Most of the time, we tend to buy gendered products. There’s an abundant list of reasons why this takes places, most of which we’re not going to get into right now – but even if we think we’re making independent decisions when making purchases, the reality is that the process actually involves a lot of other variables buried deep within our subconscious.
From a consumer’s perspective, we choose the products we use based on three variables: necessity, price, and packaging. Of all three, packaging holds the most power. At the end of the day, even if we find a product we need, and it’s at an affordable price range, if the packaging doesn’t meet out visual needs… we’re just not buying it.
If a man walks into a store looking for a moisturiser, but the only one available is packaged in a pink tin with a heart-shaped logo, there’s high chance he’s not going to buy. It’s unfortunate, but it’s the way society has conditioned us to think.
Over the last few years, the beauty market has been making strides to produce gender-neutral brands and products that have done away with the tired, clichéd packaging and put the focus on quality—here’s a list of our favourites.
Kiehls
Mr Smith
The Ordinary
Malin + Goetz
Aesop
Grown Alchemist
