After a year of staring at our own faces on video calls, standards of beauty are evolving.

NEW YORK, June 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Science-focused skincare brand StriVectin has commissioned new research to explore evolving beauty perceptions and habits after a year of unprecedented disruption. The survey of 2,000 US adults explored the impact living in a largely virtual world has had on how we perceive ourselves, and how we might expect those changes to impact our daily lives as we emerge from lockdown.

Video calling has become the new normal since public health precautions necessitated time spent apart from family, friends and colleagues. And with 90% expecting to continue video calling even after the crisis abates, we are likely looking more at a shift than a trend. 

Alison Yeh, Chief Marketing Officer at StriVectin says, "As a brand with scientific research at the core of our beliefs, it was important for us to better understand shifting consumer perceptions and priorities. The findings of this survey shed a light on the impact living virtually has had on the way we look at ourselves on many levels, a trend we expect to continue as working from home and video-calling are likely to remain embedded in our everyday lives for months to come." 

HEADLINES

• 63% admit to spending at least half their time on video calls staring at their own face.
• 44% have researched how to look better in video calls.
• 33% have been frustrated to the point of considering cosmetic procedures – for those in the 35-44 age group, that number jumps to 50%.
• 81% feel that the condition of their skin has deteriorated during the pandemic.

A DIFFERENT REFLECTION?

69% say the things that bother them on video calls are NOT the things that bother them when they look in the mirror. This is not in their imagination. Experts say that our phone and computer video cameras can intensify shadows around the eyes and nose, highlight blemishes and wrinkles and even make the face look fuller.

Staring at this new live video view of oneself, as opposed to in a mirror or a photograph, can be a somewhat unsettling experience. Not surprisingly, 58% of all respondents admit that they get distracted by their own appearance on video calls, not listening at times.

EYES CLIMB THE BEAUTY PRIORITY (COMPLAINT) LIST

Eye concerns are one of the most common "video face" complaints with 1 in 4 saying they notice under eye circles more on video calls.

30% say they have actually turned their camera off during a video call because their eyes looked tired on the screen.

71% say they are making an effort to positively accentuate the eye area, mostly by enhancing the skin. 37% have stepped up their efforts with serums, eye creams and devices, while 34% have added products to conceal or diminish dark circles. 31% rely on added definition with color cosmetics. 

44% have researched how to look better in video calls specifically, while 33% have even considered cosmetic procedures after constantly seeing themselves on video calls.

51% say their monthly skincare/ grooming/ self-care expenditure has increased since the start of the pandemic. And 52%, more than half, say the spending increase is a result of greater concern over their appearance due to frequent video calls.

The revelation is not a total surprise to the R&D and marketing teams at StriVectin. The brand has seen a double-digit percent increase in sales of its eye care products over the last year, including its just-relaunched number one-selling eye cream, Intensive Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles PLUS, which targets multiple eye area concerns including crow's feet, "elevens" (vertical frown lines between the brows), puffiness, and loss of luminosity.

"With eyes the main element of our appearance visible to the outside world this past year, it is natural that they have become our focal facial feature," says Yeh. "And, after the stress of the last year causing many a sleepless night, it also makes sense that dark circles would be such a significant consideration for so many." 

A SILVER LINING TO STARING IN THE SCREEN?

67% say that after a year of virtual meetings, they have finally figured out how to ensure they look best on video calls.

The number one last-minute pre-Zoom beauty touch-up? Nearly half (46%) say it is… brushing their hair.  About a quarter (23%) say mascara is their pre-Zoom go-to beauty savior (the number two choice).

When asked what they have added to their beauty routine, respondents' number one response was ramping up their skincare regimen with greater focus on worry areas.

56% say that after a year of video conferencing, they are now more comfortable seeing themselves on camera.

Perhaps this is why more people say that even post-pandemic, they would prefer a virtual call to an in-person meeting (47% to 44%).

SELFIES VS. VIDEO CALLS

Finally, the stat you didn't know you needed to know: People prefer their appearance on video calls to selfies. Of those with a preference between the two, 57% say they prefer how they look on video.

2000 US adults age 25+ were surveyed by 4Media on behalf of StriVectin in April 2021.

The StriVectin® Intensive Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles PLUS has been newly upgraded to help battle some of the most common concerns around the eyes. $69 (1 oz / 30 ml) at department stores, specialty stores, Ulta and StriVectin.com.        

About StriVectin®: StriVectin, the #1 independent prestige skin care company in the U.S., empowers women to outsmart aging with our disruptive science and targeted solutions for aging and changing skin. Backed by over 35 years of clinical research, our proprietary NIA-114 Technology™ is clinically proven to strengthen the skin barrier and supercharge the efficacy of other performance ingredients to visibly transform skin. The results are real, visible and validated with independent clinical studies on every formula – including the groundbreaking SD Advanced™ Intensive Concentrate for Wrinkles & Stretch Marks and the #1 selling cream in the U.S. exclusively for the neck and décolleté**, TL Advanced™. Cruelty Free, Paraben Free and Suitable for All Skin Types, StriVectin products are sold through department stores and specialty retailers in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The company maintains corporate offices in New York, NY.  For more information, visit strivectin.com.

**Source: The NPD Group, Inc. / U.S. Prestige Beauty Total Department/Specialty, Skincare Product Dollar Sales, Neck/Décolleté Exclusive Cream. Excludes hybrid face/neck products. Jan 2017–Sep 2020 Combined

SOURCE StriVectin

Related Links

https://www.strivectin.com/