Gen Zers are avid personal care and beauty shoppers, and their habits often diverge from those of older consumers. While they shop in-store as much as non-Gen Zers, they're more likely to turn to digital channels for research and purchases. This report contrasts Gen Z behaviors with those of non-Gen Z shoppers across the personal care and beauty landscape.

Beauty brands are expanding their fragrance offerings to serve younger consumers who are flocking to premium and mass-market scents even as they cut back on other purchases. The fragrance market is also expanding into new product categories and looking to drive eco-friendly innovation. Companies that win on this crowded battlefield will be those willing to innovate boldly for Gen Z consumers, who crave novelty and personalization. Beauty retailers can respond to this opportunity by hosting in-store or virtual workshops on scent layering—or offering AI tools to help build their fragrance collections.

Our exclusive data explores how social commerce and AI are reshaping the beauty path to purchase for US consumers.

Beauty’s run of strong retail sales growth is winding down, but new audiences and sales channels will offer opportunities for savvy brands and retailers to regain momentum.

Fragrances will see about $240 million in US ecommerce sales this year, following a massive 72.9% growth rate in 2021, when consumers returned to social activities but stuck with their pandemic-induced habit of shopping online.