US consumers still learning about and loving skin care masks

10-Apr-2018 - Last updated on 10-Apr-2018 at 16:16 GMT

image courtesy of nugg

Later this month, nugg, the popular indie skin care brand known as ‘The Face Mask Authority’, is adding peel-off masks to its product portfolio. To find out more about how this dynamic skin care niche is evolving, Cosmetics Design connected with that brand’s founder Conny Wittke. Here, she shares info on the upcoming launch and her insights into the face mask category.

Thanks to K Beauty trends and image-driven content, masks have become a prominent skin care category.

“The US consumers are certainly learning extremely fast and definitely keen on integrating face masks into their skin care regimes,” Conny Wittke, founder and CEO of Beauty Ideas Group (the company behind the nugg brand), tells Cosmetics Design.

“It is a very ‘playful’ category for customers with a lot of trial,” she adds, hinting at the fact that for some consumers masking is more about the activity and spectacle and less about product specifics.

“Our hope and expectation is that US consumers will become as discerning when it comes to the ingredients in the face masks that they put onto their skin like they are for other skin care products,” says Wittke. “A face mask is designed to drive ingredients into your skin so there should definitely be more attention paid to what those ingredients are. Formulating to high standards is not always the easy answer in a young, fast growing category but we firmly believe it is the right one.”

Line extension

For nugg, peel-off masks are a new format. Most of the brand’s products—sold at Target, Whole Foods, Amazon, and on nuggbeauty.com—are rinse-off masks.

“We do have a broad range of rinse-off face masks, and are also looking into additional mask categories. Since we are all about quality, exceptional value for money and about the right ingredients for the right reasons, we are committed to formulating carefully and to only bring formulations that we can truly stand behind and that fulfill our high formulation standards,” Wittke tells Cosmetics Design.

“Peel-offs are important,” she acknowledges, explaining that, “we set out to make a healthy, pain-free alternative that is gentle yet very effective for the skin. Our peel-off masks were developed to peel off your face pain-free because you should never use a masks that pulls on your skin.”

Formulation notes

Nugg, of course, relied on the expertise of formulating chemists for this latest launch, but the brand also took the preferences of consumers into consideration: “We have developed 4 formulas and are launching the Charcoal & Vitamin C Peel Off Face Mask and the Tea Tree & Sea Silt Peel Off Face Mask first because of customer feedback we received from our social channels,” says Wittke.

“Each of our mask is formulated with clear benefits,” she says. “Our Charcoal &Vitamin C Peel Off Face Mask deeply cleanses and decongests pores, soothes skin and helps brighten your complexion. The Tea Tree & Sea Silt Peel Off Face Mask tones, refreshes and refines the appearance of pore size, and provides a very pleasant cooling and ‘de-puffing’ sensation.”

“Both complement our existing masks perfectly and also offer great fun in the application and removal which add to the popularity of peel off masks,” Wittke tells Cosmetics Design. “They are also lovely for summer as they are nicely cooling and great to remove shine.”

“Hopefully, we can launch the other two styles soon,” says Wittke, “as they have great ingredient stories and differentiated skin benefits too.”

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Deanna Utroske, CosmeticsDesign.com Editor, covers beauty business news in the Americas region and publishes the weekly Indie Beauty Profile column, showcasing the inspiring work of entrepreneurs and innovative brands.