Consumer Data, (De)Coded.  

DIY Trends in Beauty and Personal Care

Investigate consumer conversations regarding the do it yourself (DIY) trend in Hair Care, Skin Care and Nail Products to better understand its manifestations and implications for behavior.




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Social Standards is a comparative analytics platform transforming billions of social data points into benchmarked insights about every brand, product, feature, and trend consumers talk about. Innovative brands and investors use our data to make strategic decisions around product development, competitive differentiation, investments, and M&A opportunities so they can get ahead and stay ahead of the competition.


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Key Takeaways


Do it yourself (DIY) experienced large spikes in visibility during the initial COVID-19 outbreak but since then has decreased and then plateaued at slightly higher than pre-COVID rates. DIY will likely continue to be relevant for Beauty and Personal Care (PC), though given its resonance to a small, albeit loyal group of consumers, it is not likely to be a driving force of growth.


Companies interested in the DIY phenomenon might innovate on consumer desires most likely driving interest, including natural formulations, ease, affordability and trendiness. They should keep in mind that within vanity categories, consumers may not be satisfied to trade-off their appearance-based benefits for some of these secondary desires.


In the near term, categories that will likely benefit most from interest in DIY include Facial Skincare Masks, Hair Masks, Nail Wraps & Dipping Powder. Companies looking to reach consumers with these interests can likely find them online via tutorials and video platforms like TikTok.





Introduction

DIY gained attention in spring of 2020 with the first wave of COVID-19 in the United States. Pandemic-related stay-at-home orders prevented consumers from accessing routine on-premise services, and thus contributed to a heavier reliance on products that previously served a supplementary function in between appointments, or inspired at-home experimentation among consumers with extra time on their hands.

But have these initial adaptations resulted in lingering habits six to nine months later? The following report investigates consumer DIY conversations in their Beauty and Hair Care routines to uncover some of the detectable changes influenced by pandemic restrictions.




NOTE: Social Standards defines Hair Care as a part of the Personal Care rather than Beauty vertical. The main visuals in this report reference data from the Beauty vertical, which exclude some Hair Care conversations. Visuals with full coverage of Hair Care from the Personal Care vertical are provided in the appendix.





DIY Overview

Consumer conversation of DIY reached peak visibility in April 2020 and has since returned to pre-COVID levels. Between December 2020 and January 2021, however, there is some evidence to suggest renewed interest in the topic.


DIY is a robust topic of conversation in Beauty, garning nearly 3K mentions per day on Instagram. In comparison to similarly sized topics like fitness, online shopping and shop local, DIY has maintained a comparatively more loyal audience of Beauty conversants, among whom its retention is trending upward. This might suggest that DIY has staying power as an area of interest for Beauty consumers.

In the visual below, about 11% of individuals who mentioned DIY in April-August 2020 continued to mention it six months later. In contrast, less than 4% of those who mentioned shop local mentioned it six months later specifically in reference to Beauty.


User Retention in Beauty Conversations

Y-axis: User Retention 6m What % of users who talked about the topic in a given month are still talking about it 6 months later?

 

Natural formulations, convenience and affordability appear to be the main drivers behind consumers' DIY conversations in Beauty.

In the visual below, just under 4% of DIY conversations contained a mention of Beauty between November 2020 and January 2021. This association rate is ranked in the 65th percentile in comparison to all other Beauty conversations, meaning that only about 35% of other conversation topics were more likely to appear alongside a conversation of natural formulations than was DIY. Put another way, natural formulations' co-occurence with DIY is about 1.6x greater than its co-occurence with the average Beauty topic for the selected time period.


Benefits/Concerns in DIY Conversations

X-axis: Raw Penetration How frequently was the topic mentioned in do it yourself conversations?
Y-axis: Penetration Pctl Is the topic over or under represented in do it yourself conversations relative to Beauty?
Circle Color: Object type Unique color for each object type
Circle Size: Topic Prominence Number of posts/conversations related to the topic

 

Convenience/ease may have driven early interest in DIY in April and May, but concerns with natural formulations became and continue to be more visible in DIY conversations since the summer.

While some consumers may have taken an interest in DIY purely out of necessity during pandemic-related business shutdowns, the desire for natural formulations either for sustainability or safety reasons appears to be continuing to support this interest longer term.


Select Benefits/Concerns' Trended Share of DIY Conversations

Y-axis: Raw Penetration How frequently was the topic mentioned in do it yourself conversations?

 

Brands looking to meet DIY consumers where they are must be online. Topics related to DIY that have demonstrated growth during or after the height of the pandemic include tutorials, tips, videos, and of course, TikTok.

Potential Areas of DIY Discovery in Beauty

Y-axis: Activity (ppd) How many posts is the topic mentioned in per day?

 


Skin Care

Within the last year in Skin Care conversations, products and services relating to oils, moisturizers, cleansers and non-invasive cosmetic procedures have grown.

Category Performance in Skin Care Conversations

X-axis: Raw Penetration Has the topic grown or declined in Skin Care conversations over the last 3 months (rel chng)?
Y-axis: Raw Penetration Has the topic grown or declined in Skin Care conversations over the last 12 months (rel chng)?
Circle Color: Raw Penetration Has the topic grown or declined in Skin Care conversations over the last 3 months (rel chng)?
Circle Size: Topic Prominence Number of posts/conversations related to the topic

 

Within DIY conversation, Masks, Exfoliators, Facials, Blemish Control and Scar & Stretch Mark Reducers are becoming more important. At present, Masks are most significantly associated with DIY conversations from among these Skin Care categories.

Skin Care Categories in DIY Conversations

X-axis: Raw Penetration How frequently was the topic mentioned in do it yourself conversations?
Y-axis: Penetration Pctl Is the topic over or under represented in do it yourself conversations relative to Beauty?
Circle Color: Raw Penetration Has the topic grown or declined in do it yourself conversations over the last 12 months (rel chng)?
Circle Size: Topic Prominence Number of posts/conversations related to the topic

 

While Masks is the product category most dependent on DIY for driving its conversation (in May around 5% of its conversations contained a mention of DIY), Scar & Stretch Mark Reducers have become increasingly dependent on DIY in the last three to five months. This means that if DIY sustains its performance or grows, Scars & Stretch Mark Reducers will benefit and therefore may be a category to watch.

% of Category's Conversations Mentioning DIY

Y-axis: Rvrs Raw Penetration How frequently was do it yourself mentioned in the topic conversations?

 

The prevailing (largest and growing fast) concern related to DIY and the categories identified is natural formulations, though convenience and cost are a smaller but growing part of the conversation. Diversity and activism in relation to Black-owned is also a fast growing concern in this context.

DIY Related Concerns in Masks


DIY Related Concerns in Scar & Stretch Mark Reducers

CeraVe, Tropic Skincare, The Ordinary and Mary Kay are among brands to watch in Skin Care, as they are growing not only in the category but within the broader context of Beauty overall. CeraVe and The Ordinary overindex in both Masks and Scar & Stretch Mark Reducers conversations.

Select Skin Care Brands' Performance

X-axis: Raw Penetration Has the topic grown or declined in Skin Care conversations over the last 12 months (rel chng)?
Y-axis: Activity (ppd) Is the topic growing or declining in Beauty over the last 12 months (rel chng)?
Circle Color: Raw Penetration Has the topic grown or declined in Skin Care conversations over the last 12 months (rel chng)?
Circle Size: Topic Prominence Number of posts/conversations related to the topic

 

While Tropic Skincare is overindexed and growing in natural formulations conversations, CeraVe is underindexed but also growing.

Select Brands in Natural Formulations Conversations


Nail Products

Within the last year in Nail Products conversations, products and services relating to Nail Art, Fake Nails and Manicure/Pedicure have grown.

Category Performance in Nail Products Conversations

X-axis: Raw Penetration Has the topic grown or declined in Nail Products conversations over the last 3 months (rel chng)?
Y-axis: Raw Penetration Has the topic grown or declined in Nail Products conversations over the last 12 months (rel chng)?
Circle Color: Raw Penetration Has the topic grown or declined in Nail Products conversations over the last 3 months (rel chng)?
Circle Size: Topic Prominence Number of posts/conversations related to the topic

 

Within DIY conversations, Nail Art, Nail Polish, Fake Nails, Nail Stickers and Nail Wraps are becoming more important.

Nail Products in DIY Conversations

X-axis: Raw Penetration How frequently was the topic mentioned in do it yourself conversations?
Y-axis: Penetration Pctl Is the topic over or under represented in do it yourself conversations relative to Beauty?
Circle Color: Raw Penetration Has the topic grown or declined in do it yourself conversations over the last 12 months (rel chng)?
Circle Size: Topic Prominence Number of posts/conversations related to the topic

 

Nail Wraps is the most dependent on DIY for driving its conversation. Both it and Nail Dipping Powder have grown increasingly dependent on DIY in the last year.

% of Category's Conversations Mentioning DIY

Y-axis: Rvrs Raw Penetration How frequently was do it yourself mentioned in the topic conversations?

 

The prevailing concerns related to DIY and the categories identified have to do with ease of use, convenience and trendiness. Durability and budget are also concerns worth noting.

DIY Related Concerns in Nail Wraps


DIY Related Concerns in Nail Dipping Powder

Apres Nail and DND Gel Polish are brands to watch in Nail, as they are growing not only in the category but within the broader context of Beauty overall. Other brands, like Young Nails, may be growing in Beauty but not in Nail Products specifically.

Select Nail Brands' Performance

X-axis: Raw Penetration Has the topic grown or declined in Nail Products conversations over the last 12 months (rel chng)?
Y-axis: Activity (ppd) Is the topic growing or declining in Beauty over the last 12 months (rel chng)?
Circle Color: Raw Penetration Has the topic grown or declined in Nail Products conversations over the last 12 months (rel chng)?
Circle Size: Topic Prominence Number of posts/conversations related to the topic

 

Both Apres Nail and DND Gel Polish are increasingly visible in conversations that mention easy. However, Apres Nail has relatively higher share and is overindexed in this context, while DND Gel Polish is not.

Select Brands in Easy Conversations


Hair Care

Contrary to popular belief, pandemic-related shutdowns do not appear to have had an immediate increase in Hair Care conversations. In fact, initial shutdowns of on-premise salon services appear to have suppressed volumes of usual conversation.

Conversations that mentioned Hair Styling, Hair Extensions, Weaves & Wigs, Hair Color and Haircut in Q1 2020 were roughly 2-10% lower than what they were in Q1 2019. Hair Treatments and Hair Removal conversations, in contrast, did grow.


Conversation Change for Select Hair Care Categories - Q1 2020

X-axis: Activity (ppd) Is the topic growing or declining in Personal Care over the last 12 months (rel chng)?
Shading Color: Activity (ppd) Is the topic growing or declining in Personal Care over the last 12 months (rel chng)?

 

However, it is clear that the portion of Hair Care conversations driven by mentions of DIY did increase between March and June, indicating consumers who at this time were talking about Hair Care were increasingly doing so in reference to DIY.

DIY as a % of Select Hair Care Conversations

Y-axis: Rvrs Raw Penetration How frequently was do it yourself mentioned in the topic conversations?

 

Within the last year in Hair Care conversations, Hair Mask, Haircut, Hair Color, Hair Extensions and Hair Styling have grown.

Category Performance in Hair Care Conversations

X-axis: Raw Penetration Has the topic grown or declined in Hair Care conversations over the last 3 months (rel chng)?
Y-axis: Raw Penetration Has the topic grown or declined in Hair Care conversations over the last 12 months (rel chng)?
Circle Color: Raw Penetration Has the topic grown or declined in Hair Care conversations over the last 3 months (rel chng)?
Circle Size: Topic Prominence Number of posts/conversations related to the topic

 

These same categories are important within DIY conversations.

Hair Care in DIY Conversations

X-axis: Raw Penetration How frequently was the topic mentioned in do it yourself conversations?
Y-axis: Penetration Pctl Is the topic over or under represented in do it yourself conversations relative to Personal Care?
Circle Color: Raw Penetration Has the topic grown or declined in do it yourself conversations over the last 12 months (rel chng)?
Circle Size: Topic Prominence Number of posts/conversations related to the topic

 

Hair Color, Haircut and Hair Styling have some dependency on DIY that is higher than it was pre-pandemic, but Hair Masks remains the most dependent on DIY overall. This might suggest that some, though not many, consumers who began coloring, cutting or styling their hair at home during lockdown may be still talking about this and may not have yet returned to on-premise services.

% of Category's Conversations Mentioning DIY

Y-axis: Rvrs Raw Penetration How frequently was do it yourself mentioned in the topic conversations?

 


% of Category's Conversations Mentioning DIY (Hair Masks Excluded)

Y-axis: Rvrs Raw Penetration How frequently was do it yourself mentioned in the topic conversations?

 

The prevailing concerns related to DIY and the categories identified have to do with trendiness and convenience. These concerns are very similar to the ones prevelant in Nail Product conversations, potentially signifying the synergy of categories that have historically relied on in-person services.

DIY Related Concerns in Haircut


DIY Related Concerns in Hair Color

In a fragmented and underperforming category like Hair Care, it can be challenging to identify brands with momentum. Based on their relevance to the categories of interest (Haircut and Hair Color) and their performance in Hair Care and Personal Care contexts, Shiseido and Olaplex may be ones to watch.

NOTE: Shiseido currently has limited Hair Care offerings in the US, which could contribute to it's growth appearing magnified in this context. Regardless, it will be interesting to understand whether or not Shiseido continues to see success as it permeates the US Hair Care market.


Select Hair Care Brands' Performance

X-axis: Raw Penetration Has the topic grown or declined in Hair Care conversations over the last 12 months (rel chng)?
Y-axis: Activity (ppd) Is the topic growing or declining in Personal Care over the last 12 months (rel chng)?
Circle Color: Raw Penetration Has the topic grown or declined in Hair Care conversations over the last 12 months (rel chng)?
Circle Size: Topic Prominence Number of posts/conversations related to the topic

 

Looking more around perceptions of trendiness, AlfaParf, Brazilian Blowout and Olaplex are likely best positioned to win from among the set.

Select Brands in Trendy Conversations


Appendix


User Retention in Personal Care Conversations

Y-axis: User Retention 6m What % of users who talked about the topic in a given month are still talking about it 6 months later?

 


Benefits/Concerns in DIY Conversations

X-axis: Raw Penetration How frequently was the topic mentioned in do it yourself conversations?
Y-axis: Penetration Pctl Is the topic over or under represented in do it yourself conversations relative to Personal Care?
Circle Color: Object type Unique color for each object type
Circle Size: Topic Prominence Number of posts/conversations related to the topic

 


Potential Areas of DIY Discovery in Hair Care

Y-axis: Raw Penetration How frequently was the topic mentioned in Hair Care conversations?

 





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