Two thirds of women call for more transparency from clean beauty labels

As World Environment Day approaches, it’s becoming clear that two thirds of women would like their ‘clean beauty’ products to be labelled more transparently. While 61 percent of women feel that beauty products labeled as clean do not contain sufficient information, 69 percent rely on alternative sources for ingredient details.

That’s according to new data from digital marketing firm Bazaarvoice and product review platform Influenster based on a survey of 24,000 international women in the Influenster network.

Though considered niche in the past, clean beauty has been more popular in recent years, with nine out of ten women saying they are more likely to buy a product made without chemicals. The survey also found that 'cruelty free' and 'hypoallergenic' are the most valued clean labels, with 62 percent and 36 percent, respectively.

Trust

Only 19 percent of women said that they refer to brand websites to research clean beauty. Instead, due to a perceived lack of transparency from brands on ingredients, 33 percent rely on product reviews from fellow consumers, 26 percent turn to social media for more information and 25 percent prefer to use Google.

Additionally, when gathering specific product ingredients, over half of women look to Google, while almost a quarter make use of product reviews. Just one percent of women who participated in the survey said that they rely on a brand’s advertising to find out more about clean beauty or product ingredients.

“World Environment Day celebrates nature and shoppers’ greener choices,” said Suzin World, senior vice president of marketing at Bazaarvoice. “While the beauty industry is technically self-regulated when it comes to clean products, retailers are struggling to find a consistent set of standards that provides consumers with a full understanding of clean beauty. As a result, women are turning to other women to learn from “like me” product reviews and social media posts.”

Effects of Covid-19

Though the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has shifted shopping behavior, and women began favoring availability and cost over quality and brand name when shopping, 68 percent of survey respondents are still committed to reading ingredient labels prior to buying and 43 percent continue to prioritize clean products for certain purchases.

World continued: “Covid-19 has changed many consumer behaviors and women are buying what is easily accessible right now. However, there is still a clear appetite for clean products and brands have a responsibility to share information so consumers can make informed purchases.

“If brands can communicate that their products are good for the environment they can win loyalty, not just during the pandemic but beyond, and tap into the community of clean beauty customers who are spreading the word about these products.”

Photo Credit: Net Sustain