Why Beauty’s Next Tech-Driven Wave Is a Turning Point for Commerce Leaders

93% of consumers who used beauty tech tools as part of their decision making process said they were satisfied with their purchase. This survey result isn‘t just highlighting a trend. It’s giving a clear signal that beauty commerce is entering a new era.

For years, the industry has balanced physical retail with digital expansion, building omnichannel experiences that meet customers wherever they are. That foundation is now being pushed further as technology transforms not just where consumers shop, but how they discover, evaluate, and commit to purchases.

Today, the opportunity is no longer just about presence. It’s about precision.

That’s the focus of Beauty’s Next Tech-Driven Wave, an in-depth report developed in collaboration between Commerce and TheIndustry.Beauty. Built on exclusive consumer research, it explores how innovation is reshaping the beauty landscape and what brands must do to keep up.

If you’re leading digital strategy, ecommerce, or growth in the beauty space, this report offers a clear view into what’s coming next and how to act on it.

The new beauty consumer journey

Consumer behaviour in beauty is becoming more fluid and less predictable. Discovery happens across social platforms, search, marketplaces, and in-store experiences, often all within the same journey.

In fact, 45% of consumers now begin their beauty search on Amazon, making it the most common starting point across all age groups. That shift highlights how discovery is consolidating around platforms that combine search, comparison, and purchase in one place.

45%

A staggering 45% of consumers across all age cohorts (18-34, 35-54, 55+) say the global marketplace, which hosts virtual storefronts for thousands of brands on its Amazon Beauty platform, is where they most frequently begin their search.

Shoppers are not just browsing. They are researching deeply, seeking validation through reviews, creators, and communities, and expecting brands to meet them with relevance at every touchpoint.

Technology is accelerating these expectations. AI-powered recommendations, virtual try-ons, and personalised content are no longer differentiators. They are becoming table stakes.

“Instead of searching for a generic ‘best concealer,’ shoppers now ask for help with something very personal like ‘a concealer for dark circles that does not crease on dry skin.’ AI is turning broad discovery into personalised decisions and that’s what is accelerating beauty’s growth.”

— Al Williams, VP, Business to Consumer, Commerce

But many brands are still working with disconnected systems and incomplete data, making it difficult to deliver the seamless experiences consumers now expect.

From innovation to execution

Those disconnected systems aren't just an operational headache — they're a competitive liability. Today's beauty shopper is informed, impatient, and moving fast across channels. The report makes clear that brands can no longer afford to treat digital and physical touchpoints as separate problems to solve on separate timelines.

What sets leading beauty brands apart is not just their adoption of new tools, but how effectively they integrate them into the full customer journey. The report highlights a clear shift in priorities:

• Treating customer data as a strategic asset that drives every interaction

• Connecting digital and physical channels into a unified experience

• Using AI to enhance decision-making across marketing, merchandising, and service

• Building a flexible ecommerce infrastructure that supports rapid experimentation and growth

These are not future-state ambitions. They are the moves brands are making right now — because the customers they're trying to reach aren't waiting.

What you’ll learn in the report

Beauty’s Next Tech-Driven Wave goes beyond high-level trends to deliver insights grounded in real consumer behaviour. While the research surveyed 1,000 British beauty consumers, the patterns it uncovers — how beauty shoppers discover, evaluate, and commit to purchases across channels today— reflect a universal shift that brands in every market need to recognise.

And the findings are hard to ignore. Remember the statistic shared at the beginning of this blog? 93% of consumers who used a beauty tech tool were satisfied with their purchase. We felt it deserved a second mention as proof that when brands invest in the right tools, shoppers notice and respond. The purchase intent data reinforces it further: 32% of shoppers who used a beauty tech tool went on to buy something, jumping to 53% for 18–34-year-olds. These tools aren't novelties. They're closing sales. And with 37% of consumers eager to try virtual try-on technology (rising to 47% among younger shoppers) the opportunity to close even more of that gap is wide open.

The report also maps out exactly how consumers are moving through their journey — from Amazon as the dominant discovery platform to the growing influence of TikTok Shop, where beauty sales jumped 60% year-on-year in 2025. It breaks down where social commerce is gaining real traction by age group, why authentic customer reviews are outpacing influencer content in driving decisions, and how brick-and-mortar retail is evolving into an experience-first channel rather than a transactional one.

Finally, the report connects these consumer behaviours to what brands need to do operationally, from improving product data and consistency across channels to adopting the right technologies that enable personalisation at scale.

Why this matters now

What felt cutting edge in 2022 is a baseline expectation now. Consumers are providing clear signals showing what they want: tools that help them decide, channels that feel consistent, and information they can trust. Beauty brands that fail to adapt risk losing relevance.

At the same time, the barriers to deliver the level of innovation consumers expect are lowering. With the right strategy and infrastructure, brands of all sizes can deliver sophisticated, high-impact experiences. This creates both pressure and opportunity, proving that the brands that move quickly and intentionally will define the next phase of beauty commerce.

The final word

Beauty’s Next Tech-Driven Wave is more than a snapshot of industry trends. It’s a true playbook that spells out what is happening now, and what’s coming next.

Explore the full report to uncover the insights, strategies, and technologies shaping the future of beauty, and learn how your organisation can stay ahead in a market that is evolving faster than ever.