At least the Net a Porter shopper is. From investing in wellness to ditching contouring and splurging on beauty tools, here’s what makes UK health and beauty buyers some of the most inquisitive in the world, and how we compare to our peers around the globe
I don’t know about you, but having a nose around another woman’s beauty stash , gym bag or clutch on a night out will never not excite me. Perhaps I’m a loser, but I don’t think I’m alone- our stats bear out that you love a glimpse into a high flyer’s bathroom cabinet or nutritionistal therapist's fridge . As such, when Net A Porter gave us a juicy insight into what their health and beauty customer is buying, thinking and prioritising on a daily basis in celebration of Net A Porter Beauty ’s fifth birthday, we were all ears and eager to hear more. Curious? Here’s what the UK woman loves, and who we align with most closely around the world (your soul sisters are in LA. We knew we were cool).
Supplement powders are outselling serums
You’re still skincare obsessed (we’ll get to that), but supplement powders have taken off in a big way, with UK women now buying more health powders than serums. Net A Porter Beauty Director Newby Hands explains how supplement powders have segued into our beauty regimes, and which ones are the most popular among Net A Porter’s Beauty connoisseurs:
“Nowadays, women have an entire wardrobe of skincare products, especially serums, and while we have a lot of skincare, we now know that what works on the inside has an effect on the outside.
“Supplements not only make us feel better and more energetic but they also affect our skin, hair and nails, so they’re the next step in our skincare regime. They can work at much deeper levels where new cells are formed, something normal skincare products cannot do. We’ve seen a huge shift in sales, with our customers in the UK now buying more supplements than serums and we don’t see this slowing down. Favourites at Net A Porter are Elle Macpherson’s The Super Elixir , Neat Nutrition’s ‘Super Greens’ powder and Dr Barbara Sturm's’ Skin Food supplements .”
Interest is also strong in the US, and our very own columnist Elle Macpherson ’s Super Elixir is the global trailblazer in terms of powder supplement sales (powder supplements make up over 75 per cent of sales across the wellness category as a whole). This isn’t to say that skincare takes a back seat, however…
The British woman wants a glow
Serums are the big skincare hitters- Net A Porter reports that serum sales have doubled since last year, with over 250 stocked, equating to the retailer’s largest skincare category. Us Brits love them, with “illumination and hydration” our ultimate glow goals according to Newby. Dr Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Ampoules are among our favourites, but for a quick fix, Charlotte Tilbury makeup is likely to step in for instant luminosity, particularly Wonder Glow Instant Soft-Focus Beauty Flash .
Foundations sell fast
Prior to founding Net A Porter Beauty, the team was advised that customers wouldn’t take to buying fragrance and foundation online. Five years down the line, that hypothesis has been proved wrong, and UK women are one of the world’s biggest buyers of foundation on the site, alongside Germany and the US, with our preferred base brands being Nars, Hourglass, Chantecaille and good old Charlotte Tilbury (she storms it around the world in general). On the topic of fragrance…
We love to cosy up with a candle
Many of us are apparently dedicated ‘me time’ customers, buying according to a beauty interest that values unwinding, preferably on the sofa in our PJs with a luxe scented candle burning. The UK market buys the most scented candles, along with New Yorkers (perhaps it’s those long, cold winters), with Diptyque Baies remaining at the top spot for years. Alongside our scented slow burners, we’re also likely to add a massage facilitating facial oil and sheet mask to complete the ‘night in’ chill-out ritual.
Beauty tools are big news
Sales have jumped by 15 per cent in the UK, but we’ve ditched the complicated ‘paint by numbers’ contouring routines - we’re using our brushes and Beautyblenders (always in demand on Net A Porter globally) to achieve radiant, dewy highlighting rather than full-on face sculpting.
Mixology is massive
The Net A Porter shopper doesn’t buy from one single brand- she has a pick and mix mentality, blending products and testing out the freshest launches and newest technology in health and beauty, whether she lives in Dubai, Texas or Paris. With this on the pulse attitude in mind, the retailer’s global beauty buyers have curated a Beauty 5th Anniversary Kit to the discerning tastes and adventurous spirits of its six million global daily customers. Pleasing everyone in the 160 countries that it serves is a tough gig, but the collection of 12 luxury beauty offerings, including world bestsellers Oribe, Hourglass and Marc Jacobs ( best mascara on the planet , FYI), is probably as close as it comes to beauty bliss in a box (well, a branded case.). The 5th anniversary kit comes in at £80, and 19 brands have also partnered with Net A Porter to bring you a selection of beauty exclusives to mark five years of forward-looking cyber beauty shopping. If they could chivvy along payday, that would be great.
Visit Net A Porter Beauty
Follow Anna on Instagram