Your skin is your body’s largest organ, and taking care of it goes beyond just looking good; it’s about feeling confident and comfortable in your own skin. In the past six months, searches for ‘How to feel more confident in yourself’ are up by 120%1, which highlights the pressures we feel as we approach the summer season.

In light of AVON’s new £16 Anew Skin Renewal Power Cream2 which has been created with 10x Protinol Technology to restore years of collagen loss3, the global beauty company has delved into the UK’s beauty habits.

By surveying 1,000 women, the brand has shone a light on the importance of skincare to women. From revealing how long they spend each day on their daily routines, to what age they started to worry about skin ageing, the insights uncover the truth behind women’s skincare attitudes today.

Cost of skincare
As the cost-of-living crisis has left many people making cutbacks, it seems that skincare is one element people are spending less money on. The survey revealed that on average, women are spending £15 a month on skincare and taking 11 minutes out of their day to complete their routine. From a regional perspective, women in Manchester spend over £220 per year, on average, on skincare products and spend an average of over 5,700 minutes each year applying their skincare routine. This indicates that affordability and convenience are a key expectation for beauty consumers in the current climate.

Generational beauty habits
Skincare habits have undergone a noticeable shift across generations, with more products available now than ever before. This is largely influenced by evolving beauty standards, technological advancements and increased awareness of skincare ingredients and their effects. The findings reflect this generational shift of skincare attitudes, with 18-24-year-olds spending on average over 5,800 minutes a year and £292 a year on their skincare routine. 28% of the same age group admit to using 4-5 products each day. This is compared to 65+ year-olds, who spend on average over 3,200 minutes and £117 a year on their skincare routine. 25% of the age group are using only one product in their routine.

Age defying skincare products
A key trend that has emerged from the findings are women’s attitude towards skin confidence. Feeling confident in your own skin can be tricky, with the added pressure of social media, and filters providing unrealistic beauty expectations. The data reveals that 71% of women in Newcastle sometimes worry about their skin looking and feeling old, followed by 68% of Glasgow women also agreeing to the concern. With a focus on skincare ingredients, protinol, found in the Anew Skin Renewal Power Cream, is an amino acid which stimulates the skin to produce two types of collagens, the ingredient leaves the skin stronger with improved elasticity, and within uses, it should help to alleviate the worries of skin aging.

Almost one in 10 women from Cardiff revealed that they started buying skincare products which claim to make the consumer look younger by reducing, masking or preventing signs of skin ageing, before the age of 16. This result is surprising to see as anti-ageing products aren’t necessary for younger teenagers. During your early teens, your skin is naturally elastic and won’t need the same ingredients as those with more mature skin. To maintain healthy skin at a young age, getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet and drinking plenty of water can all be beneficial.

Women felt the most comfortable in their skin during their twenties
A common theme from the data is the age at which women have felt the most comfortable in their skin, with 50% of Belfast women revealing their skin confidence peaked in their twenties, followed by 42% of Sheffield and 39% of Manchester.

Shockingly, one in seven women admit to never feeling comfortable in their own skin, which includes 20% of women from Newcastle.

Hannah Lally, UK Marketing & eCommerce Director at AVON comments on the findings: “Feeling confident in your skin is important, and with the right skincare in hand, you should feel empowered. It’s interesting to see how women use a lot of products in their skincare routine, but one in seven still don’t feel like they’ve ever felt comfortable in their own skin.
“The generational gap of the number of products used and time spent on skincare daily clearly indicates the shift in society, with prevention emphasised strongly in the younger generation. Avon’s new Anew Power Cream is set to revolutionise skincare as we know it with 10x Protinol Technology providing women with smooth and radiant skin.”