Despite tighter budgets, beauty remains a priority for American consumers — but not indiscriminately. In fact, 46% of consumers surveyed by Kearney, Kearney, 2025] plan to cut back on non-essential spending in the near term. Luxury goods, electronics, and home decor are expected to feel the impact first. Health and beauty spending, however, is likely to remain stable, though notable differences exist across income levels.
Loyalty, which once rested on brand heritage, has firmly shifted to proof and value. Nearly half of respondents ranked efficacy and value as their top purchase drivers. Fewer than a quarter care about legacy and more than half of respondents actively swap premium products for alternatives they believe work just as well. According to Kearney, Kearney, 2025], "the rise of dupe culture makes it plain that ’smart shopping’ has gone mainstream."
Efficacy and science
For today’s beauty consumer, performance is not a differentiator—it’s non-negotiable. Nearly nine out of 10 (85%) respondents rank quality and efficacy above price, reviews, or heritage.
Prestige is now defined by visible results. Consumers said “innovation” doesn’t matter unless it proves efficacy, with more than 80 percent of shoppers swayed by scientific proof, clinical validation, biotech.
Wellness is becoming beauty’s anchor
For younger consumers, the focus is no longer limited to appearance-related benefits, but extends to differentiation and the expression of individual identity. Their daily routines — now often framed and embraced as rituals (skincare, sleep products, etc.) and celebrated online — blend aesthetics with repair, prevention, well-being, and self-affirmation.
At its core, the goal is to feel better about oneself. This is true for more than half (52%) of Gen Z consumers surveyed, who believe that beauty now goes well beyond purely functional benefits — although product quality and effectiveness remain essential criteria.
“More than ever, beauty has become a contest for consumer acquisition. Yet once attention is captured, efficacy must anchor the promise — both in the product and in the service — with science and technology serving as the new guarantors of credibility. Beyond its traditional functional attributes, beauty now increasingly encompasses well-being, health, longevity, and self-affirmation,” emphasizes Charles-Etienne Bost, Partner at Kearney, Kearney, 2025] and beauty specialist.
