The Natura & Co specialist beauty retailer commissioned a Censuswide nationwide survey amongst 2,000 individuals in early August to identify key self-care trends arising during the COVID-19 lockdown across the UK. Respondents were asked to share details of their current self-care activities versus February; time and money spent on different activities was then analysed.
Findings showed that the most popular self-care activity for UK consumers during the first COVID-19 lockdown had been watching TV or films. This was closely followed by listening to music or podcasts; baking and cooking; reading; gardening; and running. Within the 7.5 hours of dedicated time to self-care activities each month, consumers dedicated one hour to beauty.
Self-tanning spend up, makeup purchases down
Zooming in on the beauty self-care window, findings showed the average monthly expenditure on beauty in the UK had dropped during COVID-19 lockdown, with €639m (£572m) less spent on haircuts, eyebrow and nail grooming, massages, spas, makeup and hair removal. An earlier report from GlobalData suggested the UK beauty industry would see a total value decline of €1.8bn (£1.7bn) in 2020.
Self-tanning spend, however, was up and had seen “the biggest increase in spend on beauty” during lockdown, according to findings. The average monthly spend for self-tan products across the UK soared by €31m (£28m), with an additional €0.47 (£0.42) spent per person, per month. Average time dedicated to self-tanning during lockdown also increased by eight minutes.
This compared to a €1.55 (£1.39) monthly drop on makeup per person, representing a €105m (£94m) average loss per month across the UK. Consumers were also dedicating less time to makeup – down by 23 minutes. Makeup did, however, rank third in terms of time spent on beauty activities still, with an average of one hour and 20 minutes dedicated to this per person, per month.
Luxury bath time up, haircuts and styling down
The Body Shop survey findings also showed that UK spend on luxury bathing products was up €0.37 (£0.33) per month, per person, equating to an extra €24m (£22m) in spend across the UK. Importantly, consumers had also dedicated an extra 15 minutes to luxury bathing during lockdown – the biggest increase seen for a beauty-related self-care activity.
In fact, having a luxury bath or shower ranked as the top beauty activity among consumers – in terms of time spent – with consumers averaging two hours per month on this activity.
Across the UK, 70% of consumers indulged in luxury baths, or showers, as a self-care activity during COVID-19 – more marked amongst consumers aged 25-35 who spent the “most amount of time in the tub per month”.
Money spent on haircuts and styling, by comparison, was down an average of €4.50 (£4.03) per person, per month, resulting in a drop of €305m (£273m) in monthly spend across the UK.
A spike in cosmetics work
Findings from the report also showed UK consumers had spent more on ‘cosmetics work’, including treatments like Botox and teeth whitening. On average, spend was up £0.35 per person, per month with an additional five minutes dedicated to these activities. Total average monthly spend on cosmetics work was up €27m (£24m) across the UK; just behind the rise in spend on self-tanning.
The Body Shop said it planned to publish further research that had global implications in January 2021.
