US Teen Beauty Spend Hits New Record. Their Economic Worries Are Spiking, Too.

Teen beauty spending has hit new highs, but the vast majority have a pessimistic outlook on the economy.
Teen beauty spending has hit new highs, but the vast majority have a pessimistic outlook on the economy.
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Piper Sandler Companies' 49th semi-annual Taking Stock With Teens survey (spring 2025), conducted in partnership with DECA, has found teens' core beauty wallet jumped 10% year over year to the highest level ever, totaling $374. That record comes as a whopping 57% of surveyed teens reported a worse outlook on economic trends (see chart or click here for methodology details and other stats).

The data shows that just a handful of brands have a 20% or greater share of teen preference in their categories, including e.l.f. in color cosmetics, Bath & Body Works in fragrance (which is undergoing something of a comeback) and CeraVe in skin care.

Piper Sandler Companies' 49th semi-annual Taking Stock With Teens survey (spring 2025), conducted in partnership with DECA, has found teens' core beauty wallet jumped 10% year over year to the highest level ever, totaling $374.Piper Sandler Companies' 49th semi-annual Taking Stock With Teens survey (spring 2025), conducted in partnership with DECA, has found teens' core beauty wallet jumped 10% year over year to the highest level ever, totaling $374.Piper Sandler

Top beauty retailers for teens

  • Sephora is the top beauty shopping destination for teens
  • Ulta ranks second
  • Bath & Body Works takes the third spot; this is the first time the retailer has been in the top 10 since 2018

    Top makeup brands for teens

    • e.l.f. (35%)
    • Rare Beauty (9%)
    • Maybelline (6%)

    Top fragrance brands for teens

    • Bath & Body Works (20%)
    • Sol de Janeiro (18%)
    • Victoria's Secret (10%).

    Top skin care brands for teens

    • CeraVe (32%)
    • The Ordinary (11%)
    • La Roche-Posay (8%)

    Top hair care brands for teens

    • Amika (9%)
    • Not Your Mother's (8%)
    • Olaplex (5%)


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