A new report from Beauty Barrage sheds light on how the modern consumer journey is evolving at beauty retail.

The field sales company, which works with retailers including Sephora and Ulta Beauty, surveyed 400 members of its field team on the state of beauty shoppers today. Among the key findings, 76.4 percent of brand advisers reported that the biggest frustration for beauty shoppers is being unable to try a product in-store.

More than 67 percent of advisers said that shoppers cite TikTok as their main source for brand and product discovery, and roughly 75 percent said that consumers most often want brief, helpful guidance versus a high-touch consultation or not receiving any help at all while browsing.

“The path to purchase may begin on TikTok, but beauty retail still comes down to a person standing in front of a product and deciding whether it is right for them,” said Sonia Summers, founder and chief executive officer of Beauty Barrage, in a statement. “That decision gets easier when shoppers can try the product and get a clear, credible answer.”

As e-commerce gains momentum — data from NIQ shows that in the U.S., online overtook brick-and-mortar as beauty’s most significant sales channel in 2025 for the first time — creating meaningful and differentiated in-store experiences is only becoming more important for physical retailers.

To that end, half of advisers reported that the most common form of assistance needed by shoppers is learning how to use a product, while roughly 33 percent said that the most effective demo is to apply the product on the consumer. Customers are most commonly confused about product information, making in-store education a powerful converter, or how to choose the right shade of a makeup product, according to the survey.

In-store events, too, can drive engagement, with advisers reporting the hours between noon and 3 p.m. as the busiest event window, while roughly 44 percent reported that a gift with purchase is the top incentive customers wish to receive.