Leading Beauty Retail Brands in the U.S.: Q2 2024 Insights

Introduction

The beauty retail sector in the United States has seen remarkable developments in Q2 2024, with key players like Ulta Salon, Sephora, and Ipsy at the forefront. Leveraging Sensor Tower's comprehensive analytics, this article delves into these brands' digital performance, focusing on their web presence, app usage, audience engagement, and advertising strategies.

Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc.

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

• Audience Trends: Throughout Q2 2024, ulta.com maintained a stable monthly audience, starting from around 18M unique visits in April to slightly above 22M by June. The monthly true audience consistently hovered above 25M.

• App Engagement: The app's monthly active users increased from over 6M in April to nearly 6.5M by June, highlighting a growing preference for mobile interactions.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Ulta's monthly advertising expenditure fluctuated, peaking at around $12M in March, with Facebook and Instagram as dominant channels. Notably, OTT platforms also played a significant role in their strategy.

Sephora

Sephora's online presence is anchored by sephora.com and the Sephora app.

• Audience Trends: The website saw a peak in visits in April, reaching over 20M unique visitors. The monthly true audience was consistently around 21M to 24M during Q2.

• App Engagement: Monthly active users on the app grew steadily, from about 5M in January to 5.5M by June, reflecting stable user engagement.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Sephora's monthly ad spend surged in April to over $27M, predominantly across OTT and Instagram, key to their strategy.

Ipsy

Ipsy's digital footprint includes ipsy.com and the IPSY: Personalized Beauty app.

• Audience Trends: The website experienced fluctuations, with unique visits dropping from over 1.5M in April to about 1.2M by June. Monthly true audience numbers were stable around 1.5M.

• App Engagement: The app saw a decline in monthly active users, starting at approximately 460K in April and decreasing to about 400K by June.

• Ad Spend & Channels: Ipsy's monthly ad spend was consistent, with a notable increase in June to around $2.5M, leveraging Snapchat and TikTok for significant impressions.

Conclusion

The beauty retail landscape in the U.S. continues to evolve, with Ulta, Sephora, and Ipsy each adopting unique strategies across web and mobile platforms. Sensor Tower's unparalleled data offerings provide critical insights into these trends, enabling brands to effectively navigate the digital market. Explore more with Sensor Tower's Web Insights, Pathmatics, and App Performance Insights for a comprehensive view of the industry.