Beauty Products: Is Green the New Pink?

The consumer research group, Market Reader Pro (http://www.marketreaderpro.com) asked 1,500 women in the U.S. about some of their more personal purchases -- health and beauty products -- and how important it is for these items to be green products.

With everything from gasoline to household cleaners going "green" lately, Market Reader Pro wanted to know what really matters to consumers?

Surveyors asked women to rate how important natural ingredients are in various types of health and beauty products. We also asked them to rate how important various aspects of green products are to them. Here are the results:

Natural" ingredients were rated as "very" or "somewhat" important by more tha
50% of women in every category surveyed.

As shown in the next chart, there were a few differences by age group:
- 18-24 year olds are less likely than others to want natural ingredients in body lotions or creams; lip color; and, shampoos or conditioners. They are more likely to look for natural ingredients in foundation, blush, or bronzer.
- 35 to 44 year olds and 55-64 year olds are more likely than others to look for natural ingredients in sunscreens.
- 55-64 year olds are also more likely than others to want natural ingredients in dental products and lip colors
- Over 50% of survey respondents rated all categories as "very" or "somewhat" important
- At the "very important" level, "not tested on animals" and "hypoallergenic ingredients" influence purchase decisions of more than half of the respondents, with 58% and 53% respectively
- "Green packaging" and "organic ingredients" were rated as having the least impact on purchase decisions, being "very important" to 22% and 19% of respondents, respectively

Companies who want to know how the trends in consumer spending are influencing their industry, contact Market Reader Pro. Market Reader Pro's custom consumer research studies range from simple habits and attitudes questionnaires to complex in-home product testing and can often provide actionable data back to the client in less than two weeks. Market Reader Pro has assisted industry leading clients ensure successful product and concept development in industries ranging from health and beauty to apparel to appliances. The Market Reader Pro consumer panel is standing by to answer key product development questions now. For more, contact Market Reader Pro.