As summer came to an end, wellness was top of mind for shoppers during the back-to-school period, with consumers stocking up on supplements and functional beverages, while others bought protein powder and creatine to look and feel their best. Elsewhere, fragrance continued to dominate, while there was much interest in sets and value packs across all categories.
Here, a look at what performed well during the back-to-school period for five key beauty retailers.
Walmart
At Walmart, wellness stood out for back-to-school. In particular, BelliWelli, known for its viral Daily Fiber Powder, was the fastest growing brand in digestive wellness in July and August. Meanwhile, protein and creatine continue to be mainstays at the retailer with brands like Optimum Nutrition, Nutricost and Orgain winning.
In the beauty segment, consumers were opting for value packs, as they were stocking up for the school year ahead. In addition, acne care was a standout category and was being driven by pimple patches from Hero Cosmetics and Starface specifically. In hair care, L’Oréal’s Glycolic Gloss Shampoo and Conditioner, which are exclusive to Walmart, and CeraVe’s scalp-focused line were top performers.
As back-to-school was driven by value sets, the Walmart team predicts similar sets and stocking stuffers will drive growth for holiday.
Target
At Target, guests were both stocking up on essentials and exploring newness.
“In beauty, skin care was a standout category with guests loving brands like Bubble, Byoma, and Clean Skin Club,” a Target spokesperson said. “We also saw interest in lip care and minis as consumers looked to explore new brands, categories and trends at accessible price points.”
Fragrance is also driving growth at Target, and the retailer is doubling down on the category going forward by highlighting and expanding its assortment. Fragrance sales have grown 700 percent since 2018 and are expected to have double-digit growth over the next year with brands like Tone, Dossier, Being Frenshe, Finer’y and more.
“We’re seeing heightened interest [and] demand from consumers who want fragrance as a way to express themselves, to personalize their self care routines,” said Amanda Nusz, Target’s senior vice president of merchandising, essentials and beauty, noting that gourmands continue to be the top trend in the category.
In wellness, supplements and functional beverages, from brands like Lmnt and Clean Simple Eats, were the top performers. As the retailer gears up for holiday, a Target spokesperson said they will double down on exclusive offerings — 60 percent of its beauty segment will be exclusive to the retailer.
Bloomingdale’s
Starting with fragrance, Marissa Galante — fashion director of accessories and beauty at Bloomingdale’s — reported that the back-to-school shopper gravitated toward fruity and floral aromas this year, including the Jo Malone London Raspberry Ripple Cologne, Byredo Alto Astral Eau de Parfum and Miu Miu’s new Miutine Eau de Parfum.
As for skin care, the focus was on longevity, with Galante highlighting Sisley Paris’ Sisleÿa L’Integral Anti-Age Longevity Essential Serum as one of the top performers in the category. Augustinus Bader’s The Vitamin C Serum and limited-edition Yinka Ilori The Rich Cream were high on the list of best back-to-school sellers, too.
A surprising frontrunner this season, according to Galante, was hair. “The client is really looking for personalization in hair care, with everything from scalp serums to hair sprays,” Galante recognized. “We also are finding that hair tools are having a big moment as well. We have a lot of LED devices, and that category has been incredible.”
Macy’s
The Macy’s back-to-school shopper had their sights set on three main categories: skin, lip and cheek.
TikTok-viral favorites such as Benefit Cosmetics’ Benetint Liquid Lip and Cheek Blush Stain and Cookie Powder Highlighter were among the most popular alongside a handful of newcomers including Tarte’s Maracuja Juicy Lip and Cheek Multi-Stick and Kylie Cosmetics 2-Pc. Glossy Lip Set.
Meanwhile, shoppers were also snapping up the reformulation of Clarins’ Total Eye Lift Eye Cream and the new Advanced Night Repair Lift and Sculpt Eye Cream by the Estée Lauder Cos.
With back-to-school in the rearview, the retailer is now looking ahead to the holidays and predicting gifts sets will once again reign supreme, specifically The Glow Getter: 25 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar, 12 Days of Lip Advent Calendar, Benefit Cosmetics 24-Pc. Glam Cube Makeup Advent Calendar and Tarte 5-Pc. Sweet Indulgences Maracuja Juicy Lip Set.
Macy’s also confirmed exclusive gifts from Lancôme, Clinique and Estée Lauder will be made available this upcoming holiday season.
Bluemercury
Bluemercury saw a rise in “value-based” discovery skin, body and hair care sets during the back-to-school season, said Jenna Goldberg, head of stores, omnichannel and strategy at the retailer. The $199 Professional Skincare Edit was the bestselling set heading into fall, featuring products from SkinCeuticals, Skinmedica, Dr. Diamond and more. In hair, Oribe’s discovery set held the top spot.
Fragrance saw 10 percent year-over-year growth in August and September, with momentum coming from Jo Malone and Parfums de Marly thanks in part to Jo Malone’s recent Raspberry Ripple launch, and the latter’s longtime hero, Delina.
“We are also seeing growth in color cosmetics,” said Goldberg, attributing the boost to “strong fall innovation.” Top newness, she said includes Hourglass Cosmetics’ Curator Eyeshadow Palettes and Victoria Beckham Beauty’s new foundation drops in partnership with Augustinus Bader, which launched at the start of September and have “been strong since launch.”
The Victoria Beckham brand, more broadly, has been performing well after an increased expansion into 56 doors in August which has “exceeded initial forecasts,” Goldberg said.
For holiday, Bluemercury is gearing up for gift sets, particularly in color cosmetics and fragrance. Glasshouse, known for its festive, holiday offerings, will debut at the retailer for the first time.
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