Global Beauty Market Grows 10% as AI and E-commerce Reshape Consumer Buying

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Online sales outpace in-store by 6x as digital-first and AI-influenced commerce accelerates globally

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CHICAGO — NielsenIQ (NYSE:NIQ), a global leader in consumer intelligence, today released its State of Beauty 2026 report, showing the global beauty market grew 10% year-on-year, with E-commerce expanding six times faster than in-store sales. The findings highlight a rapid shift to digital-first, AI-influenced commerce across key global markets.

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As consumer expectations evolve toward convenience, personalization, and seamless digital experiences, beauty brands are under increasing pressure to adapt. From AI-powered product discovery to social commerce and livestream shopping, the path to purchase is becoming more dynamic—requiring brands to move faster and engage consumers across an increasingly complex ecosystem.

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Key findings from the State of Beauty 2026 report:

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“Beauty is entering a new phase of growth defined by both resilience and rising complexity,” Tara James Taylor, SVP, Beauty Vertical, NIQ. “Consumers are more intentional in how they spend, seeking products that deliver real value, simplicity, and wellbeing. At the same time, AI and digital commerce is transforming how consumers discover and evaluate products, shifting advantage to brands that show up clearly and consistently across digital ecosystems.”

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Digital behaviors are accelerating this transformation. More than half of consumers are now exploring AI-enabled shopping tools, with 49% already receiving beauty recommendations from generative AI. Social commerce continues to gain momentum, with 53% of consumers purchasing through social platforms and 22% buying directly via TikTok Shop. In China, Livestreaming accounts for 70% of beauty sales on platforms like Douyin, underscoring the growing importance of content-driven commerce.

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These shifts are redefining how products are discovered, validated, and purchased, turning online engagement into immediate conversion and driving sustained category growth.

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As AI, social commerce, and digital ecosystems reshape the consumer journey, brands that invest in intuitive, transparent, and data-driven experiences will be best positioned to build trust and capture growth in the next era of beauty.

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About the Report

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NIQ’s State of Beauty Report 2026 is based on retail point-of-sale data across 9 categories in 52 markets, complemented by consumer panels and advanced data collection methods including web scraping to capture a comprehensive view of global beauty purchasing behavior.

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To download the full review, visit: click here.

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FAQ: State of Beauty 2026

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What is driving growth in the global beauty market?

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The global beauty market grew 10% year-over-year, driven primarily by rapid e-commerce expansion, which is growing six times faster than in-store sales. Digital channels, social commerce, and AI-enabled discovery are accelerating consumer engagement and conversion.

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How is AI influencing beauty purchasing decisions?

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AI is increasingly shaping how consumers discover and evaluate products. More than half of consumers are exploring AI-enabled shopping tools, and 49% already receive beauty recommendations from generative AI—helping streamline decision-making and personalize the shopping experience.

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What role does social commerce play in beauty growth?

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Social commerce is a major driver of category expansion. Over half of consumers (53%) now purchase through social platforms, and 22% buy directly via TikTok Shop. In markets like China, livestreaming dominates, with the majority of beauty sales on platforms like Douyin driven by live content.

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What do today’s beauty consumers prioritize most?

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Consumers are becoming more intentional and value-driven. Key priorities include convenience, authenticity, and wellbeing—52% are willing to pay more for convenience, 49% for locally made products, and 63% consider mental wellness essential in their beauty choices.

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How should brands respond to these shifts?

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Brands need to adopt digital-first, data-driven strategies that align with evolving consumer expectations. This includes investing in AI-enabled experiences, strengthening presence across social and E-commerce platforms, and delivering transparent, intuitive, and value-driven product offerings.

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What makes NIQ’s data and insights unique?

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NIQ combines one of the world’s most comprehensive consumer and retail datasets with advanced AI and analytics to help companies understand what consumers buy, why they buy it, and what to do next. This enables brands to move from insight to action with greater speed and confidence.

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About NIQ

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NielsenIQ (NYSE: NIQ) is a leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete and trusted understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. By combining an unmatched global data footprint and granular consumer and retail measurement with decades of AI modeling expertise, NIQ builds decision systems that help companies turn complex data into confident action.

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With operations in more than 90 countries, NIQ covers approximately 82% of the world’s population and more than $7.4 trillion in global consumer spend. Through cloud-based platforms, advanced analytics and AI-driven insights, NIQ delivers The Full View™—helping brands and retailers understand what consumers buy, why they buy it, and what to do next.