How consumers shop for beauty products is constantly evolving—a process supercharged by the Covid pandemic. A growing number of consumers now purchase beauty products online; this has inevitably led to an increased dependence on user-generated content as shoppers seek validation for their purchases.
 
New beauty brands and products seem to emerge daily, and the criteria shoppers use to make purchase decisions is evolving.
 
Our PowerReviews Changing Face of the Beauty Shopper Study draws on survey responses from 10,646 active beauty consumers across the country to learn how they are shopping for beauty products—and how the global health crisis has shaped these habits.
 
Our survey found that more than half (54%) of consumers indicate they wear less makeup now than pre-Covid. On the other hand, it seems many consumers are making skincare a priority. More than half (56%) indicate they’re more focused on skincare now than they were before the pandemic.
 
Since consumers are spending more time at home due to shelter-in-place and social distancing protocols, they may have more time to devote to more thoroughly caring for their skin. They also have more screen time, providing ample opportunity to research beauty products.
 
Ninety-nine percent always or sometimes read ratings and reviews when shopping for beauty products online, and 85% of in-store shoppers also say they refer to ratings and reviews in advance of making a purchase. 
 
Our survey shows beauty brands have a huge greenfield opportunity to grow their business by adding net-new customers. Some 57% of shoppers say they had never tried more of a quarter of the beauty products they bought online in 2020 (i.e., they were first-time purchasers). Ratings and reviews are an important reference point when shoppers have no previous personal experience with a brand.
 
Forty-one percent say they rely on reviews more now than pre-Covid. This is most prominently the scenario among younger generations, with 58% of Gen Zers claiming this to be the case.
 
User-generated photos and video are also key, with 38% saying it’s more important than before the pandemic (again, this figure was highest among Gen Zers at 53%).
 
About the Author
 
Sarah Cougill is a marketing specialist at PowerReviews – a software company obsessed with driving growth with UGC. When she isn’t rambling about the power of customer feedback, she’s walking around Chicago, cooking vegan food, and trying to find affordable, organic skincare.