Multi-Generational Skincare Consumer Behavior Study - Online Ethnography & In-Home Interviews

Client

An international personal care brand seeking to understand generational differences in skincare product selection, usage, and purchase pathways.

Service

Online Ethnographies and Virtual In-Home Interviews

Sector

Beauty & Personal Care

Coverage

United States

The Challenge

The client wanted to uncover how consumers with at least one reported skin concern make decisions about skincare product choice, usage, and their journey to establishing a routine. While market data provided broad trends, it lacked the depth of real-life, day-to-day behaviors and the emotional drivers behind skincare selections across generations. The goal was to reveal nuanced differences in needs, motivations, and skincare routines to guide product development, marketing, and engagement strategies.

What We Did

We designed and executed a multi-generational, two-phase consumer research program using both long-form online ethnography in the personal care industry and targeted in-home interviews.

• Phase 1 – 7-Day Online Ethnography:

  • 42 participants across Gen Z, Millennials, Younger Gen X, and Boomers

  • Daily sharing of photos, videos, and diary entries using a proprietary online research platform

  • Participants documented their skincare routines, product usage, and decision-making over a week

• Phase 2 – 90-Minute Virtual In-Home Interviews:

  • 5 Gen Z participants selected for deeper, contextual exploration

  • In-depth video interviews conducted to understand motivations, product perceptions, and experiential feedback

Mode: Online Bulletin Board + Virtual IDIs (via Aha! platform)
Duration: ~30 minutes/day for 5 of 7 days + 90-minute interviews
Sample Size: 42 recruited, 38 completed ethnography, 5 Gen Z in-depth interviews

The Impact

The program surfaced clear generational patterns that the brand translated directly into product and content strategy. Gen Z and younger Millennials leaned into fast experimentation and social-first discovery, responding to simple skincare routines, visible results, and relatable creator content; older Millennials and Gen X prioritized proven efficacy, dermatology cues, and ingredient transparency. Across cohorts, claims clarity (what the product does, how fast, and for whom) and routine fit (steps, order, and time cost) determined trial and stickiness more than price alone. The work pinpointed where education closes confidence gaps, especially around active ingredients, sequencing, and sensitivity, informing bite-size tutorials and routine builders. Packaging feedback led to clearer front-of-pack benefits, larger usage instructions, and QR links to short how-to video content.

Together these skincare insights shaped a phased roadmap: simplify entry SKUs for younger shoppers, enrich credibility assets for older users, and align channel messaging to each cohort’s discovery path.

Business Outcomes:

• Guided skincare routine research for product innovation with generation-specific benefit messaging

• Informed content marketing strategies aligned to each group’s discovery habits

• Highlighted opportunities for omnichannel skincare purchase behavior insights to cater to different purchase pathways

This blend of continuous virtual skincare consumer behavior analysis and deep-dive interviews gave the client actionable, generational insights to refine both brand strategy and go-to-market approach, ensuring relevance across multiple consumer life stages.

Let’s Turn Consumer Insights into Your Competitive Edge

Whether you’re launching a new beauty product or refining your existing range, our research blends real-world consumer habits analysis with deep emotional drivers behind skincare product choice to help you win in the skincare market.

Contact us today to transform your skincare insights into actionable, generation-specific market insights.