Elixir of beauty: health e-mavens fostering consumers’ behavioral intention to embrace cosmetic skin treatments
Neena Sinha, Muskaan, Pratibha SinghPurpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the critical antecedents influencing consumer attitudes and behavioral intentions toward cosmetic skin treatments. Specifically, this study explores the roles of influencer credibility, paid communication and consumers’ body compassion (BC) in shaping responses to health e-mavens, social media influencers who disseminate health-related content. This study is grounded in parasocial relationship (PSR) and source credibility theories to understand how perceived influencer traits foster trust and behavioral outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
Adopting a cross-sectional research design, this study uses partial least squares structural equation modeling to analyze the survey data. The model assesses the influence of health e-mavens’ perceived attractiveness, trustworthiness and expertise on PSRs, attitudes and behavioral intentions toward aesthetic dermatological procedures.
Findings
The results of this study reveal that consumers who perceive health e-mavens as credible, exhibiting high credibility and expertise, are more likely to form PSRs with them, which subsequently fosters favorable attitudes and stronger intentions to pursue cosmetic skin treatments. This study found that even among individuals with high levels of BC, positive attitudes toward aesthetic procedures persisted, suggesting a growing consumer inclination toward superficial enhancement over authenticity, thereby raising ethical concerns.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the growing body of literature on influencer marketing in the aesthetic dermatology sector. This study provides new insights into how perceived influencer credibility and consumer BC intersect to influence decision-making in a context marked by ethical ambiguity. These findings challenge conventional assumptions about ethical consumerism and underscore the persuasive power of health e-mavens in normalizing cosmetic enhancements.