Increased education is required to raise awareness amongst Asian consumers regarding what the terms ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ beauty means in the European market, says Ada Ooi, founder of organic beauty brand 001 Skincare.
Speaking at last week’s Natural & Organic Beauty show, Ooi said that the Asian beauty culture is more focused on beauty aesthetics and cosmetic surgery over natural ingredients, and that natural and organic beauty brands entering the Asian market will need good educational support to achieve a good understanding of the products’ USP – and perhaps to delve into the psychology of the Asian consumer.
“The influence of the Asian cosmetics market on global new product development – known as Asianification – is evident with the arrival of BB and CC creams in recent years, as well as an increasing demand for customisable beauty products,” she said, “but there remain some key differences between Western and Asian application methods, as well as expectations regarding product performance and ingredients.”
Whereas European consumers seek out efficacious products with quality ingredients, Asian consumers adopt “consumer responsibility” for their skincare results, she said, believing a strict and elaborate skincare regime delivers the best results, and that less invasive methods of achieving enhanced beauty is currently the common understanding of what ‘natural beauty’ means.
Julia Brandon
