Natural and organic – catchy buzz words or the way of the future? Turns out, possibly a bit of both. Beauty consumers are keenly interested in the benefits of using natural and organic products, and are open to more education and awareness as to why these types of products are so important. To dig deeper, TBC chatted with more than 2,000 women to get the down and dirty on ‘green’ beauty.
Consumers are interested in and purchasing natural and organic…
- 95% of women buy natural and organic products
- 91% have made natural/organic purchases in the last 12 months
- 36% have been using/purchasing natural and organic products between 2-5 years
Natural and organic are a leading product ‘benefit’, however…
- Results are still king. ‘The product does what it says it will’ is ranked as a more important benefit than simply being natural or organic
Buying organic/natural makes her feel better about her choices – and herself.
- 98% agree natural/organic products are better for the environment
- 95% agree buying natural products makes her feel good about herself
- 89% believe that that natural/organic companies use sustainable farming methods to cultivate their ingredients
When she isn’t buying natural and organic, it’s because of cost and confusion.
- 63% cite cost of natural/organic products as a purchase inhibitor
- 27% don’t feel they understand the benefits of natural/organic over traditional products
Organic vs Natural – do consumers understand the difference?
- 75% claim to know how organic and natural products differ
- 62% believe that for a beauty product to be labeled ‘organic’, it must be certified by the USDA
- 87-89% are willing to spend more on natural and organic products, with 36-39% willing to spend up to 25% more for them!
However, when queried on specifics, confusion still lingers.
- 51% believe a product must be made with 100% organic ingredients to be labeled organic
- 44% believe all-natural and organic beauty products are not tested on animals
- 30% believe ‘chemical-free’ products are the same as ‘natural ‘
She’s most interested in trying organic and natural beauty and personal care products:
- 38% would like to try natural/organic deodorant and hair color
- 37% interested in natural/organic personal feminine care, such as tampons, etc. and bath products such as bubble baths and soaks.
- 35% are interested in natural/organic makeup
- 33% skincare serums and body lotions, and clothing made with organic fibers/materials
Of those who currently shop for organic and natural foods*:
- 54% say they are purchasing natural dairy products; 50% are buying organic dairy
- 67% are purchasing natural produce; 59% buy organic produce
- 59% are purchasing natural meats; 43% buy organic meats
(*50% to 100% of the time they shop)
Oils/butters dominate as the most appealing organic/natural ingredients:
- 58% coconut oil/essence
- 54% Argan oil
- 53% aloe vera
- 36% cocoa butter
- 35% avocado oil and Vitamin E
- And 31% herbs, honey and Vitamin C
Why she purchases and uses natural/organic products?
- 79% because natural/organic are healthier for her body
- 59% because they don’t want chemicals on their skin
- 55% because natural/organic products have stronger healing/protective qualities than synthetic ingredients
- 37% because they believe synthetic ingredients cause diseases, like cancer
Top organic/natural brands she’s purchasing:
- Burt’s Bees (81%)
- Aveeno (71%)
- EOS (50%)
- Seventh Generation (46%)
- Tom’s of Maine (43%)
Her favorite natural brand(s)?
- Aveeno
- Burt’s Bees
- Seventh Generation
- Origins
- Yes To
Her favorite organic brand(s)?
- Burt’s Bees
- Aveeno
- Origins
- Honest Company
- Juice Beauty
- Josie Maran
Her favorite natural/organic product(s)?
- Face oil
- Body lotion
- Body balm
- Lip balm
- Body wash
Based on an original survey of 2,209 US women ages 18+, conducted in May 2016 by The Benchmarking Company.
Download the entire .pdf here.