Brands from PepsiCo to Ulta are leaning on wellness framing to nudge cautious consumers to spend.

Health and wellness is the only category where plans to increase spending outweigh plans to cut back in 2026, according to December 2025 data from CivicScience. That’s why retailers are stepping up their investments in wellness-driven products, services, and in-store experiences, trying to capitalize on consumers’ resolutions well into the new year.

Earlier this month, celebrity and influencer Shay Mitchell launched rini, a line of “clinically backed” and “scientifically proven” beauty face masks for kids. Although rini has attached itself to rising beauty trends, consumers and marketers across social platforms are criticising the way the brand is targeting an audience who might still be mastering their ABCs.

Our exclusive research reveals what factors are influencing the path to purchase for personal care and beauty products.

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.

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

Estée Lauder posted a wider quarterly loss as sales slumped and warned that tariffs could reduce earnings by about $100 million over the next year. Estée Lauder is taking necessary steps to turn around its business—focusing on product innovation, cutting costs, and broadening its customer reach—but it will be tough given intense competition in the beauty market. With key rival L’Oreal gaining US momentum and newer brands emerging, Estée Lauder must accelerate product innovation, reduce reliance on discounting, rebuild momentum in China, and take other steps to win new customers, or risk ceding more ground in the longer term.

E.l.f. SKIN is blending product marketing and comedy with “Sunhinged,” a comedy special that doubles as a PSA for sun protection.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how department stores are getting on, how they’re evolving, and what the contemporary department store needs to do to stick around. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Vice President of Content Suzy Davidkhanian and Senior Analyst Carina Perkins.

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how the beauty industry is venturing into untapped markets, how the conversation of ageism in beauty fits or diverges with the greater trend away from diversity and inclusion, and how brands market to older people while staying relevant with younger audiences. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Principal Analyst Sky Canaves, Analyst Arielle Feger, and CEO and Founder of Ageism Is Never In Style® Jacynth-Bassett.

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.

Neutrogena debuts product line on TikTok Shop in a bid to woo Gen Z skincare obsessives: The brand hopes to regain market share in the dermatological space after ceding ground to L’Oréal’s CeraVe and La Roche Posay.

Gen Alphas’ anti-aging skincare regimen causes concerns: Brands and retailers are under pressure to disclose product risks as tweens copy their favorite beauty influencers.

Amazon sees a big opportunity in beauty: The retail giant is hosting the Summer Beauty Haul sales event to capture shoppers’ attention, boost retail media spend, and drive sales.

Social media users in select countries (US, UK, Australia, France, and Saudi Arabia) trust brands over influencers when it comes to finance, apparel, and skincare, per an October study from Snap Inc. and IPG Magna. Finance is where this trend is most pronounced.

While making up just 2% of US market share in their categories, the 97 companies on Bain’s Insurgent Brands 2024 list captured nearly 20% of incremental category growth last year, per the firm.

Ulta Beauty is using in-store vending machines to bring more joy to the shopping experience, and AI enables it to analyze more customer data for personalization. The retailer is also training its store associates to engage younger beauty consumers.

Gen Alpha’s obsession with skincare is driving beauty sales: Younger shoppers are gravitating toward premium brands and spending more time browsing the aisles at Sephora.

Our primary research on US online beauty buyers shares insights into how consumers discover and purchase new beauty brands and products across channels.