Every year, our Glimmer research offers an unparalleled view of the beauty consumer—where she's shopping, what she trusts, and what it takes to earn her dollar. A highlight of this year’s findings is detailed in the infographic below, with the full version via our white paper.
An additional point the data makes clear: consumers don’t shop in neat silos, and brands can't afford to measure as if they do.
She discovers on social, researches on your brand site, compares prices on Amazon, and buys wherever the value lands. We've seen this directly in our work: media driving to brand.com creates a measurable halo effect on Amazon sales. The two channels aren't competing—they're in conversation. The brands that measure holistically across the full path to purchase are the ones that will understand what's actually working.
Beauty Buying Now 2026: Infographic Highlights
- Where consumers shop for beauty most (online and in-store combined): Walmart at 26%, followed by Amazon (19%), Ulta (17%), Sephora (14%), and drug stores (9%)
- 92% of beauty consumers are deal-driven, 76% wait for a sale before repurchasing, and only 7% are full-price buyers
- When asked for their three most trusted sources for beauty discovery, consumers named friends & family (47%), received a sample (41%), and browsing in-store (28%)— celebrity endorsements received 0%
- 58% of consumers use brand websites as their #1 active research source—but only 37% purchase there
- When budgets tighten, skincare is protected. Makeup is first on the chopping block for 31% of consumers if prices rise
At Stella Rising, we've tracked the beauty consumer for nearly a decade, and we help brands turn that knowledge into growth. Ready to build a smarter strategy? Connect with us.
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