We go to doctors for good reason: Because they are trained to be trusted. Sure, we love great online beauty product reviews and tips from our BFFs about the newest must-try products, but when a doc tells us to use a certain cleanser, we run right out and by it. (C'mon, fess up: You're still buying the face wash your dermatologist told you to use to prevent breakouts when you were 13 years old.)
So it's no wonder beauty companies are capitalizing on our trust for all things doc-approved and asking top dermatologists themselves to create lines of cleansers, moisturizers, anti-acne treatments, and more.
"Right now, the most important story in skin care branding is technology," says Bennett. "Consumers are so focused on efficacy and fast results that skin care lines branded with dermatologists' names immediately convey the new technology that went into that product."
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They put "NEW!" on a (barely tweaked) old formula
Here's an interesting tidbit: The cosmetic companies that sell their lines at Sephora are expected to come out with new products every 3 months. Why? Because that's what consumers demand and expect, says Bennett.
"We are so ravenous for newness that we'll hear about a new technology or ingredient and want to participate when the trend is hot. It used to be that we wanted to find the holy grail," he says -- you know, the one mascara that made your lashes perfectly thick or the signature lipstick color you'd wear every day. "Now, we are never happy," he says. "We always think something can be better -- that the most amazing mascara can get even more amazing, or the lipstick can be even more hydrating."
Why is it that we're always on the hunt for the latest and greatest products? Perner says a little dose of competition could be at play. "Many women may want to try something that others haven't tried yet so they can have an edge," says Perner. "There's also a certain amount of time and maybe even discomfort that comes along with some products, so the promise of a newer version working more quickly, less painfully, and with better results is appealing."
And, for the reason not backed up by psychological research: Playing around with new beauty products is just plain old fun.
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They use numbers to convey how effective the product is
We see these kind of catchy claims all the time:
77 percent of women reported seeing visible results
54 percent of users saw visibly younger-looking skin
8 out of 10 people claim significantly whiter teeth
And while we'd like to say we only quasi trust these stats -- because after all, the "clinical" trials to produce the results are being conducted by the companies who want/need good results -- we still get lured right in with everyone else. Why?
"Because these companies get incredibly creative in how they manipulate these numbers," says Perner. "If the company says '77 percent report firmer skin' instead of '80 percent report firmer skin,' you're more likely to believe the results because 77 sounds authentic; 80 percent sounds like it could have been pulled out of the air."
What's more, Perner says companies build credibility by admitting to some failure. "When you think about it, saying just 54 percent of users saw visibly younger-looking skin isn't so great," he says. "But while admitting that the product didn't work for almost half of the people who tried it might seem like a bad move, it actually helps the company more than claiming that the product worked for 99 percent of users because it makes the results more believable."
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They play up what's in season
We're trained to want to transition our makeup when a new season starts. We're bombarded with runway images well before the season we're enjoying ends, and beauty companies pounce on this.
"Makeup is more in line with fashion than it's ever been," says Bennett. "Now, just like you shop for a new wardrobe, you look to key makeup colors to swap for last season's faves."
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They get crafty with colors
You might think that pretty packaging is designed to look aesthetically pleasing in your medicine cabinet -- and sure, that's part of what makes some products so appealing. But cosmetics companies are way more conniving when deciding what color palette to use when creating product lines.
"What we know as branding specialists is that certain colors resonate with consumers and convey certain feelings," says Bennett. So what do specific colors say to our subconscious minds? Perner and Bennett break it down:
• Black: This is the color the modern cosmetics consumer trusts. It's strong. It's definitive. It's sexy.
• Blue: This color is calming and associated with reliability and trustworthiness. Various shades of blue -- slate, teal, aqua -- are often used in skin care products because they feel clean and clinical.
• Gold: This color often speaks to a more mature customer.
• Silver: This color tends to be used when a brand wants to communicate modernity.
• Purple: This color can help a brand feel more feminine.
Ever wonder why you walk into Sephora on a mission -- say, to find a new signature scent -- and walk out $127 poorer because you couldn't resist also picking up a skin-clearing face serum and lash-boosting mascara? You probably chalk your unexpected purchases up to the fact that you're a bona fide beauty junkie. That's what we do.
At least, that's what we did until we met Ben Bennett, founder and creative director of Hatch Beauty, a Los Angeles-based branding, packaging, and product development company. Bennett has spent years in the beauty biz as the creative mastermind behind top cosmetics, skin care, and fragrance companies, so he knows a thing or two about the tactics manufacturers use to lure us in to buy beauty products we don't really need.
"Companies spend a lot of time and money researching the right words and colors that will subconsciously attract consumers to buy their products," says Bennett. And those tactics work, says Lars Perner, PhD, assistant professor of clinical marketing at the University of Southern California. "Our subconscious mind is quite powerful. Well thought-out word choices, fonts, package colors, and where products are placed on a shelf make a bigger difference than you might think in how drawn to a product you are," says Perner.
Because we're not ones to get duped -- especially when it comes to our beauty stash -- we asked Bennett to tag along on our next trip to Sephora. We pointed out the products that called to us like long-lost lovers and let Bennett fill us in on exactly what tricks those companies used to hook us hard enough to head to the cash register.
Turns out they've got some nifty tricks up their sleeves. Will it stop us from our monthly (OK, weekly) beauty counter buys? Probably not. But hey, knowledge is power, right?
Here, the 9 insider secrets beauty companies use to get us to buy their products.
