Finding the right beauty products is really like finding a soul mate. You sometimes have to kiss a few frogs to find the right one.

What women want from beauty and personal care brands is actually quite close to what we desire in our relationships. When it comes to beauty products in particular, women are not just shopping for themselves, but for their families and other women in their lives. The disappointments from products that oversold and under-deliver have left many jaded and cynical about product claims.

The following are insights from a diverse group of women that beauty brand marketers should take to heart:

Be Honest

Women want products to deliver on their promises. If a product makes claims about a hero ingredient, say coconut, we expect to see coconut listed as one of the top 3 ingredients. When a product claims to be an intensive lotion for extremely dry skin, we expect that in addition to water, the product is filled with natural oils and butters that soothe dry cracked skin. When a product says it is all natural, we do not expect to see mineral oil or petrolatum on the ingredient list. We want integrity of claims between what is promoted on the front label and the ingredient list.

Actives Matter

According to Jayshree Rathod, owner and operator of Verdic Spa in Ellicott City, Maryland, products must have the right actives in the right quantity in order to be effective and deliver results. If she has an issue managing discolorations and blemishes she needs to see that the product contains ingredients that actually address the problem. A brightening cream that claims to lift blemishes but does not contain ingredients like Vitamin C, Kojic Acid, Azeleic Acid or Bearberry extracts is not going to be effective. Products that make brightening and anti-aging claims should have actives such as Lactic acid Glycolic acids and Retinols to brighten skin and stimulate collagen production.

Diverse Options

We want products that celebrate our unique and diverse needs. In beauty, one size never fits all and nude is not beige. Women with darker skin tones find themselves asking, whose nude is this anyway?  Women of color cite their biggest frustration as the lack of good foundation or nice shades of red lipstick for ladies with very dark skin tones. Nude should come in at least 50 different shades to match all the various skin tones.

Keep it Natural

Many women want safer and gentler ingredients in their beauty products. The skin is the largest organ of the body and absorbs what we put on it. The connection between what we ingest in food, environment, household and beauty products and increased cancer risk is making more women pay attention to ingredients and potential side effects.

Keep it Simple

Women express that they are overwhelmed by the number of choices of products. They would also like to streamline and simplify their beauty routines with great outcomes.  A brand that has done a great job abut simplifying skincare beauty routines for women is The Ordinary Company, which creates products that are focused on a single function and can be layered with other products. They also provide great material on beauty rituals for best results.

Tell A Story 

Women want products that do no harm to the environment.  They want to know the story of where their products’ ingredients come from and that laborers are being fairly paid and children not exploited in the process of sourcing ingredients, if applicable. Women love brands that support other women and will purchase brands they feel are supporting and empowering women and helping them live their best lives.

The Bottom Line

Women want products that deliver value. We know that natural products will cost a little more and we are willing to pay for the benefits. When we find brands that deliver on promises consistently, we become loyal customers and share these brands with our friends and family.

A brand that meets a woman’s beauty care needs by modeling integrity and transparency will enjoy the benefit of having her share positive experiences with her network through social media. Brands that work to win trust will grow and maintain a loyal following.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Funlayo Alabi is the co-founder of Shea Radiance, a natural beauty brand dedicated to transforming hair, skin, thinking … and lives into something more beautiful than what it was before. Funlayo is a global business leader who speaks domestically and internationally on matters of international business, market and economic access for African women, Africa’s agricultural sector and Shea butter. Funlayo and Shea Radiance were selected to be honored in the 2017 Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program offering education, business support services and access to working capital.