Earning Belief at First Exposure

This capstone examines what builds trust when consumers encounter a new skincare brand for the first time. I began with secondary research using Mintel and MRI-Simmons to define the target audience and identify the key messaging variables. I then designed an experimental study in Qualtrics testing three approaches, ingredient-led, ritual-led, and safety-led, and measured their impact on trust, perceived safety, and willingness to try. The key finding: trust is not driven by safety claims, but by clear, specific ingredient information that allows consumers to infer safety on their own. These insights became the strategic foundation for Greenhause, a pre-launch botanical skincare brand centered on a rose water facial mist.