Short answer
Prioritize creating emotionally resonant and socially connected experiences around beauty products, as these are more influential than purely functional or rational appeals.
- Field
- Innovation & Markets
- Source
- EuroMid Journal of Business and Tech-innovation (EJBTI) (2025)
- Method
- Quantitative survey research with multiple regression analysis.
- Sample
- 385 participants
- Evidence
- Strong effect
In the beauty and personal care market, consumers are primarily driven by social influence and the pleasure derived from products, rather than purely cognitive decision-making. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2025 study published in EuroMid Journal of Business and Tech-innovation (EJBTI). Using Quantitative survey research with multiple regression analysis. with 385 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Prioritize creating emotionally resonant and socially connected experiences around beauty products, as these are more influential than purely functional or rational appeals.
Social and Hedonic Experiences Drive Beauty Product Purchases, Outweighing Rationality
In the beauty and personal care market, consumers are primarily driven by social influence and the pleasure derived from products, rather than purely cognitive decision-making.
EuroMid Journal of Business and Tech-innovation (EJBTI) · 2025
Key Findings
- 01Social experience is the strongest positive predictor of consumer buying behavior.
- 02Hedonic and affective experiences also positively influence buying behavior.
- 03Cognitive experience has a statistically significant but negative influence on buying behavior.
Application
Design takeaway
Prioritize creating emotionally resonant and socially connected experiences around beauty products, as these are more influential than purely functional or rational appeals.
How to apply
When designing marketing materials or product features for beauty and personal care items, focus on visuals that evoke positive emotions and create opportunities for social sharing or interaction.
Project actions
- 01When researching user behavior, consider both emotional responses and social influences.
- 02If your design aims to influence purchasing, think about how it can be shared or discussed among peers.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Utilizes established psychological theories (Theory of Reasoned Action, Social Learning Theory).
- +Employs a robust quantitative methodology (structured survey, multiple regression).
Limitations
The study's focus on a specific region and market means its findings might not apply universally. The negative cognitive influence could be due to specific product types or cultural nuances.
Reliability & validity
The use of a structured survey and established theories likely contributes to reliability. Validity would depend on how well the survey questions accurately measure the intended experiential dimensions and buying behavior.
Think critically
How might the negative correlation of cognitive experience be leveraged or mitigated in product design and marketing strategies?
Design Principles
"Design for emotional and social engagement to drive purchasing decisions in consumer goods."
Understanding the emotional and social drivers behind consumer choices is crucial for developing effective marketing strategies and product designs. This insight suggests that brands should focus on creating engaging social experiences and appealing to hedonic desires to capture market share.
What This Means for Your Design
People buy beauty products more because their friends like them or because the product feels good to use, not because they think about it logically.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this insight to justify focusing on user emotions and social interactions in your user research or design strategy.
- 2.Cite this study when discussing the psychological factors influencing user adoption or purchase decisions in your design project.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
Research indicates that in markets like beauty and personal care, consumer purchasing decisions are predominantly influenced by social experiences and hedonic pleasure, with rational deliberation often playing a secondary or even inhibitory role. This suggests that design and marketing efforts should prioritize creating emotionally engaging and socially shareable product experiences to effectively capture consumer interest and drive sales.
Source
EuroMid Journal of Business and Tech-innovation (EJBTI)
<b>Factors Influencing Consumer Buying Behavior of Beauty and Personal Care in Bahrain</b><b></b>
journal · 2025
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about social and hedonic experiences drive beauty product purchases, outweighing rationality?
- Prioritize creating emotionally resonant and socially connected experiences around beauty products, as these are more influential than purely functional or rational appeals. Evidence: EuroMid Journal of Business and Tech-innovation (EJBTI) (2025).
- Why does "Social and Hedonic Experiences Drive Beauty Product Purchases, Outweighing Rationality" matter for design?
- Understanding the emotional and social drivers behind consumer choices is crucial for developing effective marketing strategies and product designs. This insight suggests that brands should focus on creating engaging social experiences and appealing to hedonic desires to capture market share.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Prioritize creating emotionally resonant and socially connected experiences around beauty products, as these are more influential than purely functional or rational appeals.
- What were the main findings?
- Social experience is the strongest positive predictor of consumer buying behavior.. Hedonic and affective experiences also positively influence buying behavior.. Cognitive experience has a statistically significant but negative influence on buying behavior.
- What research method was used?
- Quantitative survey research with multiple regression analysis. with 385 participants.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2025 journal from EuroMid Journal of Business and Tech-innovation (EJBTI).
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing marketing materials or product features for beauty and personal care items, focus on visuals that evoke positive emotions and create opportunities for social sharing or interaction.
- What are the limitations?
- Findings are specific to the beauty and personal care market in Bahrain and may not generalize to other product categories or geographical regions. The negative correlation of cognitive experience might be context-dependent.