The Best Cosmetics

Why do we buy cosmetics and beauty treatments?

Laura put me on the track of a study from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and the University of Klagenfurt, in Austria, which I want to share with you, because it says very interesting things about what leads us to buy cosmetics, and I would like to ask your opinion. The study (which you can read in full, in English) was conducted on 355 women, between 18 and 60 years old, consumers of facial and anti-cellulite creams and body firming. The aim was to discover the influence of functional and emotional benefits on our satisfaction with brands.

They were asked about their perception of their favorite brand in several different areas, such as the results they were seeing, the pleasantness of the product’s texture, the packaging design, but also about body satisfaction, sensual appeal and the sense of social success they provided.

The results show that we feel more satisfied with a product when it makes us feel better for taking care of ourselves (instead of “letting ourselves be”), that is, the emotion we experience in front of a product influences both the real benefits we get with it.

And it is that the mechanism used in the best cosmetic advertising appeals not only to our desire to see ourselves beautiful and young, but also makes us feel at a disadvantage compared to the beautiful and successful models in the ads. At the same time, we are told that the solution is to consume these products, and the feeling of taking care of ourselves increases the satisfaction we feel with them. In other words, our final satisfaction is as much related to the usefulness of the product and its palpable effects as it is to the fact that we are actively working to improve our appearance.

Do not think that it is about discussing the influence of anyone on our body image. That’s a much longer topic. It’s just that you have to ask yourself, why do I prefer the cosmetics I use? Am I capable of assessing that they really work or are my own emotions deceiving me in some way when I use them?

I don’t know how much “suggestion” (don’t understand it as a dirty word) is in my purchases. It is often difficult for me to objectively evaluate the results of my cosmetics, and I am aware that my experience is affected by my desire to look beautiful, the discomfort caused by my imperfections, what I paid for the product and the pressure I feel for not getting old.

For a subject I had never thought about, I think it has left me thinking a lot…