The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in major shifts and consumer expectations within the beauty industry. As the country reopens, what should beauty brands keep in mind as they look to reach wider audiences and engage customers in new ways? Klarna’s 2021 Beauty Survey of more than 15,000 shoppers in the U.S. reveals some of the strongest factors to impact consumer shopping behaviors within the beauty industry.
 
Klarna’s data found that U.S. shoppers ages 18 and older regard brand values as important to their beauty purchasing decisions, but the values themselves differ across demographics. While 31% of boomers (ages 57–75) surveyed prioritize sustainability when shopping for beauty products, some 40% of Gen Z (ages 18–24) and 31% of Millennials (ages 25–40) cite diversity and inclusion as the value that is most important to them.
 
With the acceleration of the clean beauty movement, Klarna’s survey also revealed that shoppers are more mindful of what they put in and on their bodies. Skincare was the top beauty category shopped for during the pandemic among all age groups, followed by haircare. For Gen Z and Millennials, natural, non-toxic ingredients were important considerations as well as buying cruelty-free and vegan products. As for beauty inspiration and advice, younger groups were more likely to turn to social media, while older shoppers said they look to the brand’s beauty apps most frequently.
 
With vaccine rollout, Klarna asked shoppers how their behaviors will change as a result. Although 67% of all respondents favored shopping for beauty products in-store prior to the pandemic, younger shoppers are more willing to return to physical stores once they’ve received the vaccine. 30% of Gen Z say they’ll head back to stores versus just 22% of Boomers, who will prefer to shop online. And amid the strong shift toward online beauty shopping, 88% of shoppers across all age groups say they are more likely to shop with a beauty brand that offers a buy now, pay later option.
 
The full report findings can be found here.
 
About the Author:
 
Natalia Brzezinski is the U.S. Head of Strategy at Klarna. As an experienced moderator, journalist, and communications strategist, Natalia is focused on building dynamic dialogue across numerous sectors and cultures. Before Klarna, Natalia served as the CEO of Brilliant Minds Foundation, an initiative focused on bringing together business families and major tech founders to debate the convergence of humanity and technology. Natalia has also held cutting-edge roles in the U.S. Senate Press Office for Senator John Kerry, The Huffington Post, and U.S. Embassy in Sweden. Her work in the embassy helped modernize communications and advance shared goals by leveraging digital technology and storytelling. Brzezinski was recently elected to serve on the board of the Norrsken Foundation, Europe’s largest early-stage venture fund focused solely on impact investing.