Amazon has become an increasingly dominant player in the skin care market, with sales in the category seeing significant growth. According to Emily Safian-Demers, Director of Insights at e-commerce and marketing agency Front Row, searches for “skincare” in Amazon’s beauty category rose by 339% over the past two years, increasing from 4 million searches in 2022 to 18 million in 2024.
We spoke to Safian-Demers for her insights into the e-commerce retailer’s relationship with the skin care sector and the impact of consumer trust, increased ingredient awareness, and major shopping events.
Rising skin care sales on Amazon
“Skin care sales constituted 25% of all beauty sales in 2023 and jumped to 30% of all beauty sales in 2024,” said Safian-Demers, who attributed a key factor in this growth to the rise in consumer trust.
“Amazon is becoming a legitimized and trusted skin care destination in a way that it wasn’t even just a few years ago,” she shared. This growing trust is reflected in the data, she added: “80% of Amazon beauty shoppers say they trust the beauty brands they buy on Amazon, and 81% say they trust the beauty products they buy on Amazon,” she shared, citing 2024 consumer research by Front Row.
Major shopping events on the platform have also contributed to skin care’s rapid expansion. “Skin care sales hit their highest point of the year during July Prime Day 2024, capping out at nearly $400 million for the week – more than double what it was the week before, increasing by 147% week over week,” said Safian-Demers.
The informed Amazon skin care shopper
Beyond sales growth, the profile of the Amazon beauty and skin care shopper has evolved. “The biggest change we’ve seen in the Amazon skin care consumer in recent years is just how educated and informed they are about skin care products,” Safian-Demers noted.
According to Front Row’s 2024 research, 57% of Amazon beauty shoppers check ingredient lists before purchasing, and many use highly specific searches such as “retinol serum” rather than broader terms like “anti-aging serum.”
Brand strategies to meet consumer expectations
With scientific validation and ingredient transparency becoming increasingly important, brands are adapting their strategies to meet consumer expectations.
“Knowing that consumers are coming to Amazon and seeking out specific ingredients and scientific credentials, optimizing product titles, descriptions, and images to feature those ingredients and credentials is a strong way for brands to capture that interest,” Safian-Demers explained.
She added that “weaving educational touchpoints into skin care listings on Amazon is a great way to connect with skintellectual consumers.”
Where beauty and wellness meet
The intersection of beauty and wellness has also been a notable trend. “One big shift we’ve observed is the growing crossover between the beauty and supplement categories,” said Safian-Demers.
She pointed to the rise of Nutrafol in 2025, which, as of March 1st, held the top two spots in Amazon’s hair category, surpassing Dyson. Consumer searches further reflect this shift, with terms like “gentle” increasing by 21% year over year, “calming” by 66%, and “soothing” by 145% in the first half of 2024.
“Expect to see continued overlap between beauty and wellness spaces,” she added.
Amazon’s role in beauty consumer behavior
Amazon’s influence in the beauty and skin care sector extends beyond sales, shaping how consumers discover and remain loyal to brands.
“Most shopper journeys don’t originate on Amazon – social media is the biggest driver of product discovery among beauty shoppers, with 38% of Amazon beauty shoppers learning about new beauty, skin care, and grooming products from social media ads and 32% from social media influencers,” said Safian-Demers.
However, once consumers are ready to purchase, Amazon is their go-to destination. “60% of beauty and personal care e-commerce sales happened on Amazon in 2023,” she noted, citing Euromonitor data.
“What keeps skin care shoppers coming back,” she concluded, “is speed, convenience, tentpole events, and selection, underscored by growing trust in Amazon.”