Perhaps more than any other industry, beauty and personal care holds a powerful connection with consumers, who have strong feelings about the brands they use. Purchasing decisions around products form a part of consumers’ identities and when incorporated into daily routines, products can impact users’ ever-changing emotions.1
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Perhaps more than any other industry, beauty and personal care holds a powerful connection with consumers, who have strong feelings about the brands they use. Purchasing decisions around products form a part of consumers’ identities and when incorporated into daily routines, products can impact users’ ever-changing emotions.1
At their core, cosmetics and toiletries are inextricable with emotion. The way consumers perceive products is largely based on how (or if) they believe the product will help them achieve a preferred emotional state;1, 2 for example, according to one Mintel report, 54% of Canadians agreed that using beauty/grooming products made them feel good about themselves.3
Consumers connect emotionally when brands fulfill deep, often unconscious desires such as standing out from the crowd, having confidence in the future and enjoying a sense of well-being.1 The two primary reasons given for wearing makeup can be tied to emotions. The first is to camouflage flaws and blend in with the crowd – i.e., calming the user’s anxiety or insecurities. The second is to appear noticeably more attractive – i.e., making the consumer feel sophisticated, edgy, elegant or seductive, in turn boosting their confidence, sociableness and assertiveness.2
The idea of creating products that appeal to consumer emotions is nothing new, but the need for such remains. Add to this the recent advances in neuroscience and sensory science, which are uncovering deeper insights about emotional connections, and it presents an opportunity for brands to create new value for consumers through emotion-driven products.
This article delves into the emotions and feelings of cosmetics and personal care product experiences and explores how they impact purchasing decisions. It also considers how human senses are engaged in these experiences and ways to measure responses qualitatively and quantitatively. Together, these insights can enable the design of better, more consumer-aligned products that resonate with desirable emotions and build stronger brand connectivity.
Emotions, Product Experience and Decision-making
As most readers know, the correlation between cosmetics and emotion is particularly relevant in the context of product liking and consumer experience; indeed, emotion is the primary factor when it comes to consumer experience and product liking.1 Emotions can dictate what consumers pay attention to and help them prioritize information and determine how to react.4
It is worth noting that there is a difference between emotions and feelings. As Jacob-Puchalska explained, neuroscientists distinguish between emotions and feelings as follows: “While emotions involve the physical response to an external stimulus, feelings are the result of when the brain processes these emotions. Emotions are therefore immediate, relatively short and intense. They can be detected and measured by certain activities in the brain.”5
In everyday life, consumers connect emotionally to objects. The concept of emotional design for product development was first introduced by Donald Norman in 2003.6 Indeed, attractive designs and features create positive emotional responses and improve cognitive ability in the brain, resulting in a delightful user experience.5 Product liking and a positive consumer experience can be the result of emotional design and when applied correctly, can have additional positive effects, including brand loyalty — even if the price point is higher — and a higher tolerance for product imperfections.
Several studies indicate that emotions determine what enters our consciousness, are a necessary component of almost all decisions, and create preferences that drive the choices we make.7, 8 This is supported by the fact that damage to certain areas of the brain associated with emotions leads to an inability to make decisions without impairing intellect or other abilities.9
Consumers are often not even aware of the emotions influencing their decision-making. Zaltman reported that 95% of consumers’ purchasing decisions occur in the subconscious mind.10 Thus, to fully leverage the potential for emotional connections with products, the industry must work to understand the emotions that drive consumer liking and how they relate to each facet of the consumer’s product experience – including scent, color, texture and packaging – to create products that are both emotionally and sensorially appealing. These are described in the next section.
Zaltman additionally outlined approaches to help marketers, R&D and brand managers understand the hidden behaviors and emotions consumers feel.10 These include the following.
- Verify stated beliefs with actual consumer behaviors by observing how they handle products and competitive brands on shelves and online. Shopper journeys and heatmapping technologies can tell us a lot about what consumers truly believe based on how they act.
- Use physiological or response latency measures to reveal what consumers actually think or believe. This can be measured by unconscious physical reactions as opposed to what they might say.
- Conduct qualitative focus groups with in-depth conversations and interviews to uncover deeper meanings behind what consumers are saying. This helps to transform spoken metaphors into identifiable thoughts and feelings.
- Use properly constructed consumer questionnaires to assess emotions. Given the limitations of unconscious measurements, several researchers consider these rated emotions to be the most reliable method.11
As an aside, it is important to note a potential dilemma in today’s world of programs and technology: the more knowledge we acquire on sub-conscious emotional drivers, the more we’re faced with moral, constructive and socially responsible ways to use this information.
Sensory Impact on Emotion and Wellness
As noted, it is important to understand the emotions that drive consumer liking and how they relate to sensory aspects of the product experience. Facets including smell, color, packaging and texture are discussed here.
Smell and memory: The sense of smell has been in the spotlight recently with reports of COVID-19 changing afflicted individuals’ perceptions of scent. These olfactory effects are not confined to a complete loss. For some, the effects alter their perception such that scents they usually enjoy or find comfort in — like the first cup of coffee in the morning — trigger a sense of disgust or revulsion.12
Beauchamp reported it is estimated that the number of odors people can detect is somewhere between 10,000 and 100 billion, “or even more.”13 When an individual smells something, that odor information is delivered to different parts across the brain, all of which can influence memory, mood, emotions, etc. Going back thousands of years, many fragrant herbs, trees and florals were used by different cultures in rituals and aromatherapies to improve physical and emotional wellness.
The power of smell and its effect on emotion is compounded by the link between scent and memory, causing us to remember and associate scents with the emotions experienced at that time. So, we not only experience intense emotions when exposed to fragrance — we also tend to acutely remember those scents.
In a study performed by the Sense of Smell Institute, humans were found to recall smells with 65% accuracy after an entire year, while visual recalls of images after only three months were just 50%. This suggests that what we smell is more powerful than what we see when it comes to creating lasting memorable experiences.14
Color connections: Just as consumers may swear by their signature scents, their signature colors in makeup can shine a spotlight on their values and personality, giving a glimpse of how they feel about themselves without putting it into words. Color plays a pivotal role in consumers’ emotional experiences with cosmetic brands. It can evoke emotional responses that then set expectations for the rest of the experience.
To prove this point, consider Brochet’s15 famous demonstration of the tight neural links between color, expectation and how we perceive products. During a wine competition, he showed that the flavor of wine is inextricably linked to the color by giving 54 oenology students two identical glasses of white wine – except one was in its natural color and the other was dyed red.16 The students described the white wine using words such as “honey,” “floral” and “peach,” whereas they described the white wine dyed red with terms like “cedar,” “cherry,” “chicory” and “raspberry.”
Many studies and theories around color psychology have focused on connections between colors and emotions. One study17, 18 in 2020 surveyed the emotional associations of 4,598 people from 30 different countries and found that people commonly associated certain colors with specific emotions. The results showed the following.
- Black: 51% of respondents associated black with sadness;
- White: 43% of people associated white with relief;
- Red: 68% associated red with love;
- Blue: 35% linked blue to feelings of relief;
- Green: 39% linked green to contentment;
- Yellow: 52% felt that yellow meant joy;
- Purple: 25% associated purple with pleasure;
- Brown: 36% linked brown to disgust;
- Orange: 44% associated orange with joy; and
- Pink: 50% linked pink with love.
Multiple internal studies by the authors’ company around emotional connections to colors support these findings. For example, red and purple reliably were associated with positive emotions and liked fragrances; black and brown were associated with more negative emotions and less liked fragrances (not shown). Other researchers have shown the effect of color on mood as well, whether it be food in restaurants or colored indoor spaces.19
Color in packaging: As an extension of product experiences, packaging should align with consumer expectations and desired emotional experiences. The colors chosen should clearly communicate the product’s message. For example, a fun and exciting product could be communicated through fun and flashy colors like yellow or orange. Also, beauty and personal care products in the health and wellness space could look to clean whites, serene blues or even transparent packaging. It is important to avoid dissonance between the product and packaging to ensure that products deliver on the promises made to consumers and meet their expectations.
Texture effects: The texture of a product formula also plays a major role in the user’s experience and can be a major point of differentiation, providing a unique sensorial effect. Imagine a consumer sampling a new face moisturizer, first experiencing its smell, then using a small amount, spreading it a little at first, then more. Without even noticing, they are making sensory assessments about how much they like or dislike a product based on its aroma, pickup, immediate texture, play time, rub out and after-feel,20 which all play into how effective they feel a product is.
In a perfect world of beauty, the first touch of a product on skin would produce a special and memorable sensation with the promise of high quality, efficacy and luxury. This instant gratification would create a feel-good effect that could lead the user to focus more on how the product feels – and the emotions it evokes – than its efficacy.21
A few years ago, Kao Corp. studied the correlation between sensations (textures) and the emotions they evoke during cosmetic product use. Seven types of cosmetics were used, providing different textures upon first skin contact. A variety of different emotions were generated by product users and measured based on a 12-emotional-factor-affect scale. Through this work, Kao was able to prove that different textures evoked different emotions.22 The studies also revealed the emotion evoked is different according to the texture being produced during application.
For example, light and refreshing textures that absorbed quickly aligned with feeling alert, lively and joyous. Heavier and stickier textures aligned with a sense of comfort and relaxation.22 Similarly, internal studies by the authors’ company have also indicated the most positive emotions for facial creams were associated with youth and vitality and were lightweight rather than heavy and thick (data not shown; proprietary information).
Measuring Emotions
Since emotions are subjective and difficult to quantify, understanding them as a driving force behind consumer decision-making requires a way to measure them accurately and reliably. One of the most influential theories of human emotion is the Mood Circumplex model proposed years ago by American psychologist James Russell (see Figure 1).23
Figure 1. Mood Circumplex model by Russell (a) and product usage mood circumplex (b)Curion
This model proposes that emotions lie on a linear combination of two different dimensions (called the core affect); i.e., where they are either pleasant or unpleasant (valence) and activating or inactivating (arousal).23 A person’s mood core affect is always a combination of these two core dimensions, with that unique combination being interpreted as that person’s current emotion.
Over the years, various studies have supported the association between neurophysiological parameters and the dimensions of core affect. Our heart races, skin conductance increases, pupils dilate and certain brain regions light up when we are excited or aroused and relax when we are calm and happy.24 This is the basis of physiological measures of emotion.
One of the challenges with these measures is that they are fairly “blunt” tools that are not capable of providing nuanced insights about what underlies them or the behavior they produce. In addition, they have been found to vary widely across individuals.11 However, the authors’ company applied Russell’s Mood Circumplex model to the emotional experiences captured in an internal product use study, resulting in a Product Usage Mood Circumplex model capable of identifying and recording consumers’ emotions throughout a product’s lifespan (see also Figure 1).
This research revealed 39 unique emotional descriptors that reliably define emotions induced by each finished product and its components. If consumers’ emotional responses were positive and activated, they may feel energized and refreshed. If emotions were positive and deactivated, the product made them feel calm and comforted (not shown; proprietary).
Interestingly, negative emotions tended to be less varied on the Product Usage Mood Circumplex, as compared to the original. Consumers who experienced negative, activated emotions were frustrated by their product experience while those who reported negative, deactivated emotions were puzzled.
Using the novel Product Usage Mood Circumplex model, the authors’ company partnered with a major global cosmetic company to better understand consumers’ emotional responses to the cosmetic company’s products. Parallel studies were performed in both the U.S. and China to gain a more global perspective into the relationship between emotions and product-liking.
The Product Usage Mood Circumplex proved consistent across both markets and highlighted key emotional nuances that might have been missed without emotional profiling. For example, among other findings, highly and equally liked fragrances generated positive emotions that could be either highly arousing (energizing or rejuvenating) or low energy (calming or relaxing). Inversely, least-liked fragrances were frustrating, irritating or boring (not shown; proprietary). Nine additional studies across the U.S. and China, conducted by the authors’ company and the cosmetics company, affirmed these results. With these insights, the cosmetic company was able to align its branding, packaging and product with consumers’ emotional responses and expectations.
Conclusions
Emotions are strongly tied to product liking and consumer experiences, ultimately fueling purchasing decisions. The olfactive direction of a beauty product, along with color, texture and packaging, all play crucial and pivotal roles. Therefore, sensory and consumer science are needed at a fundamental level when brands seek to identify the emotional impact of their products on consumers.
Qualitative and quantitative approaches can provide insight into both conscious and sub-conscious emotional drivers in a responsible and respectful way to help brands stand apart in the marketplace and deliver on consumers’ expectations. In addition, understanding the multifaceted emotions of consumers not only facilitates the design of better, more consumer-aligned products, but also allows brands to create cohesive communication, branding strategies, claims and packaging that resonate with desirable consumer emotions to build stronger brand connectivity.
References
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2. Van Edwards, V. (Accessed 2024, Feb 1). Why do women wear makeup? The science behind makeup obsession. Science of People. Available at https://www.scienceofpeople.com/makeup
3. Mintel. (2021, May 2021). Increased prioritization of mental wellbeing has 54% of Canadians using beauty/grooming products to feel good about themselves. Available at https://www.mintel.com/press-centre/increased-prioritization-of-mental-wellbeing-has-54-of-canadians-using-beautygrooming-products-to-feel-good-about-themselves/
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8. Ibid Ref 4
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12. Howes, L. (2022, Sep). How COVID-19 stole our sense of smell. C&EN Chemical & Engineering News. Available at https://cen.acs.org/biological-chemistry/chemical-communication/COVID-19-stole-sense-smell/100/i34
13. News in Health. (2016, Aug). What your nose knows: Sense of smell and your health. Available at https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2016/08/what-your-nose-knows#:~:text=Different%20scents%20can%20change%20your,%2Dbeing%2C%20and%20everyday%20safety.
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15. Pomeroy, R. (2014, Aug 19). The legendary study that embarrassed wine experts across the globe. Brochet
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