This study explores the growing demand for anti-aging skincare starting from one's 20s and sunscreen products, contextualized within the expanding "slow aging" trend in modern society, where interest in appearance management and skin health is increas...
This study explores the growing demand for anti-aging skincare starting from one's 20s and sunscreen products, contextualized within the expanding "slow aging" trend in modern society, where interest in appearance management and skin health is increasing. In the functional cosmetics market, sunscreen has established itself as a core product for preventing skin aging, and psychological anxiety about skin aging directly influences consumers' purchase behavior. Furthermore, as consumers' knowledge about skin aging has improved due to the influence of SNS and media, it is now crucial to understand consumption patterns within the sunscreen market and establish effective marketing strategies.
This research aims to investigate the impact of skin aging awareness on the purchase behavior intention of sunscreen and to examine the mediating effect of skin aging psychology in the relationship between skin aging awareness and purchase behavior intention.
The survey was conducted using data from an online self-administered questionnaire carried out by a professional survey agency over 10 days, from September 16 to September 25, 2025, targeting female consumers residing in Guangdong Province, China. Final analysis utilized 518 responses, and the study was conducted after obtaining approval (SKUIRB-2025-01-033) from the Institutional Review Board of Seokyeong University.
Data processing and analysis were performed using SPSS Version 26 and Amos Version 22. Frequency analysis, exploratory factor analysis, correlation analysis, observed path analysis, and the Sobel test were conducted following data coding and cleaning procedures. The statistical significance level was set at p < 0.05. The key findings are as follows:
First, regarding the impact of skin aging awareness on skin aging psychology, the hypotheses proposing positive effects were all supported: awareness of bodily aging processes, knowledge about aging, awareness of the diet-aging relationship, and awareness of the environment-aging relationship each had a statistically significant positive influence on skin aging psychology.
Second, skin aging awareness was found to have a significant positive effect on the purchase behavior intention for sunscreen.
Third, skin aging psychology also demonstrated a significant positive effect on the purchase behavior intention for sunscreen.
Fourth, skin aging awareness was confirmed to have a significant indirect effect on the purchase behavior intention for sunscreen, mediated by skin aging psychology.
The results indicate that both skin aging awareness and skin aging psychology influence the purchase behavior intention for sunscreen, confirming that skin aging psychology plays a mediating role in the relationship between skin aging awareness and purchase behavior intention.
Therefore, this study highlights the significance of marketing activities that consider consumers' psychological factors related to skin aging in order to effectively drive sunscreen purchasing behavior.