A Study on Skincare Interest and Skincare Product Consumption Propensity Based on DISC Behavioral Types Among University Students

Skin care is increasingly recognized as a key element of appearance management that contributes to social relationships and self-evaluation, and it plays an important role in forming a healthy and positive image. With growing consumer interest in skin-care products such as functional cosmetics, inner beauty products, and home-care devices, it is necessary to systematically understand individuals’ interest in skin care and their product selection tendencies. College students, in particular, represent a major consumer group with high interest in appearance and skin care, often using skin care to enhance self-confidence and create favorable impressions. Accordingly, this study applied the DISC framework, which classifies behavioral characteristics into Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness, to examine the effects of DISC behavioral types on interest in skin care and skin-care product consumption tendencies. An online survey was conducted with college students living in Gwangju and Jeonnam, Korea, from April 8 to May 24, 2025, and a total of 348 responses were analyzed. Skin care interest differed significantly by gender, year in school, monthly allowance, monthly expenditure on skin/body care, interest in beauty information on SNS, and SNS-related purchase experience, while differences by major were not significant. Correlation analysis showed significant positive associations among DISC types, skin care interest, and consumption tendencies. Regression analyses indicated that Dominance, Steadiness, and Influence had significant positive effects on overall interest in skin care. Regarding consumption tendencies, Steadiness, Dominance, and Influence significantly predicted rational consumption; Influence predicted image-seeking tendency; Dominance, Influence, and Steadiness predicted brand-seeking tendency; and Influence and Dominance predicted trend-seeking tendency. Overall, the findings suggest that Dominance and Influence tend to perceive skin care as necessary and actively connect this perception to practice and product purchasing, whereas Steadiness and Conscientiousness show relatively stronger rational decision-making based on ingredients, evidence of effectiveness, and value for money rather than trends. These results support the significance of DISC behavioral types as psychological and behavioral factors explaining skin care behaviors and consumption tendencies among college students and provide practical implications for developing DISC-based skin care programs and tailored marketing strategies.