Marketing Beauty to Hispanic Millennials | WMI

In modern beauty marketing, one shade definitely does not fit all. Beauty brands have been at the forefront of multi-cultural marketing, and diversity continues to be a key factor as brands expand their range of shades to meet the demands of American consumers. More than 40% of Hispanic Americans are Millennials, and Millennial women are among the most enthusiastic beauty consumers. Discover why these consumers are more likely than non-Hispanics to be highly engaged in the category, where they shop, and why they buy.

Hispanic Women Are More Engaged with Beauty

Hispanic Millennials are more involved in their beauty routines than non-Hispanics and incorporate a greater variety of steps into their overall routines. Researchers found that 21% use 11 or more products regularly, compared to 17% of non-Hispanics. Accordingly, they’re also spending more time on their daily beauty routines, 42% of Hispanic women spend 30-40 minutes per day on personal care, makeup, and hair, an average of 10 minutes longer than non-Hispanic women. This underscores the value they place on appearance and their willingness to perform a greater variety of steps to improve their appearance. Hispanic women are especially eager to experiment with the latest beauty trends and enjoy experimenting with their look (22% say they experiment frequently), brands have an opportunity to speak directly to these women and elevate their status as trend evangelists and early adopters in the category. 

Where Hispanic Women Buy Beauty

Although Hispanic-Americans have experienced steady growth in household income, Hispanic Millennials still fall slightly behind their non-Hispanic counterparts in all income categories and are 27% less likely to have an income greater than $125K. As a result, they are value-oriented shoppers and that extends to beauty—36% primarily use value or mass brands, 24% buy higher end brands, and 22% use a combination of brands. Although, most of their makeup purchases are at mass retailers, their interest in the beauty category drives them into specialty retailers to explore new brands and trends; quarterly, Hispanic women are spending an average of $102 at Sephora and $80 at Ulta Beauty. In addition to brick and mortar stores, one-in-five Hispanic Millennials shop on Amazon and spend more there than other major retailers, an average of $207 quarterly. As the beauty category continues to grow on Amazon, brands targeting multi-cultural consumers should strongly consider developing an Amazon strategy that reaches them.

What Influences Purchase

The influence of family is especially strong in Hispanic culture and that extends to the brands they buy. Fifty-four percent of Hispanic Millennials say family influences purchases in skincare (54%), fragrance (46%), haircare (44%), and cosmetics (43%). Media also plays a pivotal role in reaching Hispanic women. It’s not a coincidence that established beauty brands like L’Oréal partnered with Jennifer Lopez or CoverGirl chose Zendaya as a brand ambassador; research shows that an influencer’s endorsement can be as powerful as a family member’s recommendation—nearly half of Hispanic Millennials say they look at photos of celebrities for fashion and beauty ideas. Social media remains a powerful tool for many beauty conversations. Fifty-eight percent of Hispanic Millennial women follow beauty brands on social and nearly half reported discussing brands on social. Brands that develop strong social and influencer marketing programs can reach more than their intended audience, but to extended family and friends as well.

Women’s Marketing is the leading marketing strategy partner to high-growth independent beauty brands. Our research and insights practice, combined with media and consulting services, have informed and transformed brands and helped clients connect with audiences, find new revenue, and explore fresh opportunities.

Sources: People en Español The Millennial Latina, Mintel Color Cosmetics U.S. July 2017, The Millennial Beauty Consumer U.S. February 2017