Best practices for beauty and personal care stores

Beauty has two kinds of shopper. The returning customer knows exactly what they want and needs a fast way to reorder. The new customer is unsure whether a shade, a formula or a scent will suit them and cannot test it. Dynamic Yield reports 5.32% conversion for beauty and personal care, one of the highest of any category, and repeat purchases are a large part of the reason.

Show every shade swatched on several skin tones, photographed in daylight and labelled. A single swatch on a white background tells the shopper very little. Name shades consistently and explain undertones in plain words, such as warm, cool or neutral.

If you can, add a simple shade finder that asks a few questions, and let reviewers state their skin tone so others with similar skin can find their verdict.

Many beauty shoppers check ingredients before they buy, especially those with allergies or sensitive skin. Write the full ingredient list as text on the product page so it can be read, searched and translated. Add the key active ingredients in plain language, how to use the product, how much is in the pack and how long it lasts.

Say clearly who the product is for and who it is not for, for example “for dry and normal skin” or “not suitable for sensitive skin”. That honesty reduces returns and complaints.

The EU sets common criteria for cosmetic claims. They must be legal, truthful, supported by evidence, honest, fair and allow an informed decision. In practice, a claim may not go further than the evidence behind it, a product may not be presented as unique for a feature similar products share, and conditions for an effect must be stated, such as use together with another product.

Be especially careful with before-and-after images. Retouched or unrepresentative results mislead shoppers and destroy trust once they try the product.

Reviews carry extra weight in beauty because they are the closest a shopper gets to trying the product. Ask reviewers for their skin type, concern and age range, and let shoppers filter by them. A review from someone with the same skin is worth more than ten from people without. Show photos from customers, and reply to critical reviews.

Returning customers drive the category, so make it easy for them. Offer one-click reorders from the account and from order emails, optional subscriptions with a clear way to pause or cancel, and reminders timed to how long the product usually lasts. Samples with an order are a good way to introduce a new product to a loyal customer.