While the beauty industry has made strides in diversity and inclusion efforts, recent research from Mintel indicates that there's still room to grow. Yes, consumers want a wider range of skin tones, but there's more to it. From showing different ages and body types in advertising, to providing products at an affordable price, let's dive into consumer sentiment around diversity and inclusion in beauty.

How has beauty buying behavior changed?

Demand for diversity and inclusion is driving change. Here’s what consumers say about their evolving purchase behavior in the past year.

• 47% have looked for and purchased from inclusive/diverse brands in the past year
• 24% have made a point to buy from minority-owned brands
• 20% have paid more for a beauty product from an inclusive brand

What makes a beauty brand inclusive?

What does inclusivity mean within the context of the beauty industry? Below are some of the characteristics that consumers associate with an inclusive beauty brand.

• 52% affordable products
• 48% wide range of shades
• 39% representing diverse groups in advertising

However, inclusivity means different things to different people. Take these differences between the Baby Boomer generation and Gen Z, for example.

Does it make a beauty brand inclusive?

• Variety of age-related products
  • Baby Boomers: 55%
  • Gen Z: 32%
    
• Gender neutral products
  • Baby Boomers: 25%
  • Gen Z: 40%

The Insight: For marketers, inclusivity efforts ought to align with the expectations of their specific audience—age is one such consideration.

Where is there room to grow?

While beauty brands have made efforts to be more diverse and inclusive in recent years, beauty consumers feel there’s room to grow in some areas.

• 73% say that beauty marketers deliberately play on women’s insecurities
• 72% believe that society’s definition of beauty is too rigid