Investigation of Consumers' Knowledge and Preference towards Functional Cosmetics

기능성 화장품에 대한 소비자 인지도와 선호도 조사

The purpose of this study is to investigate consumers' knowledge and preference towards functional cosmetics. Through the beauty advisors' surveys, their own selling styles and consumer behaviors recognized by beauty advisors were analyzed. It was intended to help extend and strengthen the functional cosmetic market which has continued to grow rapidly since the approved goods under cosmetic law in 2001. For this study, the data was collected through questionnaires the professional consumer counselors confirmed from Korean women over the age. of twenty old living in the Seoul and Kyoungki areas. After pre-research was implemented on 45 women, 328 samples were analyzed as final samples. In addition,46 samples, which were collected through the questionnaires from beauty advisors were analyzed. Samples were analyzed by frequency, percentage, T-test, ANOVA using the SPSS program. The results of study were as follows: First consumers recognized whether functional cosmetics or not. According to the beauty advisor's surveys, consumers regard the functional cosmetic boundary as being wider than real functional cosmetic boundary according to cosmetic law. So, there is a gap between consumers' opinions and real law. Second, regarding the purchasing channels, the largest channel is the cosmetic store. As far as consumers are concerned the most important factor when buying cosmetics, is the suitability of their own skin types. The second factor is product quality and the third factor is price. Functional cosmetics non-experienced group are more concerned with price compared to experienced group. Related to purchasing products, functional cosmetics experienced group buy set products compared to non-experienced group buy one product. Third, the ultraviolet filter cosmetics portion is the largest in the functional cosmetics market the second largest portion is bleaching cosmetics and the third largest portion is the anti-senility cosmetics. However, Most preferred by consumers is the anti-senility cosmetics. Moreover, preference for ultraviolet filter cosmetics is the least. Finally, the level of satisfaction for functional cosmetics is high and dissatisfaction is low. Consumers feel that beauty advisors are simply pushing high priced products without recognizing the consumers' real needs. In conclusion, to develop the functional cosmetic market continually in the future, it needs to extend various products and advertise them until consumers are more aware.