SkinCeuticals: Concentration is the way to success of a professional brand

After the epidemic, consumers' demand for skin health upgrade has created a new growth space and huge opportunities for the skincare market. Major brands have formulated more accurate market plans. In the fierce competition, SkinCeuticals, a professional and scientific skincare brand in L'OREAL Group's active health cosmetics department, has emerged as a strong black horse in this fierce competition.

According to L'OREAL Group's financial report for the second quarter of the fiscal year 2020 (as of June 30), SkinCeuticals still achieved strong growth even in the weak market environment during the epidemic period. During the February COVID-19 epidemic, on T-mall Super Brand Day, it gained NO.1 of T-mall beauty and essence award as well.

Since the brand entered China in 2010, China has rapidly become the second-largest market for SkinCeuticals in the world during this decade. For this, 《Luxe.Co》 spoke to Mrs. Wang Minli, General Manager of SkinCeuticals in China (pictured below), She said that the steady growth of SkinCeuticals in China is mainly due to the scientific guarantee, the brand DNA of professional research and development and the accurate grasp of local skincare market trends:

Rational and healthy skincare concept gradually began to wake up: Consumers have more and more recognized the healthy and rational consumption concept, so they will be more inclined to reliable, professional, scientific brand when they are choosing products.

The rise of ingredient enthusiasts: With the increase of consumers' skincare awareness, they demand more and more for the safety of ingredients and transparent information of skincare products.

The demand for anti-aging is getting younger: Antioxidants, once neglected by the public function. It is being valued by increasingly rational consumers. Among these consumers, the generation after 90s and generation after 95s have gradually surpassed the generation after 85s and become the largest online anti-aging consumer group.

The trend of medical beauty is in vogue: With the development and progress of science and technology, medical cosmetology has become safer and more effective. In particular, light medical cosmetology, a more efficient, more convenient, more affordable and relatively safe beauty channel, is also welcomed by more and more consumers.

The Pioneer of Skincare Ingredients, the Father of Antioxidation

Looking back on the global research and development of skincare ingredients, it is necessary to mention Professor Sheldon Pinnell, the founder of SkinCeuticals, the father of antioxidation and the chief dermatologist of Duke University in the United States (below).

In 1997, Professor Sheldon Pinnell founded SkinCeuticals. The brand name is composed of skin and pharmaceuticals, and professional and scientific genes begin to be rooted in the brand. In 2005, SkinCeuticals was acquired by L'OREAL Group, and the brand's professional characteristics in the field of scientific skincare and the group's forward-looking advantages in brand strategy realized strong alliance.

The Concept of "Whole Skincare" Driven by Medical Beauty

According to the data from Deloitte's O2O market analysis of medical beauty in China, the demand for "beautifying" has become the main driving force for the development of the modern medical beauty industry instead of trauma repair. Since 2006, China's medical beauty market has entered a period of rapid development. From 2018 to 2022, it is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 20.1%, and it is expected to reach 481 billion yuan in 2022.

"In recent years, many friends of mine have gone to experience medical beauty, which makes me eager to have a try," said Amy, who was born in 1985.

Many consumers have the same feelings as Amy. They are no longer satisfied with using skincare products at home, but began to move from home to professional agencies, seeking a more targeted full set of scientific treatment plans and services from beauticians and dermatologists.

With the development of medical beauty, there are also consumers' demands for scientific skincare programs before and after professional beauty projects and advanced home care products.

In order to solve this demand, SkinCeuticals took the lead in putting forward the concept of "Whole Skincare" in 2012: combining "scientific skincare program", "advanced family care" and "professional beauty project", open up clinic treatment and home skincare scene through high-tech AI management system, and realize scientific skincare.

ADVANCED SKIN SCOPE SkinCeuticals intelligent skin penetration equipment is led by Professor Song Weimin, founder of Yes Skin group and dermatology expert, jointly developed by SkinCeuticals and cooperated with L'OREAL R&D center. Through the integrated skin health AI management system, five light sources can see through the skin, multispectral scanning can collect more skin information, 270-degree full face imaging, and the professional score of six-dimensional atlas will bring consumers a comprehensive skin detection report, and scientifically understand the current situation and potential problems of the skin. Based on the test report, customized scientific skincare scheme can solve skin problems in an all-round way.

To a certain extent, the concept of "Whole Skincare" has led to the gradual maturity of China's scientific skincare market, and consumers' cognition and demand for professional beauty projects are also steadily improving.

"Especially after the epidemic, consumers have more trust in the technology and expert advice with professional medical background and hope to get professional skincare advice, which is just in line with our “Whole Skincare” concept. It can be said that all our preparations have met the needs of the market, "Mrs. Wang Minli shared.

In addition to the excellent ingredients and efficacy, together with the professional's control over the use of products, we will provide customized scientific skincare solutions. The concept of "Whole Skincare" will actively cater to the new trend and lead the scientific skincare market in China.

ONLINE+OFFLINE+OFFICE, the ”O+O+O” Channel Strategy

As a professional and scientific skincare brand, SkinCeuticals’ unique channel advantage is the deep cooperation with professional medical beauty agencies. However, considering the different situation in Chinese market, Mrs. Wang Minli proposed an omni-channel strategy of “O+O+O”, which is different from the single-channel strategy (professional agencies) in the U.S. market. SkinCeuticals integrates the three channels of OFFICE, OFFLINE and ONLINE, and takes the unique “Integrated Skincare” concept root in China, bringing consumers comprehensive and multi-dimensional scientific skincare solutions.

OFFICE: SkinCeuticals currently cooperates with nearly 1,000 professional beauty agencies in China. It launched the super photon project, to extend and consolidate the project effect through product matching after the project.

OFFLINE: ADVANCED SKIN SCOPE intelligent skin penetration equipment provides a customized and exclusive scientific skincare scheme to enhance the personalized skincare experience of consumers.

ONLINE: Since the opening of T-mall official flagship store in 2016, the proportion of online channels of SkinCeuticals has increased continuously, and in February 2020, it gained the No.1 of T-mall beauty award on T-mall Super Brand Day. At the same time, it cooperated with dermatology experts to conduct online live broadcast in T-mall live studio, providing a professional platform for consumers to understand scientific skincare knowledge.

SkinCeuticals has been deeply exploring the channels of professional clinics, consolidating the pure formula endorsed by antioxidant authority from the three aspects of ingredients, efficacy and experience, and gradually implementing the concept of "Integrated Skincare"; Then, in line with the growing demand of consumers for professional products, SkinCeuticals has strengthened its product power and brand power at different levels through the omni-channel strategy of "O+O+O", so as to seize the young skincare market in an all-round way.

“Anti-oxidant serum is an essential step in the skincare regimen, which prevents skin from inside out.” This is the skincare concept emphasized by Professor Sheldon Pinnell, the dermatologist of the brand founder. Based on this, SkinCeuticals has been trying to lead more consumers to obtain a healthy and beautiful life through professional and scientific skincare methods.

Today, SkinCeuticals has become the leading brand of the subdivided track from the "minority treasure" in the mouth of the diehard fans, and has stepped into the vision of more consumers.

When a large number of new and old beauty and skincare brands are eager to get the current flow dividend, it is advisable to ponder over the growth process of SkinCeuticals, and realize that the construction of product strength is not once and for all, and the cultivation of brand strength is not relying on "One-time success". Concentration is the way to success of a professional brand.