Let’s face it, there are more skincare products out there than beverage choices at Starbucks. From sensitive skin and undereye circles to clogged pores and sun damage, whatever your concern there’s a product or 12 to help. It’s good to have options, right? Definitely, but there is such a thing as too many choices (there’s a reason the line at Starbucks is so long). Add the number of product retailers to the mix and there goes your Saturday.
So, aside from becoming BFFs with an esthetician (not a bad idea, BTW) how do you navigate your way through the flooded skincare market? Glad you asked. This guide outlines the three main components of customer experience (expertise, customer service, and selection & price) at three popular types of skincare retailers – day spa, specialty retailer (i.e. Sephora, Ulta, etc.) and drug store.
Product & Service Expertise –Expertise is a funny thing. It can be hard to ascertain because we make assumptions based on seemingly relevant associations, but assumptions usually don’t pan out. For example, just as a lab coat doesn’t make someone a doctor, working at a specialty retailer doesn’t make them an esthetician. Skincare knowledge is more than suggesting a convenient starter set. It’s being intimately familiar with the seven layers of our body’s largest organ (yup, skin) and using that knowledge to recommend the appropriate treatments and products. It’s the ability to look at a list of product ingredients and understand what each one does, and more importantly, how different types of skin will react.
True skincare knowledge is not pushing a product because it translates into a bigger commission check or the line is being phased out. Nor is it recommending the product du jour simply because everyone’s buying it or it comes with a fabulous celebrity endorsement. That never ends well - remember when Tom Brady endorsed Uggs? Enough said.
Customer Service – When it comes to purchasing skincare products, customer service means more than a cheery greeting and short checkout line. It’s really customized service – product recommendations tailored to the current health of your skin and its specific needs.
While it might be convenient to grab a facial cleanser while picking up a prescription at the drugstore, you end up at the mercy of marketing claims and product design. Hey, it happens! Who among us hasn’t fallen for cool product packaging in the skincare aisle? That tube promising deep cleansing sounds good, right? Well, do you need deep cleansing? How deep is deep? Can you use it every day? Will it interfere with your daily serum? There’s no one around to ask so you just throw it in your basket and roll the dice. Unfortunately, it’s not until your skin is inflamed and bumps appear that you realize you didn’t actually need a deep clean. Where’s the convenience in that?
Selection & Price –Between the bright displays, fluorescent lights and blaring music it’s easy to get overwhelmed in a specialty retailer. They stock every brand you’ve ever heard of and probably some you haven’t. From floor to ceiling, there’s something at every price point from store brands coming in at the lower end to trending, premium brands such as La Mer and Tata Harper. So, how do you know which product to choose? This is where things can get fuzzy. Sure there are store associates there to assist you, but with so many products available it’s hard to be well-versed on each one. How do you know that helpful associate isn’t just steering you towards the product that happens to be freshest in her mind? You don’t.
Now, is there anything as full of false hope as the skincare aisle at the drugstore? We’ve all been there - you run in for a birthday card and somehow end up spending 45-minutes mesmerized by packaging and promising marketing claims. Drugstore product selections vary based on the size and location of the store, but generally cover mainstream skincare lines such as Neutrogena, Olay, L’Oreal and the like. However, as the skincare market continues to grow, more drugstores have begun to carry expanded lines such as ROC, Yes To, and Skinfix. Price points are aligned accordingly and tend to come in low- to upper-mid-range.
Remember, price can be fickle and it’s very different from value. Price is what you pay, but value is what you actually get. So, how can one serum sell for $55 and another for $15 when they both claim to defy age? This is the part where we remind you of the difference between hamburger and filet mignon (apologies to our non-meat-eating friends) because the answer is quality. Drugstores and chain retailers often carry products that contain lower quality ingredients, such as fillers. When you opt for a mass-produced product, you’re less likely to achieve the desired results (even though it might feel like something is happening) and may experience irritation or damage from things like parabens, artificial fragrances and dyes. Trust us, there’s no value in that regardless of what you paid.
Maybe your favorite day spa isn’t the first place you think of to purchase skincare products, but it should be. Most day spas adhere to “quality over quantity,” and carry fewer product lines than specialty retailers and drugstores. While product stacked floor-to-ceiling can look impressive, sometimes more is just more. By offering a focused selection, day spas can ensure every choice is a quality one. What does that mean for price point? Not what you might think! In fact, as more mainstream skincare lines try to rebrand themselves as premium (we’re looking at you Olay, a.k.a. Oil of Olay) customers end up paying more for essentially the same product. This means that some drugstore products are now comparable in cost to lines carried by spas, even though they still contain lower-quality ingredients.
At the end of the day, the primary goal of specialty retailers and drugstores is to sell. A good day spa’s primary goal isn’t to move product, it’s to build lasting client relationships by meeting individual needs. Your primary goal when purchasing skincare products is healthy skin. Doesn’t it make sense to buy from a retailer that has the same goal?
La Bella Derma carries skincare products from Epicuren, PCA Skin, Kerstin Florian, Intelligent Nutrients, Laurel Whole Plant, and Lather. Stop in or call 802.735.3031 to schedule a free skincare consultation to determine your skin needs.
Heather Frechette-Crowley is principal and founder of Root Marketing, where she uses content-based strategy to help businesses of all sizes connect with their target market. Looking for help telling your story? Visit www.rootmktg.com or email heather@rootmktg.com.
