US Diversity & Inclusivity in Beauty Market Report 2023

This report examines consumer attitudes toward diversity and inclusivity in beauty and personal care. We examine the importance of diversity to consumers, how consumers would like to see inclusivity implemented in the beauty industry, and opportunities for brands and marketers to ensure they’re appealing to consumer needs and demands. Read on to discover our insights.

Beauty Market: Consumer Overview

Collectively, the use of specialty brands is higher than for value or mass beauty brands. This shows a desire among beauty consumers to invest in their appearance, and in line with this, over half of consumers state that their appearance is a top priority. This highlights the importance for brands and marketers to leverage diversity and inclusivity in their brand identity and product lines, as consumers increasingly select brands that are tailored to their identity and values.

Diversity in the Beauty Industry: Consumer Demands

As noted in our report on Gen Z beauty consumers, women tend to agree that the representation of beauty standards is too rigid, and social media sets unrealistic expectations. Women therefore likely want to see more of a range of depictions of beauty in the industry, including what might be considered “non-traditional”.

Black consumers overindex for feeling represented in the beauty industry. While this may indicate progress, it’s important to note that many Black consumers struggle to find beauty products that match their skin tone. To find out more about what Black people want to see in the beauty industry today, see our Black Consumer: Beauty Trends Report.

• Keep it real in beauty advertising: 78% of consumers want to see unedited images in beauty/grooming advertisements, and this percentage increases for those aged 18-24.
• Black representation in product lines: 53% of Black consumers struggle to find beauty products that match their skin tone.

Opportunities for Brands and Marketers: DEI Gaps

While developing products for a small cohort of consumers may not be prudent for many companies, an overwhelming percentage of beauty product users want to see people with physical disabilities featured in advertisements. On top of this, Mintel’s research finds that two in five consumers have a condition of some kind, with some stating this affects their appearance.

The opportunity for brands and marketers here may not be obvious, but both large and niche brands can benefit from appealing to consumers who are disabled or present a condition, whether physical or mental. For example, appealing to the majority of consumers who want to see a better representation of health and other conditions in beauty is likely to be beneficial for improving brand image.

In this report, you’ll find over 50 pages of expert analysis covering consumer preferences when shopping diverse and inclusive beauty, types of diversity and how this applies to brand DEI efforts, consumer attitudes toward beauty, and much more. Looking for something else? Check out our other beauty market research, and find exactly what you’re looking for.

Quickly Understand

• What consumers define as “diverse” beauty brands.
• BPC purchase behavior regarding brand diversity.
• Resources that consumers use to discover brand inclusivity.
• Attitudes toward diversity, equity, and inclusion in BPC.

Covered in this Report

Companies & Organizations: 15 Percent Pledge, Ulta Beauty, CVS Pharmacy, L’Oréal, Tina Healthcare, Navilens, Gucci, Victoria’s Secret, and more.

Expert Analysis from a Beauty Specialist

This report, written by Jennifer White Boehm, a leading beauty analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends in diversity and inclusivity in beauty and add expert context to the numbers.

Beyond traditional perceptions and ideals (ie, race, gender, age), the definition of a diverse beauty brand becomes more nuanced. Expanding diversity to include people with physical/mental challenges is a fairly new concept, but one that is extremely important. Developing products to suit the needs of a small cohort of physically challenged consumers may not be prudent for many companies, but all players can showcase adults with physical/mental conditions to normalize disabilities and challenge stereotypical ideals of beauty.

Jennifer White Boehm
Director, BPCH Reports