the entire report at a glance
What This Study Revealed
Across three parts of the survey, a broader pattern emerged — from how people experience skincare, to how they make decisions, to what they still wish they understood and had support for.
PART 1
Skin Reality
How people relate to their skin and experience skincare in their daily routines.
Notice concerns
Build routines
Life gets busy
Struggle to sustain
People in this sample generally knew what they noticed on their skin, and many were already using multiple skincare products as part of their routines. Yet across both men and women, the same challenge surfaced repeatedly: maintaining skincare consistently in real life.
PART 2
Skincare Decisions
How people discover products, make skincare decisions, and where behavioural frictions begin to surface.
Discover socially
Evaluate carefully
Seek personalisation
Prioritise practicality
Most people in this sample discovered skincare through social influence but evaluated carefully before purchasing. While many across both men and women preferred personalised recommendations, ease of implementation and routine sustainability also emerged as important decision filters.
PART 3
Unmet needs
What people still wish they understood about skincare and what support they hope for.
Struggle to interpret
Learn by trial & error
Stay cost-conscious
Appreciate support systems
Many people in this sample still carried unresolved frustrations around how to interpret their skin more accurately, what results were realistic to expect, when skincare may no longer be enough on its own, and how to adapt routines as life, environment, and skin conditions changed over time. Beyond skincare knowledge, many were also asking for systems that could reduce uncertainty and make skincare feel more manageable in everyday life while remaining practical and prudent.
about this study
In 2023, this exploratory survey was conducted to better understand how Australians were currently experiencing facial skincare in everyday life.
Rather than looking only at products or skin concerns, the survey explored skincare across routines, decision-making, daily challenges, learning preferences, and the kinds of support people still wished existed.
The findings below reflect patterns that surfaced across these responses.
For reporting purposes, responses were grouped according to the biological gender identified by respondents in the survey.
PART I — SKIN REALITY
What surfaced when people reflected on their skin, routines, and everyday skincare habit
Part I explored four practical layers of skincare behaviour — what people noticed on their skin, what products they used, time spent on routines, and what made consistency difficult in real life.
01
Awareness was already present
Everyone in this sample knew what they noticed on their skin. People were already observing concerns such as breakouts, dryness, dark spots, eye concerns, signs of ageing, sensitivity, and more.
Respondents generally knew they had something they wanted to improve.
The chart below shows the skin concerns ranked by both groups:
#1
Acne, breakouts, or black/whiteheads
88%
#2
Dryness or dehydration
50%
#3
Sensitivity, redness, or itchiness
25%
#4
Hyperpigmentation or dark spots
25%
#5
Fine lines, ageing, wrinkles, or saggy
25%
#6
Dark eye circles, puffy eyes, or eye bags
25%
#7
Recent sunburnt
0%
#8
None
0%
#9
Unsure
0%
When respondents were asked about their current facial skin concerns, several clear patterns emerged.
Interestingly, none of the survey respondents selected "Unsure" when asked about their top skin concerns.
This suggests that while people may feel confused about what to do about their skin, most still feel they have some awareness of what they are seeing or experiencing on their face.
Skin concerns may not always be understood clinically — but they are often felt personally and noticed visually.
Key Findings
Men
Top reported concerns among men were:
-
Acne, breakouts, or black/whiteheads — 88%
-
Dryness or dehydration — 50%
This suggests a relatively concentrated pattern, with acne-related concerns standing out significantly above others.
Women
Top reported concerns among women were more distributed:
-
Hyperpigmentation or dark spots — 70%
-
Dark eye circles, puffiness, or eye bags — 65%
-
Dryness or dehydration — 61%
-
Acne, breakouts, or black/whiteheads — 52%
Unlike the men's group, women's responses reflected a more layered spread across multiple concerns.
What These Patterns May Suggest
1: Men's concerns appeared more concentrated around visible active skin issues
The men's group showed a notably strong concentration around breakouts and acne-related concerns.
This may suggest that for many male respondents, skincare attention tends to become more active when concerns are:
-
visibly obvious
-
harder to ignore
-
affecting facial clarity or presentation
Acne-related issues may also be easier to identify as a "problem to solve," which can create a more concentrated reporting pattern.
2: Women's concerns appeared more distributed across multiple visible and cumulative issues
Women's responses reflected a broader spread across:
-
pigmentation
-
eye-area fatigue
-
dryness
-
acne
This may suggest that skincare concerns in this group were not only about one visible issue, but often involved a more layered relationship with:
-
skin tone
-
tired appearance
-
texture
-
long-term visible skin quality
-
signs associated with stress, ageing, or cumulative skin fatigue
Rather than one dominant concern, responses reflected a more multi-dimensional skincare awareness.
3: Dryness or dehydration appeared as a recurring underlying concern across both groups
Dryness or dehydration appeared strongly across both men and women.
This is notable because unlike concerns such as acne or pigmentation, dryness is often experienced not only as a visible issue, but also as:
-
discomfort
-
dullness
-
tightness
-
skin reactivity
-
reduced skin resilience
Its recurrence across both groups suggests that hydration-related concerns may be quietly influencing many skincare experiences in Australia, even when not always seen as the "main" concern.
4: Some concerns may carry more emotional visibility than others
Concerns such as
-
acne
-
pigmentation
-
eye fatigue
-
visible skin texture
are often not experienced only as technical skin conditions.
They may also affect how someone feels about:
-
being seen
-
looking rested
-
looking well-groomed
-
looking healthy
-
confidence in social or professional settings
This does not mean everyone experiences skincare emotionally in the same way.
But the survey findings suggest that for many people, skin concerns may carry meaning beyond skin alone.
A Broader Reflection
One of the more interesting observations from this section is this:
People often know what they are seeing, but not always why it is happening, how concerns interact with each other, or what kind of care is realistically sustainable for their own situation.
This distinction matters.
Because skincare confusion is not always the absence of awareness.
Sometimes it is the presence of visible concerns without enough clarity around what to prioritise first.
And that tension may quietly shape many of the skincare decisions people make over time.
02
Action was already happening too
Most respondents were already using multiple skincare products as part of their routines — cleansers, moisturisers, sunscreens, serums, exfoliators, toners, masks, and more.
People were already participating, already buying, already trying.
The chart below shows the number of skincare products each respondent was currently using:
12%
0%
0 - 1 PRODUCT
39%
43%
2 - 4 PRODUCTS
50%
43%
5 - 7 PRODUCTS
14%
0%
8+ PRODUCTS
Men
Women
03
Real life was where skincare began to break down
Skincare had to fit inside busy mornings, mental fatigue, competing responsibilities, and lifestyle pressure.
Skincare succeeds only when it can be sustained in real life.
Time spent on current skincare routine each time:
Men
75%
spend less than
5 minutes
Women
65%
spend up to
15 minutes
04
Inconsistency emerged as the most repeated friction
The top challenge for both men and women was inconsistency in following skincare routines due to busy lifestyle or convenience issues.
The challenge was not simply skincare knowledge. It was translating skincare into sustainable behaviour.
The chart below shows the top challenges in maintaining a skincare routine ranked by both groups:
#1
Inconsistency in following the routine due to busy/hustling lifestyle or convenience issues
63%
#2
Lack of product knowledge and confusion about choices available in the market
38%
#3
Unsure of my own skin condition and which products are suitable for me
25%
#4
Lack of motivation because my current facial skincare products are not giving much results
25%
#5
Budget constraints - buying whichever products that are on sale when the one I am using is finishing, or not using the recommended product amount or frequency to save my usage, etc.
13%
#6
Difficulty in sourcing for certain brands or products that I prefer
0%
Skincare challenges are often assumed to be about products.
But the 2023 survey findings suggested something more behavioural:
For many respondents, the bigger challenge may not simply be what to buy — but how to sustain skincare consistently within the realities of everyday life.
Times Spent on Daily Skincare
Men
-
75% said less than 5 minutes
Women
-
65% said up to 15 minutes
This suggests a difference not necessarily in how much people care about skincare, but perhaps in:
-
routine depth
-
time allocation
-
complexity tolerance
-
how skincare fits into daily life
Key Finding
Across both groups, the #1 greatest challenge reported was:
Inconsistency in following the routine due to busy lifestyle or convenience issues
Other recurring challenges included:
-
confusion about product choices
-
uncertainty around suitability
-
motivation struggles
-
budget concerns
Notably, none of the respondents considered product sourcing a major challenge.
What These Patterns May Suggest
1: Skincare friction may be less about intention, and more about routine survivability
One of the clearest findings in this section is that inconsistency emerged as the top challenge across both groups.
This is important.
Because inconsistency does not automatically mean:
-
lack of discipline
-
lack of care
-
lack of interest
Sometimes it simply reflects that a skincare routine does not fit naturally into:
-
busy mornings
-
mental fatigue
-
emotional bandwidth
-
travel
-
changing work schedules
-
low-energy seasons of life
This suggests that routine sustainability may be as important as product selection.
2: People may understand skincare in theory, but still struggle in practice
Challenges around:
-
confusion
-
suitability
-
motivation
-
conflicting choices
suggest that knowing skincare exists is not the same as knowing:
-
what matters most
-
what to prioritise
-
what is realistic to maintain
-
what to ignore
Modern skincare offers more options than ever.
But more options do not always create more clarity.
In some cases, they create decision fatigue.
3: Routine simplicity may quietly matter more than complexity
The time-spent findings suggest that many respondents are operating within fairly short routine windows.
Especially among men, where the majority reported spending less than 5 minutes.
This does not necessarily suggest low skincare interest.
It may suggest that skincare needs to compete with:
-
time pressure
-
convenience
-
habit friction
-
cognitive load
In real life, even effective routines may struggle if they feel:
-
too complicated
-
too long
-
too mentally demanding
-
too difficult to sustain consistently
4: Motivation may often be linked to visible progress
Some respondents reported motivation struggles as part of their skincare challenges.
This may suggest an emotional tension many people experience privately:
When effort does not seem to produce visible change, consistency can become harder to sustain.
Over time, this may create cycles of:
-
trying
-
stopping
-
restarting
-
simplifying
-
abandoning
-
trying again
The challenge may not always be skincare itself.
Sometimes it is the emotional fatigue of repeated effort without enough confidence in the process.
A Broader Reflection
This section points towards an important reality:
Skincare routines do not exist in isolation.
They exist inside:
-
work schedules
-
stress levels
-
family demands
-
mental bandwidth
-
financial priorities
-
lifestyle constraints
This means the "best" routine on paper is not always the one that survives in real life.
And for many people, skincare success may depend less on intensity — and more on whether a routine feels realistic enough to stay with over time.
Taken together, the findings surfaced
a pattern that was both encouraging and revealing:
many people were not ignoring skincare.
They were already noticing, trying, investing time, and using products.
The deeper challenge was not awareness.
It was sustainability in real daily living.
PART II — SKIN DECISIONS
What surfaced when people reflected on their skincare decision-making journey
Part II explored how people made skincare decisions in the first place, and where were the behavioural frictions inside those decision pathways.
01
Skincare was often discovered first through social trust ecosystems
People in this sample were often first exposed to skincare through people they knew, social content, digital influence, and peer experience rather than through clinical channels, formal consultation, or expert workshops. But they appeared to purchase through different criteria.
Visibility may create awareness. But awareness does not automatically create trust.
The chart below shows the top two ways skincare was discovered by both groups:
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM FRIENDS OR FAMILY
88%
65%
Men
Women
SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT, ADVERTISEMENTS, OR INFLUENCER RECOMMENDATIONS
63%
57%
02
Purchase decisions later became much more practical and evaluative
People might discover products through friends and social media, but they did not necessarily buy on discovery alone. They shifted into evaluation mode.
Skincare buying was approached as a thoughtful decision evaluating value, trustworthiness, ingredients, reviews, and suitability — not impulsively.
The chart below shows the most important factors in purchase decisions ranked by both groups:
#1
Affordable product price point or value for money
100%
#2
Personalised recommendation or suitability for my specific skin concerns
50%
#3
Availability and convenience to purchase
50%
#4
Brand reputation and trustworthiness
38%
#5
Dermatologist or expert endorsements
38%
#6
Ingredient quality and product effectiveness
38%
#7
Positive product reviews and customer testimonials
25%
#8
Product packaging, design, and presentation
25%
#9
Genuine care and knowledgeability of the skincare adviser in contact
13%
#10
Special promotions, discounts, or reward program
13%
Skincare decisions are often assumed to be driven mainly by products.
But the 2023 survey findings suggest that purchase decisions are often shaped by a wider combination of:
-
value
-
trust
-
effectiveness
-
guidance
-
suitability
-
confidence in the decision itself
Key 2023 Findings
Men
Among male respondents:
-
Affordable price point or value for money ranked significantly ahead of other factors.
Women
Among female respondents, purchase decisions appeared more distributed across multiple factors, including:
-
Affordable price point or value for money
-
Brand reputation and trustworthiness
-
Ingredient quality and product effectiveness
-
Positive reviews and testimonials
What These Patterns May Suggest
1: Men's purchase decisions appeared more concentrated around practical value
The men's group showed a stronger concentration around value-for--money considerations.
This may suggest a more straightforward purchase filter where skincare decisions are often evaluated through questions such as:
-
Is it worth it?
-
Does it justify this cost?
-
Will this realistically do what it claims?
This does not necessarily imply lower skincare standards.
It may suggest a more efficient-oriented decision framework.
2: Women's purchase decisions appeared more layered
Women's responses reflected a broader spread across:
-
trust
-
effectiveness
-
reviews
-
reputation
-
value
This may suggest that skincare decisions in this group may involve a more layered evaluation process where multiple reassurance signals matter together.
Rather than one dominant factor, decision confidence may emerge from several factors aligning.
3: Price matters — but price alone may not drive confidence
One of the more useful insights here is that while value remained important, it did not appear to operate in isolation.
People may be asking:
-
Is this worth paying for?
-
Can I trust it?
-
Is it suitable for me?
-
Does it actually work?
-
Is there enough reassurance around the decision?
This suggests that skincare purchase decisions are often not purely transactional.
They may also involve risk assessment.
4: Trust may function differently across different respondents
Factors such as:
-
review
-
reputation
-
effectiveness
-
guidance
-
suitability
all point toward a recurring theme:
people often want to reduce uncertainty before committing.
Skincare products are not always bought the same way as everyday household items.
They often carry uncertainty because people may be wondering:
-
Will this suit me?
-
Will this irritate my skin?
-
Will this waste my money?
-
Will I regret this purchase?
-
Will I actually stay with it?
This makes trust a meaningful part of skincare decision-making.
A Broader Reflection
One of the clearest signals from this section is this:
People do not simply buy skincare.
They often buy into a decision they hope will feel:
-
worth it
-
safe enough
-
effective enough
-
suitable enough
-
sustainable enough
And when those conditions feel uncertain, hesitation becomes understandable.
This may help explain why skincare decisions can sometimes feel disproportionately difficult — even when products themselves seem simple on the surface.
03
People wanted personalisation — but only if it could work in real life
Tailored recommendations mattered. What mattered more was that the recommendation was easy to follow and practical enough to sustain.
What people were really asking for was not only the 'right' skincare recommendation, but a routine that they could sustainably live with.
The chart below shows the important factors when receiving personalised skincare recommendations ranked by both groups:
#1
Tailored to my specific skin type and concerns
88%
#2
Easy to follow and implement in my daily routine
63%
#3
Transparency about the ingredients and their benefits
50%
#4
Recommendations from a reputable and knowledgeable skincare adviser
50%
#5
Ability to adjust recommendations based on changing skin needs
25%
One of the strongest signals in the 2023 survey was this:
People were not simply looking for skincare recommendations.
They were looking for skincare recommendations that feel:
-
relevant
-
easy to follow
-
trustworthy
-
realistic
-
adaptable to their own situation
This suggests that for many people, skincare guidance is not only about information.
It is also about reducing uncertainty.
Key 2023 Finding
Across respondents, a clear preference emerged for skincare recommendations that were:
-
tailored to individual skin concerns
-
easy to implement in daily life
-
transparent and understandable
-
delivered by someone credible or knowledgeable
-
adjustable as skin needs change over time
What These Patterns May Suggest
1: People may not simply want more skincare advice — they may want more relevant skincare advice
Modern skincare information is widely available.
People can find:
-
ingredients
-
routines
-
product reviews
-
social media advice
-
expert opinions
-
before-and-after stories
And yet, skincare confusion remains common.
This may suggest that the challenge is not always a lack of information.
Sometimes it is the difficulty of knowing:
-
what applies to me
-
what matters most
-
what to prioritise first
-
what is worth ignoring
This may explain why personalised guidance continues to feel valuable.
2: Simplicity appears to matter alongside suitability
Respondents showed clear preference for recommendations that were not only tailored, but also practical to follow.
This is an important distinction.
Because skincare guidance can be technically correct — and still fail if it feels:
-
too complicated
-
too rigid
-
too time-consuming
-
too difficult to maintain
People may not simply want "ideal" skincare routines.
They may want routines that can survive:
-
busy schedules
-
changing life demands
-
emotional fatigue
-
real-world inconsistency
3: Trust appears to matter not only in products, but in guidance itself
Preferences around:
-
transparency
-
credibility
-
knowledgeable guidance
-
adjustability
suggest that skincare recommendations may often be evaluated through relational trust as well as technical logic.
People may be asking:
-
Does this feel thoughtful?
-
Does this make sense for me?
-
Is this realistic?
-
Is this advice rigid, or adaptable?
-
Can I trust the process enough to stay with it?
This suggests that guidance itself may function as part of the skincare experience.
4: Skin needs are rarely statis — and respondents seem to recognise that
One of the more interesting patterns in this section was the preference for recommendations that can adjust over time.
This suggests that many respondents may already understand something important:
Skin is not fixed.
It changes with:
-
seasons
-
stress
-
age
-
sleep
-
hormones
-
environment
-
routine consistency
-
cumulative lifestyle factors
This may explain why rigid one-size-fits-all skincare recommendations often feel incomplete for many people.
A Broader Reflection
This section reveals something deeper than preference alone.
It suggests that many people are not looking for skincare to become more complicated.
They are often looking for skincare to become:
-
clearer
-
calmer
-
more understandable
-
easier to trust
-
easier to live with
And that may be one of the most overlooked aspects of skincare today.
Because when skincare becomes mentally exhausting, even good intentions can become difficult to sustain.
04
Switching routines created hidden behavioural friction
Many respondents would still finish existing products first, even when new recommendations made sense or may suit them better. Sunk cost, waste aversion, uncertainty, emotional attachment to products already bought, and fear of making wrong move again could be causing the friction to switch routine.
This may seem financially prudent at first glance, but it may also unintentionally create more inconsistency, more confusion, and slower understanding of what is actually helping.
The chart below shows how respondents would switch to a new recommended routine:
38%
30%
DON'T MIND PUTTING EXISTING PRODUCTS ASIDE TO TRY THE NEW RECOMMENDATION
30%
12%
WILL SWITCH IMMEDIATELY TO THE FULL NEW RECOMMENDED ROUTINE
Men
Women
50%
40%
WILL STILL FINISH USING THE EXISTING PRODUCTS FIRST REGARDLESS
05
People preferred learning privately, selectively, and at their own pace
Most respondents preferred written content and self-paced learning over workshops or webinars.
With regards to skincare education, respondents in this sample appeared to value autonomy, convenience, relevance, privacy, and learning in their own timing.
The chart below shows the respondents' interest in virtual workshops, webinars, and events to learn more about skincare routines and product recommendations:
56%
25%
MAYBE, DEPENDING ON THE TOPICS COVERED AND THE TIMING
63%
22%
NOT REALLY, I PREFER WRITTEN CONTENT AND CONSUMING CONTENT AT MY OWN PACE
Men
Women
22%
12%
YES, I FIND SUCH EVENT INFORMATIVE AND ENGAGING
Taken together,
the findings suggested something important:
People were already being exposed to skincare information through social influence, recommendations, online content, and everyday conversations,
but still struggle to translate skincare information into trustworthy, usable, and sustainable decisions that fit real life.
PART III — UNMET NEEDS
What people still wished they understood, and the support they hoped existed
Through open-ended responses, Part III invited the respondents to describe challenges they still faced, topics they wished they understood better, and tools they wished existed to make skincare easier to manage.
01
People were asking for better interpretation — not more products
People wanted to understand what was actually happening on their skin and whether the solutions they were considering were right for them.
Many were learning through trial and error, not clarity — often unsure about results, timelines, and what actually works.
02
People wanted practical knowledge more than advanced knowledge
Respondents were rarely asking for highly technical skincare education. Many of the requests were surprisingly practical, focusing on everyday, real-life information that helps them apply skincare with more confidence.
Because information alone does not always create clarity.
03
Many valued support systems to overcome inconsistency and uncertaint
Respondents repeatedly described tools that help reduce uncertainty, forgetting, decision fatigue, cost unpredictability, routine inconsistency, and guessing what to do next.
Across Parts I and II, respondents had already told us consistency was difficult, life was busy, routines were easy to abandon, and decisions were difficult to evaluate. Part III now reveals what many people believed would help.
Taken together,
these responses revealed something important:
Many people were already participating in skincare,
but still felt they were navigating parts of the journey through uncertainty.
what came next
What we were left wondering
As the findings from the 2023 study were reviewed, one observation became increasingly difficult to ignore.
Many people appeared to be experiencing similar skincare challenges.
Yet they often responded to those challenges very differently.
Some stayed consistent.
Others repeatedly restarted.
Some remained hopeful.
Others became cautious.
Some preferred guidance.
Others preferred figuring things out for themselves.
That observation stayed with me.
And it eventually led to a new question.
How do people actually experience skincare in real life?