A recent report by The NPD Group shows that 22 percent of women have changed their skin care routine since the start of COVID-19 in mid-March. In turn, more women in the U.S. are using more facial skin care products today compared to one year ago, according to findings from NPD’s 2020 Women’s Facial Skincare Consumer Report. In addition, lifestyle changes including the effects of COVID-19 have in many ways altered their skin care routines in a positive way.

Overall, close to 40 percent of facial skin care users reported using their products more often. Usage of basic products, such as cleansers and moisturizers, and treatments, including exfoliators, scrubs and masks, saw the most significant increases since last year.

When asked specifically about the pandemic, most said they are washing or moisturizing their face more often than pre-pandemic; one-third have expanded their routine to include more products; and the majority of those using more products intend to stick with their new routine when things normalize.

“Skin care has been one of the most resilient beauty categories this year. It has seen softer sales declines year-to-date compared to the overall beauty industry and gained market share, generating the highest sales volume of all the categories,” said Larissa Jensen, NPD’s Beauty Industry Advisor. “Using an average of five products daily, consumers are committed to their baseline facial skin care routine, which includes a combination of basic care and targeted treatments. The effects of COVID-19, including spending more time at home, have brought a greater focus on self-care, and skin care has reaped the benefits.”