Retailers and Dermatologists Can Shape the Future of Mass Market Skin Care

Retail executives and leading dermatologists gathered at the Dermatology and Retail Alliance (DRA) last month to brainstorm actionable strategies for sustaining growth in the skin care industry.

DRA was started in 2021 by L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty with just four dermatologists and three retail organizations in attendance. This year, more than 30 retail executives and 14 dermatologists were in attendance.

Their takeaway from the two-day event: understanding each other’s roles helps remove barriers, drives better sales and enhances patient outcomes.

“We are excited about the conversations with derms and the chance to have a greater understanding of each other,” said Heather Hughes, Walgreens’ group vice president, GMM of health, wellness, beauty and personal care, who attended the event for the third time.

While a practicing pharmacist, Hughes said she introduced herself to doctors in her local markets.

“It would be invaluable to spend a day walking in a pharmacist’s shoes to experience firsthand what their daily life truly entails,” noted Dr. Ted Lain, during a panel he moderated with retailer representatives from Ulta Beauty, Walgreens, Hy-Vee  and Publix.

Removing silos between retail and the professional community was just one example of the collaborative ideas sparked during the two-day event, which was held October 23-24 in Las Vegas. DRA also included “Ask a Derm” sessions and networking opportunities.

“The alliance drives innovation by bringing together leaders from dermatology and retailer communities to ultimately match solutions to the skin health needs of consumers,” said Gina Daley, assistant vice president of Integrated Health at L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty.

According to Daley, more than  40% of Americans live in derm deserts.

“In the US in 2022, only 10% of Americans saw a  dermatologist despite one in four being impacted by skin conditions. This gap is where retailers can play a crucial role,” she said.

Mass retailers account for 70% of total skincare sales, the largest share across all beauty segments. After pharmacy, skin care is one of the biggest traffic drivers to drug, grocery and discount stores.

Sun Protection

Attendees at the DRA also delved into the dangerous proliferation of sun care myths on social media. Many dangerous messages can be spread, including suggestions that SPF causes cancer or burns, which can be avoided by drinking water. To that end, the dermatologists said they are creating their own short and long form videos to supplement their office consultations. Responding to the need for greater sun care information, the DRA formed a sun careconsortium to develop an unbranded sun safety PSA that will be officially launched in the next few months.