Understanding changes in the Amazon beauty category over time can provide your company with valuable insights that can be used to inform strategic decision-making.
Envision Horizons: Amazon Beauty Experts
Envision Horizons knows the beauty category on Amazon inside and out, with 55% of clients in our active portfolio being beauty brands.
Our team has extensive experience building multi-channel strategies for brands selling at major beauty retailers such as Sephora, Ulta, and Target, as well as brands with significant direct-to-consumer website businesses.
We’re here to provide you with an overview of market share change over time for Amazon Beauty using data gathered from SmartScout.
By understanding which products, brands, and specific Amazon categories are trending and which are declining, companies can make informed decisions and manage their product lines accordingly.
Hair Care Products
In recent years, hair care products have seen a steady increase in market share, particularly when it comes to styling products such as gels, mousses, and volumizers. This suggests that customers are increasingly looking for ways to enhance their hairstyles—which may be a result of many salons closing during 2020 due to the pandemic. Shampoo and conditioner sales also increased during this period due to increased self-care activities as people had more time on their hands while stuck at home.
In the past year, the Hair Care category on Amazon has increased 22% according to Smart Scout’s data. There are over 25,000 brands and an estimated 193 competitive sellers in the category. Total annual revenue is an estimated $704,909,434, making it the highest grossing beauty category. Listings in the Hair Care category have an average of 886 reviews.
Skin Care Products
While skin care product sales have been steadily increasing over the past few years, they saw a noticeable decrease in 2020 due to the pandemic. This is likely because many people no longer had access to spa treatments or professional skin care services, leading them to buy fewer skin care products overall. However, there was still an increase in sales of facial cleansers and moisturizers—likely because people wanted to keep up their skincare routines while stuck at home.
Consumers today are increasingly interested in products with fewer chemicals and synthetic ingredients, leading them towards brands that preach ingredient transparency and use natural ingredients such as honey or oatmeal.
In the past year, the Skin Care category on Amazon has decreased by around -6.6% according to SmarScout’s data. There are over 17,000 various brands and an estimated 188 competitive sellers in the category. Total annual revenue is an estimated $482,962,556 making it the second highest grossing beauty category. Listings in the Skin Care category have an average of 758 reviews.
Foot, Hand & Nail Care Products
Sales of foot, hand, and nail care products saw a slight dip in 2021, with a decrease in category growth of around -4.8% in the last 12 months, but remain generally consistent with previous years’ figures. Additionally, the category has seen growth in the past month of around 22.7% compared to the prior month.
According to SmartScout, there are over 10,000 various brands and an estimated 69 competitive sellers in the category. Total annual revenue is an estimated $177,185,047 making it the third highest grossing beauty category. Listings in the foot/hand/nail care category have an average of 1,320 reviews.
Beauty Tools & Accessories
Beauty tool and accessory sales experienced a decrease in growth in 2021, with SmartScout reporting the category at -7.1% in the last 12 months. However, the category has seen growth in the past month of around 41% compared to the prior month.
According to SmartScout, there are almost 14,000 various brands and an estimated 135 competitive sellers in the category. Total annual revenue is an estimated $169,442,639 making it the third highest grossing beauty category. Listings in the Beauty Tools and Accessories category have an average of 645 reviews.
Makeup
Makeup sales have remained relatively constant over the last year, with slight category growth at 1.2% in the last 12 months.
Worth noting is the rise of social media influencers in the last few years. Influencers on platforms such as TikTok have played a big role in popularizing certain styles of makeup application that appeal specifically to younger audiences who may not have been exposed to these techniques otherwise.
According to SmartScout, there are around 7,444 various brands and an estimated 132 competitive sellers in the category. Total annual revenue is an estimated $163,776,189 making it the fifth highest grossing beauty category. Listings in the Makeup category have an average of 850 reviews.
Shaving & Hair Removal Products
Sales of shaving and hair removal products saw a noticeable decline in 2020—likely because people didn’t feel comfortable waxing or shaving themselves without any help from professionals due to safety concerns related to COVID-19. Despite this dip, however, sales have been relatively consistent throughout the years otherwise meaning that customers still prioritize taking care of unwanted body hair even amidst decreased access to professional services such as waxing salons or spas being shut down temporarily due pandemic regulations.
In the past year, the Shaving & Hair Removal category on Amazon has decreased by around -6.6% according to SmarScout’s data. However, the category has seen growth in the past month of around 18% compared to the prior month.
There are over 5,000 various brands and an estimated 93 competitive sellers in the category. Total annual revenue is an estimated $141,118,481 making it the sixth highest grossing beauty category. Listings in the Shaving category have an average of 1104 reviews.
Perfumes & Fragrances
Perfumes & Fragrances sales experienced a decrease in growth in 2021, with SmartScout reporting the category at -7.6% in the last 12 months. However, the category has seen growth in the past month of around 38% compared to the prior month.
According to SmartScout, there are almost 2,500 various brands and an estimated 100 competitive sellers in the category. Total annual revenue is an estimated $93,364,075 making it the seventh highest grossing beauty category. Listings in the Perfumes & Fragrances category have an average of 675 reviews.
Personal Care Products
Personal Care sales experienced a decrease in growth in 2021, with SmartScout reporting the category at -5.6% in the last 12 months. However, the category has seen growth in the past month of around 19% compared to the prior month.
According to SmartScout, there are over 5,000 various brands and an estimated 70 competitive sellers in the category. Total annual revenue is an estimated $37,465,913 making it the eighth highest grossing beauty category. Listings in the Personal Care Products category have an average of388 reviews.
Conclusion
The beauty industry has always been competitive but understanding how market share has shifted throughout different categories can give companies important insights into how best manage their product lines . Knowing which products are trending helps companies capitalize on emerging opportunities while also allowing them to anticipate potential changes . By utilizing data gathered from SmartScout, companies can gain valuable insight that can inform strategic decision making.
