors the last several months.

Performance in Skin Care Conversation

Impacts to travel plans, and summer vacation plans in particular, appear to be driving Sun Care's less than stellar performance. Consumers may have become conditioned to staying at home during quarantine, may not feel comfortable venturing out quite yet, or may have had to delay or cancel their outdoor vacation plans as a result of COVID-19.



 
Very few Sun Care-related concerns have gained share of conversation comparing May to June of this year, although they have gained visibility over the last 12 months. Heaviness, potency and sustainability are concerns that have grown within Sun Care over the past year.

References to specific mineral and chemical ingredients like titanium dioxide, zinx oxide and oxybenzone have decreased. It is possible that these have become table stakes for consumers, as there was a large focus on education around these ingredients last summer.


X-axis Raw Penetration - rel chng 1 mn Which topics have grown or declined in Sun Care conversations over 1 month?
Y-axis Raw Penetration - rel chng 12 mn Which topics have grown or declined in Sun Care conversations over 12 months?
Circle Shading Raw Penetration - rel chng 1 mn Which topics have grown or declined in Sun Care conversations over 1 month?
Circle Size Topic Prominence Number of posts/conversation related to the topic

 
Even if consumers are spending less time outside during the summer months, there may still be a demand for protective skin care, assuming it provides protection from blue light, if not from the sun. Blue light is a small topic with momentum. As more consumers settle into a working from home mentality, they may be more aware of the harmful affects blue (computer) light may have on their skin. Within the last three months, the amount of conversation in working from home conversations mentioning blue light has surpassed that of sun damage.

Performance in WFH


Sustainability Fluctuates

Last month, eco-conscious topics were growing while consumer focus continued to shift further away from disposables. Environmentally friendly, refillable, zero waste, and reusable were among the sustainability terms increasing within Beauty.

Selected Sustainability terms comparing % change between 2 weeks ending on Apr 18, 2020 and 2 weeks ending on May 16, 2020

In June however, a few eco-conscious topics appear to be declining. While environmentally friendly, plastic free, refillable and biodegradable conversations are still up, mentions of recycling, reusable and green have taken slight dips. Additionally, conversations around disposable are growing slightly. Sustainability is currently experiencing some volatility in Beauty conversation that may be tied to hygienic concerns taking precedent. That being said, some evidence suggests a long term growth trajectory for sustainability.

Shifts in sustainability over the coming months are worth keeping an eye on.

Selected Sustainability terms comparing % change between 2 weeks ending on May 16, 2020 and 2 weeks ending on Jun 13, 2020


The State of Self Care

After peaking in April, self care appears to be leveling off in Beauty conversations. Conversation still remains higher than pre-pandemic levels.


The topics that declined the most in self care conversations over the last 3 months were related to the COVID-19 outbreak . Self care may have previously been a coping mechanism or form of distraction amidst the initial outbreak (and risen in relation with these topics due to the nature of general increase in conversation around them). As the situation has normalized, consumers have adjusted their routines.


X-axis & Circle Shading Raw Penetration - rel chng 3 mn How has the topic grown or declined in self care conversations over the last 3 months?
Y-axis Penetration Pctl Is the topic over or under-represented in self care conversations relative to the average topic in Beauty?
Circle Size Topic Conversation Volume Number of posts/conversation related to the topic

 
Despite a recent decline in volume, self care is still up year over year and therefore represents a metric for success in Beauty. The brands below grew the most in self care conversations from June 2019 to June 2020 (averaged over 3 months) and are well positioned to continue capitalizing on this trend.



Methodology

To provide our clients with the latest insights, our proprietary platform collects, analyzes, and benchmarks social data. Here’s what that process looks like:


for more on methodology   Click Here              if you have additional questions, please email   Jordan Breslauer

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