Leading Brands in U.S. Beauty Retail: Q3 2023 Insights

In the ever-evolving beauty retail landscape, Q3 2023 saw significant digital engagement from top brands in the United States. This article delves into the performance and trends of three industry leaders: Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc, Sephora, and Ipsy. With data provided by Sensor Tower, we explore the cross-platform dynamics of these brands, highlighting their web and app presence along with advertising strategies.

Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc.

Ulta's digital footprint is robust, featuring its website, ulta.com, and the Ulta Beauty: Makeup & Skincare app.

• Audience Trends: Over the quarter, ulta.com maintained a stable monthly visitor count, hovering around 180M visits. The monthly true audience consistently exceeded 23M, with a notable web dominance. The web-only visitors were significantly higher compared to app-only visitors.

• App Engagement: The app's monthly active users grew steadily, reaching over 5.6M by September, reflecting a growing preference for mobile experiences.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Ulta increased its monthly advertising spend from $9.6M in July to over $11M in September. Facebook and Instagram were the primary channels, although there was a noticeable rise in OTT (over-the-top media service) channel impressions.

Sephora

Sephora's digital strategy includes its website, sephora.com, and the Sephora app.

• Audience Trends: The website experienced fluctuations, peaking in August with over 155M visits. The monthly true audience remained strong, with app-only visitors showing a gradual increase, indicating a shift towards mobile.

• App Engagement: The Sephora app saw a consistent rise in monthly active users, reaching approximately 4.5M by the end of the quarter.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Sephora's monthly advertising investment peaked in August at over $21M, with significant activity on OTT and Instagram, reflecting a diverse channel strategy.

Ipsy

Ipsy's digital presence is anchored by its website, ipsy.com, and the IPSY: Personalized Beauty app.

• Audience Trends: The site saw a peak in August with over 14M visits. The monthly true audience hovered around 2M, with the web platform leading over mobile.

• App Engagement: The app maintained stable user engagement, with monthly active users around 500K.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Ipsy's monthly ad spend decreased over the quarter, from $3.6M in July to $1.4M in September, focusing primarily on Facebook and Instagram.

Conclusion

Q3 2023 demonstrated the dynamic nature of the beauty retail sector, with each brand leveraging different strategies to engage their audiences. Sensor Tower's comprehensive data offering, including Web Insights, App Performance Insights, and Pathmatics, provides unparalleled insight into these trends, enabling a deeper understanding of cross-platform user behavior.

For more detailed insights, explore Sensor Tower’s Web Insights, App Performance Insights, and Pathmatics offerings.