Beauty Care for Women Over 60

The marketing strategies for beauty services and products that are geared toward women over 60 are focusing on all the wrong things. According to a recent study conducted by Euromonitor’s International (Challenges and Opportunities in Targeting the Senior Consumer), product marketing doesn’t quite match up to purchasing style. Here are just a few results of the study when it comes to the purchasing style of women over 60.

1. Anti-aging is less popular

Only 35% of respondents to the study used anti-aging products within the last 3 months. This is a crucial point when marketing toward over 60s, as many products and services focus on anti-aging as the major selling point. Rather than only highlighting anti-aging properties, it may be better to focus on the overall healthy skin benefits a service or product can provide. Women over 60 want healthy, happy skin – not necessarily to reverse the signs of aging, but embrace them.

2. Function takes priority

This should come as no surprise! Women over 60 (along with every consumer) want something that works. It doesn’t have to be fancy, it just needs to do what it says it will do.

3. Multi-functionality is not preferred

Just 30% of respondents listed multi-functionality as a preferred benefit of skin care products. Most of the women would rather have a product focus on one area and produce positive results.

4. Natural and organic are best

Products and services with natural, organic ingredients and credentials were factors prioritized by 37% of respondents.

5. Price is less important

While price is one of the most influential factors when it comes to skin care products, the over-60s demographic was the least concerned by price out of all the age groups surveyed in the study. This parallels a previous point – women over 60 just want their products to be effective, and if that means spending more to ensure results, they are ready and willing to do so.

6. The less showy, the better

The majority (97%) stated they were not impressed by gimmicks such as celebrity endorsements, limited edition products, or artisanal production.

7. Loyal Consumers

The study showed that women over 60 are the most loyal consumers in several areas of beauty, such as facial and body care. 57% buy the same facial brands regularly, and 47% buy the same body products.

Essentially what it boils down to for the over-60s demographic is the functionality (results) and natural/organic qualities of beauty products and services. This is important to keep in mind for the success of skin care providers who are trying to appeal to this group of women.