Consumers prefer to shop in-store for beauty products over buying on social media, according to research from Outform.

The study, which surveyed 2,000 people across the UK, US, and Germany, found that 59 per cent of shoppers choose brick-and-mortar stores as their favourite way to shop for make-up.

The report also revealed that experiences like speaking to consultants on the shop floor influence 39 per cent of the consumers surveyed.

Only 15 per cent of respondents said that they prefer using a brand’s social media page for make-up.

16 per cent feel that brand updates on social media help to discover beauty products, whereas four-in-ten – 38 per cent – say in-store displays are useful for this.

But four-in-ten – 42 per cent – of 35-44 year-olds say that brands’ social platforms are key to deciding whether to purchase.


The research did not explore whether shoppers favour online shopping over in-store for beauty products.


“Online shoppable functions and AR testers aren’t yet a patch on in-store shopping,” said Simon Hathaway, group managing director EMEA, Outform. “But platforms like Instagram and Pinterest are fundamental in engaging consumers with beauty brands’ values and ethos.

“And while they’re not yet the primary checkout tool, social platforms are influencing behaviours, particularly if it’s user-generated content that customers can trust. Capturing online and offline data will help to identify where different cohorts are engaging with products - which isn’t always where they’ll make a purchase - and this knowledge can be used to make browsing and buying seamless through different channels.”

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