A new poll of 2,000 adults commissioned by Nivea has revealed that Millennials outspend all other generations on skincare, investing over £350 a year. The survey, conducted via OnePoll, found that Millennials own an average of 10 skincare products and spend more than £29 per month, totaling £358 annually. Gen Z follows closely with £27.26 monthly (£327 a year), while Boomers spend just £9.60 per month (£115.20 a year). The average adult across all ages spends £19.87 monthly, or over £238 yearly, on restocking skincare products.
Bathroom Cabinets Stocked with Eight Products
The typical bathroom cabinet contains eight different skincare items, including moisturisers, serums, and under-eye creams. However, three in ten adults lack confidence in understanding what these products are for, and 46% are unsure about the ingredients and their functions. As a result, 20% of respondents own products they rarely use, with suncream, facemasks, lip balm, foot creams, hand creams, and body lotion topping the list of neglected items.
Impulse Buying and Forgotten Products
Among those with rarely used products, a quarter blame impulse buying, while another 25% simply forgot they owned certain items. Fourteen percent said they bought a product thinking it was a bargain, only to realize they didn't really want or need it. The research also found that one in ten prefer expensive skincare, believing it to be better for their skin, but 11% have been disappointed by the results of a recent purchase.
Price and Brand Reputation Drive Choices
For 69% of adults, price is the most important factor when buying skincare, followed by brand reputation (39%) and ingredients (38%). While 20% believe expensive products yield the best results, 18% feel the same about affordable options. Notably, 35% have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of a more affordable skincare product.
Nivea Spokesperson Advocates Simplicity
A spokesperson for Nivea, which partnered with Vicky Pattison for its Daily Essentials range, said: "The skincare market can feel overwhelming, and while it's great to find specific solutions for specific concerns, sometimes less genuinely is more. What might surprise people is that you don't need to spend a fortune to access genuinely premium ingredients backed-by-science. We've invested heavily in dermatological research and development to ensure our Core Skincare range delivers the same quality ingredients you'd find in luxury skincare, including hyaluronic acid and SPF 30. Being skin savvy not spenny means believing that excellent skincare should be simple, affordable, and actually effective, particularly in today's cost-of-living climate."
Vicky Pattison Encourages Affordable Switches
Vicky Pattison added: "It's easy to assume the priciest skincare option is the best, and I used to think the same but that's simply not true. By switching, I've really noticed how active ingredients genuinely work, especially when it comes to my skin feeling hydrated, fresh, and smelling great too. So, it's my mission to get people to make the same switch I did so they no longer need to break the bank to get the best results for their skin."
Top 10 Products Owned but Rarely Used
- Suncream / after-sun lotion
- Facemask / sheet mask
- Lip balm
- Foot cream / mask
- Hand cream
- Body lotion
- Exfoliator / body scrub
- Face scrub
- Shaving gel/foam
- Moisturiser
