NEW YORK and WESTPORT, Conn., March 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Amazon, traditionally home to shoppers in need of convenience and the best price, is winning over beauty consumers in search of glamour, gorgeousness, and great skin. As much as women love to play and explore, a new survey reveals that they're most likely swiping their mobile device's Amazon app to find and buy what they want.

According to the findings of the Stella Rising Glimmer Report – Searching for Beauty, seven out of ten beauty shoppers (71%) say that Amazon is their top destination to purchase beauty products. Other popular digital destinations for beauty purchases include Ulta.com (54%); Sephora.com (54%); Walmart.com (47%); and, Target.com (36%).

In addition to craving convenience—being to shop any time of the day or night (61%), and ability to find better prices online than in stores (50%), beauty product purchasers are using digital destinations such as Amazon because they offer an end-to-end beauty shopping experience.

The survey finds, for example, that two-thirds (65%) of beauty shoppers use Amazon to search for their specific brand of beauty products, and a similar amount (63%) use Amazon to search for a category of beauty products such as makeup. In addition, one-quarter of respondents say they use the navigation bar to find their preferred brand and product.

"Digital destinations, especially Amazon, have changed the beauty experience for consumers," says Andrea Van Dam, CEO, Stella Rising (stellarising.com). "In addition to a wide variety of products and the convenience of services such as free shipping, consumers place a high value on the product reviews and the ability to easily and quickly comparison shop on these sites."

According to the survey, three quarters of respondents (75%) state they read product reviews; sixty-percent (60%) read product descriptions; and, forty-four percent (44%) look at product pictures and visit various sites to comparison shop.

Among the survey's key findings:

• Forty-one percent of respondents (41%) are planning to spend more on beauty products this year compared to last year. Half (50%) are expected to spend roughly the same, with only ten percent expected to spend less;
• Among those planning to spend more, nearly three-quarters (72%) are trying to use a wider variety of products, and sixty percent (60%) are using beauty products more often;
• Social media is the top source for learning about new beauty and personal care products (67%), followed by friends and family (50%); in-store browsing (48%); and online reviews (46%);

Searching for Beauty

• Friends and family (46%) remain the most trusted source for learning about new beauty and personal care products followed by social media (42%) and, online reviews (38%);
• Mobile devices (84%) are the most favored for researching beauty products followed by desktop/computer (51%); and, iPad/tablets (37%); and,
• Nearly half (48%) of beauty consumers research and buy on the same website, with 42% research and buying on different websites; Three out of five (60%) of beauty consumers buy products on another website that offers lower shipping costs.

"The beauty industry, already disrupted by social media and the new DTC landscape, is more dynamic than ever," says Van Dam. "This seismic shift in how consumers research, recommend, and purchase beauty products has created a tremendous opportunity for independent as well as established beauty brands to connect with new generations of consumers."

"In an era where savvy brand marketers are using technology to help consumers monitor their personalized beauty and skincare needs, it is critical that brands as well as retailers understand how to effectively navigate the beauty and personal care digital landscape," adds Van Dam. "Today's consumer loves to have fun in the aisles of Ulta and Sephora, but is probably checking her Amazon app at the same time"

The Stella Rising Glimmer Report – Searching for Beauty, is based on a nationwide survey of over 2,500 consumers conducted in Q4 2018.

About Stella Rising:

Stella Rising is the leading marketing and media agency for rising star brands, with a mission to connect brands with people who will love them, through creative communication, technology, media and human engagement. Stella Rising is focused on solving key marketplace challenges, including propelling growth, finding new customers, and driving retail sales and conversions for DTC brands. Award-winning industry content resides here: StellaRising.com. Glimmer is Stella Rising's proprietary panel of women, offering insights, opinions, and first-party data.

Contact: 
Marlea Clark, Stella Rising, (P) 203.256.4174; (M) 914.523.3126 | mclark@stellarising.com 
Patrick Taylor, 59Media, 917.653.4785 | patricktaylor0103@gmail.com;
Lindsey Von Busch, 732.284.9089 | Lindsey.vonbusch@gmail.com

SOURCE Stella Rising