Valérie-Anne Paglia
Director, Qualitative Research IPSOS
Passionate about qualitative consumer research in Beauty, Valérie-Anne Paglia, tells us about global consumer trends and untapped investigation fields in Skincare
Behind The Business Woman
I am more passionate and excited than ever to work in the field of consumer qualitative research in Skincare & Make up. At a time, when there is so much speaking on skincare on the internet, qualitative research brings some level of objectivity by analyzing the words used by the consumers, their opinions and behaviors in real life. I started and kept working for skincare brands because it has always been an innovative and dynamic field. It is an even more creative and fast moving category today as beauty related topics have gained significant traction in the digital world. We are working way beyond product concept, brand territory exploration to further understand how women are getting inspired, how they connect their beauty expectations with product sensory cues and how does this differ across new generations.
Your View on Skincare Innovations
- The relationship with brands has completely changed. A few years ago, there was only a lot of Big brands and now there is a plethora of small brands that have become very attractive especially to the younger population. People are now looking for brands that have a meaning, that are ethically responsible; brands that “have a soul” and give the impression to be more sincere than the ones that have shaped the beauty world for many years.
- There has been a shift in the beauty model identification process. The digital explosion has created new inspiration models leveraging real consumer experts or more approachable celebrities. This is especially true in the make-up category. Speaking with ‘women like me’ through bloggers creates a more approachable access to beauty and less founded on inaccessible beauty projections.
- Lastly, the “Do it yourself” trend and the customization approach are creating even more distance with the big brands. There is a real transformation happening in the market which has a significant impact in the way the young generation connects to the products: They want to be part of their creation to believe in their efficacy… the more personalized, the more effective.
INDUSTRY ZOOM:
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Are there any specific trends on the horizon?
To me, the observation of the skincare routine is an untapped Investigation field: What is happening at the senses level? How is the efficacy of a product perceived from a sensorial perspective? We repeat gestures day after day and we should better observe women to understand what is happening in their mind, understand the impact of repetitive actions on their perception of efficacy & pleasure. A real Deep Dive into product experience and an observation of each micro gesture should allow us to draw “The ballet of everyday skincare gestures”- as famous dance choreographers do to keep their work alive. This is a fascinating exploration field.