During the pandemic, beauty and personal care grew 16% in dollar sales in 2020, and data from NielsenIQ indicates fast growth among Black and Hispanic beauty shoppers. Hispanic consumers have a strong cultural foundation for beauty that went relatively undeterred last year as they were the only ethnic cohort to drive color cosmetics volume in 2020, spending 13% more than the average consumer on beauty and personal care.

• Hispanic shoppers increased beauty spend by 6.1 % in 2020, versus the average 3.5%. Black shoppers increased their spend by 5.4%.
• Among Hispanic consumers, those with income under $50,000 make up 38.8% of buying households and 39.6% of dollar sales.
• For Black consumers, low-income (under $50,000) shoppers make up 43.4% of beauty buyers, and 39.1% of dollar sales.
• Hispanic consumers purchase artificial nails and lip cosmetics 1.4 times more than the average shopper.
• Black consumers are 2.4 times more likely to buy haircare and 1.9 times more likely to buy hair styling products.
• 21% of Hispanic shoppers said they would buy more natural products, versus 11% of white shoppers.
• 39% of Black shoppers plan to buy from Black-owned brands, while 29% hope to buy from brands that have spoken about Black Lives Matter.
• Data from NielsenIQ partner Strategic Solutions International said 41% of Black women changed their hair routines during the coronavirus pandemic.

The events of last year around the Black Lives Matter movement made the beauty industry cognizant of systemic inequities, and consumers began paying attention to who was making and selling the brands and products they were buying. It is incumbent upon brands and retailers to serve the needs of the multicultural consumer.

“When we talk to Black consumers, there are still gaps in finding all the products that do all the things they want,” said Anna Mayo, NielsenIQ’s Beauty Vertical Client Director. “Beauty supply stores are huge locations for them, because they can’t find their needs met in mass stores. Shade diversity has come a long way, but it’s not fulfilling all the needs.”