Consumer Edge Data Reveals Efficacy-Led Brands Winning Share in a Slowing Beauty Market

Despite Slowdown in Spending, Beauty Consumers Move Beyond Viral Trends Toward Science-Backed Skincare, Wellness and Purpose-Driven Brands

NEW YORK, May 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumer Edge, the leading provider of global consumer data-driven insights, today released its Health and Beauty 2026 Outlook. The report shows a slower start to the year for overall direct-to-consumer beauty spending in the U.S. and U.K. Direct-to-consumer beauty products have been the weakest-performing segment of the industry, down 14 percent year-to-date in the U.S., while beauty retailers have also experienced softer growth, though less sharply.

At the same time, clinical, efficacy-led brands are the clearest winners in the category, as consumers increasingly prioritize products that deliver proven results and/or long-term benefits. Brands such as JiYu Skin, Youth To The People, Rejuran, Medik8 and Omorovicza are outperforming, while traditional makeup and trend-driven products lose momentum.

Some shoppers also appear to be shifting their spending toward mass channels. Amazon, Target and Walmart are capturing a growing share of beauty dollars as they expand their offerings in the space.

Additional insights from the report include: 

• Global brands capture more share – International players like Rejuran, Dr. Melaxin, Chāmpo, KIKO, Sukoshi and Erborian are winning over U.S. and U.K. shoppers, as digital platforms make it easier than ever to shop across borders.
• Beauty is converging with wellness – Supplements, recovery tools and at-home devices are gaining traction as consumers take a more holistic approach to beauty, linking appearance to prevention, wellness and long-term care.
• Fragrance remains a resilient category – In the U.S. and U.K., fragrance is holding strong across price points – from ultra-premium brands such as Amouage and Guerlain to niche brands like DedCool and ELOREA – as consumers continue to treat scent as a small luxury and form of self-expression.
• Younger consumers drive share shifts – Consumers aged 18–34 are concentrating on brands and retailers with strong identities and curated experiences, like Typology and Primally Pure in the U.S. and Sephora and Space NK in the UK, rather than broad or legacy assortments.

"Beauty spend is fragmenting based on what consumers perceive as real value," said Michael Gunther, SVP, Research & Market Intelligence, Consumer Edge. "The brands best positioned for the second half of 2026 are the ones reallocating investment toward products with clear, functional benefits, pressure-testing their growth assumptions against where young consumers are spending their money and identifying opportunities at the intersection of beauty and wellness."

Consumer Edge's full Health and Beauty 2026 Outlook can be found here.

About Consumer Edge
Consumer Edge is a leading data and insights-as-a-service (IaaS) company specializing in the global consumer, B2B, and healthcare economies. Founded in 2009 by CEO Bill Pecoriello, Consumer Edge delivers real-time, transaction-based intelligence enriched by deep industry expertise. Its solutions equip corporate and investment leaders with best-in-class tools for faster, more confident strategic decision-making, offering granular insights and performance comparisons across products, brands, sub-industries, and industries. Consumer Edge's unique capabilities turn complex data into clear, actionable insights that help clients eliminate uncertainty, benchmark performance, and make high-impact decisions.

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SOURCE Consumer Edge