Study Reveals Unsung Hero of Women's Beauty Routine
It's no secret women value their beauty products. From scouring online reviews to scanning video how-tos, millions of women are on the hunt for the latest finds to look and feel their best. Intrigued by the relationship women have with their beauty products, Dove fielded a national survey to unveil which of their morning beauty routine staples they prioritize and how they impact their confidence. After all, over 7 in 10 women agreed that a "beauty product" is any product that makes a woman feel more confident.
The results revealed it's not mascara, eyeliner or other cosmetics that are most important in making women feel most confident all day. As a matter of fact, out of the products women use in their morning beauty routine, respondents ranked deodorant above the rest – twice that of toothpaste*, four times that of foundation, nearly six times that of mascara and ten times that of eyeliner.
Deodorant was not only the product that made women feel the most confident, but it was also a step in their morning beauty routine they'd never want to skip. In fact, they said putting on deodorant before leaving the house is nearly:
- 5 times more important than washing their hair
- 8 times more important than putting on mascara
- 13 times more important than wearing lipstick or lip gloss
The data also uncovered interesting truths about the impact underarms can have on how women feel and act on any given day. When women have forgotten to apply deodorant it was revealed that:
- 87 percent feel self-conscious
- 67 percent distance themselves from others
- 49 percent have gone back home to put it on
While odor and wetness protection spring to mind when thinking about caring for underarms, nearly 2 in 3 women say they have experienced another type of issue, whether it be irritation, uneven skin tone, dry skin or red marks.
"The underarm area is susceptible to a wide range of skin concerns such as dry skin and dark marks that many of my patients have experienced," said Dr. Alicia Barba, Dove dermatologist. "When looking for an anti-perspirant, I recommend upgrading to Dove Advanced Care because it offers more than just protection and provides moisturizing skin care benefits to help prevent and alleviate these issues."
In fact, the survey showed 88 percent of women agree they would prefer a deodorant that also provides skin care benefits in addition to odor and wetness protection. Yet, they often stick with what they know and only 34 percent have switched their deodorant in the last year.
"So many women are shocked to find out how important anti-perspirant is in their beauty regimen," said Matthew McCarthy, senior director of deodorants/anti-perspirants at Unilever. "A lot of women just accept odor and wetness protection as the key functional benefit of the products available today. But Dove is different. In addition to 48 hour odor and wetness protection, our NutriumMoisture formula adds in benefits that address a wide array of skincare needs."
With sleeveless season on the horizon, now is the time to make the #EssentialUpgrade to Dove Advanced Care Anti-perspirant for 48-hour odor and wetness protection plus the skin care benefits of Dove with NutriumMoisture – 9 in 10 women agreed it made their underarms soft and smooth. Available in 15 unique fragrances, the full line of products can be purchased at mass, food and drug retailers nationwide for SRP $4.99(2.6 oz.).
Visit Dove.com for more information and connect with @Dove on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #EssentialUpgrade.