Indian men buying as many beauty products as women: Report

Today's beauty consumers are online for advice, ideas and inspiration, with nine out of 10 beauty consumers influenced by digital, according to the joint study by search giant Google, consulting company Kantar and creative transformation company WPP.

Over 50 per cent beauty consumers are using social media and online videos, and 40 per cent consumers use online search for research, said the "Connected Beauty Consumer Report" on the beauty and personal care industry in India.

The study showed that 56 per cent consumers use YouTube to compare and consider, while 30 per cent reach their final decision through a mix of YouTube, Google Search and e-commerce websites.

In India, Tier-1 and Tier-2 city consumers are fast catching up with their peers from the metros when it comes to purchasing personal care products.

Tier-1 cities show similar engagement levels with digital touchpoints at 83 per cent and metros' at 81 per cent.

"We've also noticed that most of the purchase decisions take place in the discovery and understanding phase itself which now happens online. Even in the offline consumer journey, online plays a key role as research, comparisons and trends are searched online," Kaushik Dasgupta, Group Head, Insights and Partnerships, Google India, said in a statement.

"Brands need to make it easy for consumers to access information, to facilitate purchase decisions and gain brand loyalty. Online touchpoints are growing disproportionately, and online video and social media are preferred over any offline medium for shortlisting brands today."

The report based on interviews of 1,740 consumers in the age group 18-45 years said that consumers are increasingly becoming more open to interacting with new technologies, with 67 per cent beauty consumers interested in virtual reality, 64 per cent inclined towards augmented reality and 69 per cent keen on using voice assistants.

New technologies can help brands meet buyers' needs and provide a stronger user experience.

Partnering with creators can also connect brands to consumers, as they get inspired, learn and buy based on recommendations.

According to Euromonitor projections 2020, the Rs 730-billion beauty and personal care industry in India is slated to reach Rs 1.11 trillion in the next four years.