CARYS SMITH2*, THERESA CALLAGHAN1, SUSAN AYTON2
*Corresponding author
1. Callaghan Consulting International, Hamburg, Germany
2. Ayton Global Research, Bath, United Kingdom

Abstract

In this second part of our research into the insights why consumers use skin lightening products we investigated key outcomes of the first study more deeply, especially the concerns over skin whitening products and why consumers use them. In this second study, addressing ingredients, claims, product purpose, why consumers use them, as well as product safety, ‘not meeting user expectations’, ‘overt claims’, and ‘ingredient safety’ or ‘trustworthiness’, stand out as the key biggest issues surrounding skin lightening products. Marketing is a two-way communication with consumers, so if their need is for ‘even skin tone’ and not skin ‘lightening’, product claims need to change to reflect that need, and not be driven by default marketing assumptions. Clearly, there is an opportunity for a complete rethink in product strategy and marketing messaging within the industry, in order to provide so-called skin lightening products which enhance the ‘appearance of the skin’ in terms of ‘attractiveness’, ‘smoothing out the complexion’ and leaving it ‘less dull-looking’.

INTRODUCTION
Claims of skin whitening and lightening have been banned in India and South Africa, with a number of global cosmetic companies having to rethink their product strategies. Cosmetic companies have been forced to face up to the fact that they are unwittingly promoting colour-based discrimination with their skin lightening/whitening products (1).
The anger caused by the Black Lives Movement has finally prompted the market to acknowledge and address this concern. Added to the enormity of the skin lightening category, and the current debates surrounding colourism and cosmetic claims, Ayton Global Research (UK) was commissioned to investigate and find out from consumers who use whitening products, what drives their decision for using them and what they really think of them.

The first of these findings (Part 1) were published in 2020 (2).
The information yielded very interesting data in when it comes to skin lightening/whitening products, a ‘one-size-fits-all’ does not actually fit. While most of the countries evaluated in the study highlighted ‘dullness’ and ‘uneven skin tone’, as important, being †...