Beauty and skincare have become an essential part of consumers’ self-care and wellness routines, remaining resilient even amid ongoing economic uncertainty. Consumers continue to invest in products that support self-care, confidence, and personal expression, reinforcing the role these purchases play in everyday life.

Provoke Insights’ research shows that beauty and skincare shoppers are highly engaged consumers who enjoy discovering and experimenting with new products. However, while exploration drives discovery, trust and product performance ultimately drive purchases.

Beauty and Skincare Are Lifestyle Categories

Beauty and skincare consumers are highly engaged shoppers who view purchasing as more than a routine task. Skincare remains a popular category, with 50% of Americans purchasing skincare products in the past month, while 37% purchased beauty products. Compared to non-purchasers, they are more likely to enjoy browsing stores, discovering new products, and identifying as trendsetters. 

Their interests extend beyond shopping as well. Skincare purchasers are more likely to participate in self-care (42%), crafting (23%), yoga (14%), and fine arts (10%), reflecting a greater focus on wellness and self-expression. In contrast, beauty purchasers are more likely to engage in social and experiential activities, including dining out (34%), domestic travel (24%), dancing (22%), bar hopping (17%), attending concerts (15%), and professional sporting events (14%).

These behaviors suggest that beauty and skincare purchases are closely tied to broader lifestyle habits focused on wellness, self-expression, and confidence.

Discovery Sparks Interest, but Trust Drives Purchases

Beauty and skincare shoppers enjoy exploring new products, but they also navigate one of the most crowded shopping environments of any category. Nearly 60% of Americans report feeling overwhelmed by the number of choices available when shopping, with beauty and skincare ranking among the most crowded categories.

Consumers primarily rely on trusted brands and customer reviews when making purchase decisions. Nearly half (48%) of both beauty and skincare purchasers use customer reviews and ratings to guide their choices. These sources help shoppers navigate a constant stream of new products, ingredients, and trends. For brands, innovation remains important, but credibility matters just as much. Positive reviews, strong brand equity, and clear product benefits help shoppers feel confident in their choices.

Loyalty Depends on Performance 

Despite their willingness to try new products, beauty and skincare consumers remain loyal to brands that consistently deliver quality, with 55% of purchasers in both categories identifying it as their top loyalty driver. Value, trust, and positive experiences also play an important role, but product performance remains the primary driver. Those same factors also influence why consumers switch brands. Nearly half of skincare (47%) and beauty purchasers (46%) stop purchasing from brands when product quality declines, followed by price increases (33% and 32%, respectively).

These findings reinforce an important reality for beauty and skincare brands: loyalty is not guaranteed. Consumers are willing to explore alternatives, but they remain loyal to products that consistently deliver results and meet their needs.

What This Means for Beauty and Skincare Brands 

Consumers continue to prioritize beauty and skincare purchases, even amid economic pressures. However, success in the category requires more than innovation alone.

Brands that combine innovation with credibility, deliver consistent results, and earn consumer trust will be best positioned to build lasting loyalty.

Want to learn more? Check out our full report

Methodology

Provoke Insights conducted a 15-minute online survey among 1,500 Americans aged 21 to 65 in March 2026. A stratified random sample methodology was used to ensure representation across key demographic groups, including age, gender, household income, geography, ethnicity, and presence of children in the household. Statistical testing was conducted at a 95% confidence level, with a margin of error of ±2.5%.