The Beauty and Cosmetics industry is a dynamic landscape where strategic foresight, evolving consumer preferences and a commitment to innovation hold the key to maximizing market share. As beauty enthusiasts and industry professionals, it is essential to stay ahead of the curve and identify the emerging trends that hold the key to maximizing market share.
In this post, we identify five of the top trends to watch in the Beauty & Cosmetics industry in 2023 and highlight a successful brand that embodies each trend. Data shown is taken directly from the Grips Competitive Intelligence platform. When you’re ready to gain similar insights into the e-commerce performance of the competitors of your choice (and Grips reports on nearly 500 Beauty & Cosmetics sites in the United States alone), book a free demo and start gaining market share right away.
Embrace Personalization
Beauty brands are responding to increasing consumer demands for personalization by offering tailored experiences, products and recommendations that cater to individual preferences leveraging advanced technology and data analysis.
One brand that’s on our radar is Frank Body (frankbody.com) which offers personalized body scrubs based on individual skin concerns and preferences. Customers can select the key ingredients, scent and intensity level to create a customized scrub that suits their specific needs.
That level of personalization makes it easier to close a sale. According to Grips, Frank Body has one of the highest conversion rates in the category with an average of 8.6 percent of sessions resulting in a purchase during Q4 2022, more than twice the category average.
Source: Grips Competitive Intelligence | US | Q4 2022 | Mobile and Desktop
Invest in Augmented Reality Technology
Augmented Reality (AR) technology is becoming more prevalent in the beauty industry, and e-commerce managers should consider investing in AR to enhance the online shopping experience. Offer virtual try-ons for makeup and hair products, and create immersive shopping experiences that allow customers to interact with products in 3D. AR technology can also help reduce return rates.
Ulta Beauty (Ulta.com) is a company already offering virtual try-ons for makeup and hair products through their GlamLab feature, which uses AR technology to allow customers to see how products would look on them before making a purchase. They’ve also used AR to create immersive shopping experiences, such as virtual storefronts and 3D displays.
Ulta is definitely doing something right. Grips data confirms that Ulta is the industry leader in e-commerce far exceeding other leading brands in revenue and conversion rate.
Source: Grips Competitive Intelligence | US | Q4 2022 | Mobile and Desktop
Sustainability and Ethical Beauty
Sustainability and ethical beauty are increasingly important to consumers. To meet this growing demand, consider offering environmentally-friendly and ethically sourced products. Use of recycled packaging, biodegradable ingredients and ensuring that suppliers follow fair labor practices are steps that you can take to capture the attention of consumers who value sustainability.
Tata Harper (tataharperskincare.com) is a skincare brand that is committed to this cause. Their products are made with natural and non-toxic ingredients, and they avoid harmful chemicals, synthetic fragrances and artificial colors. They use eco-friendly practices in their production process, such as using solar power. Tata Harper is also committed to ethical sourcing and supports fair trade and sustainable agriculture practices around the world.
Consumers understand that sustainable and ethical practices often means paying more. And, according to Grips, Tata Harper has average order values more than twice the industry average. The chart below shows that across all marketing channels, Tata Harper maintains an AOV above $200 with Direct traffic resulting in the highest AOV of almost $222.
Source: Grips Competitive Intelligence | US | Q4 2022 | Mobile and Desktop
Expand Shade Ranges and Representation
It’s important to cater to a diverse customer base by expanding shade ranges and ensuring that advertising campaigns feature models with diverse backgrounds and body types. Consider using influencers with diverse followings to showcase products and provide honest feedback on the shopping experience.
Uoma Beauty (uomabeauty.com) has embraced inclusivity and representation in their offerings and ad campaigns. They offer a wide range of shades, including options for very light and very dark skin tones. Uoma Beauty also features models with diverse skin tones, backgrounds and body types.
Grips reports that in Q4 2022, nearly 63 percent of Uoma Beauty’s e-commerce revenue came from sales of Lip Makeup. This is telling since Lip Makeup accounts for just a quarter of the products listed on their site. By comparison, Face Makeup and Eye Makeup account for a larger share of inventory than they represent in terms of revenue, suggesting that are less popular among Uoma Beauty’s clients.
Source: Grips Competitive Intelligence | US | Q4 2022 | Mobile and Desktop
Promote Skinimalism and Beauty Supplements
The rise of skinimalism and beauty supplements presents an opportunity. Simplify routines and promote healthy, radiant skincare products and partner with beauty supplement brands to offer products that support overall health and appearance.
The Nue Co (thenueco.com) offers products that promote skin health from the inside out offering a range of supplements, such as a probiotic and collagen powder, that support overall health and appearance. They also offer products that simplify routines and promote healthy, radiant skin without overwhelming customers with complicated regimens.
Grips reports that The Nue Co is onto something. While their e-commerce revenue in the United States grew slowly and steadily in 2022, revenue accelerated in Q1 2023. March was the best month on record for the company posting revenue growth of 166 percent year-over-year.
Source: Grips Competitive Intelligence | US | April 2022 – March 2023 | Mobile and Desktop
Want to learn more about the Beauty & Cosmetics category in the United States, the best way is to book a free demo of our Competitive Intelligence platform. But you can also download our recent Beauty & Cosmetics benchmarking report which provides insights into the overall category performance in the United States, top brands, fast movers and the role that mobile plays in their e-commerce performance.
