Hair Today, (Beauty-) Queen Tomorrow

At the top of the beauty throne sits Hair Care. 28% of shoppers tend to their strands more than once a month. Combine that with 36% buying monthly, and you have an unshakeable fortress of consumer routine. Hair is not just a statement. It is a schedule.

Close on its perfectly coiffed heels is Skin Care, with 23% buying more than once a month and 33% showing up monthly. These are not occasional dabblers. They are devotees. If Hair Care is the crown, Skin Care is the scepter. Wielded daily. Ritualistically. Religiously.

Makeup’s Minimalist Moment

Here is where the story turns. Only 12% of consumers purchase Makeup more than once a month. An eye-opening 36% never buy it at all. That is not neglect. That is nuance. Makeup is no longer a mask. It is a mode. A punctuation mark, not a paragraph.

Whether it is pandemic-era minimalism, Gen Z’s skincare-first ethos, or the rising confidence in barefaced beauty, the message is clear. Bold eyeshadow may trend, but brand loyalty lies elsewhere.

Interestingly, women are significantly more likely to still spend on Makeup than men, not really a surprise. While just 3% of men claim it as their top beauty spend, 12% of women do. Probably predictable. And it is not just about what they buy, but how they think. Women are also more likely to disagree with the idea that they do not enjoy shopping for beauty – only 19% of them said so, compared to 32% of men. Beauty, for many women, is still an enjoyable ritual.

Fragrance: The Emotional Editor

Fragrance is the quiet artist in this gallery. While just 14% buy it frequently, 34% still purchase it every few months. Fragrance is seasonal. Memory-driven. Mood-enhancing. It is a category rooted in identity, not necessity. More memory than mirror. And men? They are spending big here. 44% of men say Fragrance is their biggest beauty expense, compared to just 24% of women. Fragrance is the unspoken flex. Quiet luxury in a bottle. 

Aisles of Influence: Where the Magic Happens

Let us talk location. Welcome to the Drogerie Dynasty. DM, Rossmann, Müller and their retail siblings dominate across every category. Hair Care reigns with 63% of shoppers turning to the Drogerie. Skin Care follows at 61%. Even Makeup and Fragrance are mostly picked up there, at 56% and 42% respectively.

These retailers are not just stores. They are cultural institutions. Shelves of possibility. Routines made physical. They are where everyday indulgence meets everyday accessibility.

Supermarkets hold their own in Hair Care, with 17% of purchases, and in Skin Care with 13%. They offer proximity and price. But prestige? That resides elsewhere.

For Fragrance, the script flips. 17% shop at specialty stores like Sephora or Douglas. 19% click through online retailers. Fragrance is the only beauty category where digital truly holds its own. Personal, curated, elegant. A transaction that feels like a treat.

Meanwhile, brand websites continue to underwhelm. Just 5% of Skin Care purchases and 4% of Hair and Makeup ones happen directly from a brand. Even Fragrance peaks at a humble 6%. In a world chasing direct-to-consumer dreams, the data reads like a wake-up call.

Where the Beauty Budget Really Goes

Now for the spend. Consumers in Germany were asked which category claims most of their wallet. The winner? Fragrance. 34% say it is their top beauty splurge. Not surprising. Perfume is emotional real estate. It lingers. It communicates. It commands.

Hair Care is close behind at 29%. Skin Care trails just slightly at 28%. These are not accessories. They are anchors. Foundations of ritual. Reflections of self-worth.

And then, at the bottom, Makeup. Only 7% prioritize it financially. The narrative is shifting. The look-at-me shimmer is giving way to let-me-be-seen softness. Less transformation. More preservation.

For women, Skin and Hair Care dominate the budget conversation. For men, the story is flipped. They are almost twice as likely to spend the most on Fragrance. It is a quiet status symbol. A personal brand in vapor form.

Beyond the Shelf: What Beauty Means to Her

Beauty is never just about the product. It is about emotion. It is about ethics. It is about experience. When we asked consumers in Germany what shapes their choices, they gave us a manifesto.

61% say promotions make them more likely to purchase. But when you look closer, women are the more deal-savvy gender. Only 11% of women disagreed with that statement, compared to 20% of men. Women are tuned into the beauty economy – value still matters, even when shopping for indulgence.

Ethics matter too. Women are more likely to seek cruelty-free and eco-conscious brands, with only 15% and 16% disagreeing respectively, compared to 26% and 22% of men.

And the experience itself? Women are the ones who lean into it. 48% prefer shopping in-store. 42% say they enjoy it overall. Meanwhile, only 19% of women disagreed with that idea – compared to 32% of men. For women, beauty shopping is not a chore. It is a curated moment.

The Digital Dilemma

E-commerce should be a love story. But for beauty, it is complicated.

30% of shoppers find it difficult to test products online. 17% struggle to find the right shade. 15% are concerned about quality. 12% fear counterfeit or damaged goods. 11% say shipping takes too long. And another 11% can never find what they actually want.

The gender divide deepens here. Nearly a quarter of women say it is hard to find the right shade online, while only 10% of men feel the same. And yet, women persist. They are slightly more likely to buy beauty online than men, and only 2% said none of these issues applied to them.

Digital is convenient. But it lacks the tactility, the trust, and the tingle of the in-store beauty ritual. The online cart still has a long way to go before it competes with the in-store mirror.

What Marketers in Beauty Need to Know

Here is the memo. And no, it is not optional reading.

• She wants values, not volume. She is choosing cruelty-free and sustainable options. Show your ethics clearly and consistently.
• Discounts are not dead. But they are the entry point. Purpose is the end game.
• Retail is not just a distribution channel. It is a runway. Merchandising should feel like an editorial.
• Influencers are fading. Trust is in transparency. Give her the information. Let her make the decision.
• If you are online, you need to be better. Clearer descriptions. Easier navigation. Real reviews. Because trust is the new currency.

Final Word

Women are still beauty’s backbone. And they are beauty’s future. Honor that. Not with noise. But with campaigns that are memorable, meaningful and magnetic.

If you are not talking to women in beauty, then darling, you are simply not in the business.

P.S. If you’re curious about how beauty is evolving for men too, we covered that in a separate story. Head over to our blog post on men’s beauty or get in touch with our marketing experts in beauty and Total Video Brandformance.