In Jan 2025, I joined the Advanced Growth Strategy Cohort (GX25) at GrowthX. Towards the end, I opted into the capstone, the thrill was real, the grit and resilience carried in your wallet. GrowthX assigned me as a **co-lead for Dot & Key (**one of India’s fast growing skincare brands)
The challenge?
Take Dot & Key from ppp to qqq. (can’t share the numbers).
60 Conversations Later
Our team ran qualitative interviews with ~60 Dot & Key users — a mix of active, retained, churned, and occasional buyers. We sourced people through LinkedIn, WhatsApp groups, and communities, and used a research question bank that spanned acquisition, monetization, and retention behaviours.
Surprise Surprise!
- Skincare journeys aren’t linear. Users oscillate between an exploratory phase and a settled phase, influenced by climate, skin condition, or mood.
- Moisturizers and sunscreens = low-risk experimentation. Serums and toners? Not so much.
- Influencer content leads to discovery, but real skin stories and visible journeys — builds trust.
- Referrals happen in small, social circles. Think 3–5 friends, with one skincare nerd guiding the rest.
- "Ingredient is the new brand." People care more about niacinamide than the label. Most routines involve 3–4 different brands.
- Gen Z behavior: Trend-first, Social-first, not loyal to platforms. Visual-first, not text heavy.
We built personas like:
- Trend Led Results Seekers – Love influencers, crave visible results, don’t know ingredients.
- Conscious Explorers – Dermat-recommended followers, ingredient aware, results focused.
- Self-Care Entry Users – Use shared family products, prefer simple, non-intimidating entry points.