Harris Williams Annual Health & Beauty Survey

Harris Williams recently surveyed 1,250 beauty enthusiasts to understand their current spending habits and outlook, what they prioritize, and how they discover and shop for brands and products. In this new report, we summarize key findings from this research and their implications for M&A investors.

Selected Highlights:

• 95% of beauty enthusiasts expect to spend more on beauty and personal care in the coming year. Top categories include daily hair and skin care followed by cosmetics, supplements, and fragrances.

• Product performance and results outweigh clean and safe in consumer product choices. Consumers are seeking active ingredients for skin health, personalization for hair health, and fragrances for self-care.

• Beauty enthusiasts prefer brands founded by dermatologists, hair stylists, and makeup artists, and younger consumers care deeply about the environment, social causes, and authenticity in their brand choices.

“Overall, sustained demand in health and beauty, coupled with evolving consumer preferences and lifestyles, will support increased M&A activity across the sector,” says Kelly McPhilliamy. “Socially conscious and digitally native brands are attractive targets for companies looking to increase presence with younger consumers.”