Eagerness among female consumers for cosmetics that reduce the size of facial pores is strong, the study has found, with 45% of women surveyed stating they wish they could change the size of their pores.
Yet consumer satisfaction with the products currently available is low, with 73% of respondents stating that they have yet to find a product which effectively shrinks their pore size, suggesting that there remains potential within the category for brands to leverage with new product releases.
A big deal
The problem of pores is a widespread one according to the study, with nearly four in ten women (38%) believing that their pores are too big.
It rivals other key skin care concerns within the industry, with one in three women (28%) more concerned about their pore size than wrinkles.
"Almost every day, patients come into my office complaining about their pore size. In fact, it is one of the top three skincare concerns I hear from women," says consulting dermatologist Dr. Gervaise Gerstner.
The number of respondents who describe their pores as too big rises to nearly 50% among Latina women, the study notes, suggesting potential for demographic-focused products.
This demand for products angled at specific consumer groups is confirmed by the statistic that one in five women (21%) say they began noticing the size of their pores at a young age, between the ages of fifteen and twenty.
Innovation on the rise
A few brands have already begun responding to the lucrative potential offered by pores.
L’Oreal, for example, has just launched its Youth Code Pore Vanisher, which the brand describes as the “first-to-mass skincare treatment that shrinks pore size both instantly and over time”.
Similarly, Benefit Cosmetics recently carried out a ‘Pore O’Clock’ marketing campaign which, via digital platforms, encouraged a trend of women applying their POREfessional primer product at 4pm each day.
“The campaign was so successful that the #POREOCLOCK hashtag is to be continued and we are working on this now,” the brand told Cosmetics Design, suggesting Benefit is one brand investing further into pore-related products.