Clarisonic global skin confidence survey results

23-Nov-2016 - Last updated on 23-Nov-2016 at 19:14 GMT

This summer the skin care and device brand commissioned a Harris Poll to assess how people globally feel about their skin and how skin conditions influence their social choices. Now, the results are in.

The online survey gathered data from people in the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, South Korea, and Japan. Nearly 10,000 adults (over 18 years of age) participated.

Healthful or youthful

Clarisonic asked if people “feel more confident when their skin is clear and healthy-looking.” Globally, 31% said yes. In the US that figure was 32% and in Canada 31%. In Europe, 31% of respondents from the UK agreed with that statement, 29% of Germans did, and 26% of French respondents did too.

In Asia, 53% of survey participants in China “feel more confident when their skin is clear and healthy-looking.” As do 28% of people in South Korea and 19% of people in Japan.

The skin care company was also keen to learn how many people feel “more confident when their skin is firm and youthful-looking.” Only 19% of respondents from the US said yes to this question. And, 17% of Canadians did. In Europe, 22% of participants from the UK said yes, 17% of Germans, and 19% of the French respondents did as well.

Among participants in Asia, 43% of those in China said yes to the “firm and youth-ful” question, 21% in South Korea, and 23% in Japan.

Confidence and beyond

The survey asked some questions to sort out the importance of “perfect skin,” the level to which people use digital filters to improve their skin in photos, and how acne factors in to skin confidence.

Global data shows that 33% of people would give up sweets for perfect skin and 24% would give up social media. 43% of survey respondents worldwide use filters and editing apps to adjust their skin in selfies. And, 47% of those with acne don’t feel confident about their skin at times.

Gauging confidence as being “proud to show off their skin without anything on it,” Clarisonic found that 28% of people in Canada have skin confidence, and 27% in the US do. It the UK, that number is 25%, in Germany 22%, and in France 20%. In China 20% have skin confidence, 12% of people in South Korea do, and only 10% of people in Japan.

“Globally, women and men appeared to have equal levels of skin confidence (both 20%), but overall skin confidence is relatively low across all of the countries surveyed,” observed the company in a press release outlining the findings.