Cosmetics products are sometimes perceived as marketing based goods; the feeling is that, whilst they are quality and effective product for customers, their promotion is focused on form, over the substance.

In a field where the largest part of products‘ value lies in packaging and label, we wondered how difficult it should be nowadays being an average cosmetic consumers: claims, messages and information constantly bombard the end users, while they are not always 100% able to correctly interpret all these inputs.

Being curious to know what consumers do know about the personal care field, what drives their shopping, what is their perception of cosmetic claims and which are their sources of information, we decided to open a public questionnaire, that helped us drawing the 3.0 consumer profile. According to the questionnaire results, price, marketing drivers and doctor’s suggestions are the key parameters driving consumers’ choices. Nearly 70% of the sample self-evaluated its Cosmetic knowledge as medium high, and, for this part of the interviewed, the main sources of information are web, professionals’ suggestions (hair dresser, beauticians, …), and doctors’ indications. What do they really know about the personal care filed? We tried to investigate it using the words “preservative” and “parabens”. If on the one hand, results tell us that about half of the sample do know what preservative and parabens are, on the other, the remaining half is quite confused, and in some cases misinformed about it.

Assuming that finished products to be released on the market necessary have to be effective, of quality and safe, from the questionnaire results it is clear and confirmed how big the impact and effect of cosmetic marketing on the end user is; thus, it is fundamental that such an important tool is used following an ethic manner and with due regard to consumers

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