Personalisation powers performance as guided beauty experiences surge

Guided diagnostics are no longer optional - they are now central to consumer engagement, according to a new report that highlights a major shift in how beauty products are discovered, evaluated and purchased.

Revieve today released its Beauty & Wellness Index 2025, a global analysis based on millions of AI-powered consumer interactions across skincare and makeup.

Using data from selfie-based diagnostics, virtual try-on and guided recommendation journeys, the report benchmarks how personalisation, engagement and intent are reshaping performance across the beauty sector.

Key trends

Guided diagnostics define discovery

The research finds that 60-75% of consumers now begin their beauty journey with a guided experience - such as selfie-based skin analysis, quizzes or virtual try-on.

Consumers increasingly prefer personalised diagnostics that translate their unique needs into recommendations rather than browsing catalogs. Across skincare and makeup, the report suggests guided journeys outperform non-guided flows, delivering higher completion rates, stronger purchase intent, and more qualified traffic.

In skincare, brands and retailers gain in different ways. According to Revieve, brands see higher conversion through focused concern paths and faster product selection, while retailers foster deeper exploration, encouraging routine adoption and bundle purchases.

Commenting on this, Irina Mazur, Chief Commercial & Marketing Officer at Revieve, said: "This divergence is critical for beauty leaders to understand. Conversion rate alone no longer tells the full story. Engagement quality and intent signalling are now just as important."

Skin knowledge gaps drive demand for diagnostics

Beauty engagement remains predominantly female (~70%), with the highest participation among individuals aged 18-34, though all adult age groups are represented.

The data shows common skin concerns include visible pores, dull or tired-looking skin, acne and blemishes, redness and sensitivity, and dark circles or early signs of aging. Over 65% of users report three or more concurrent concerns, emphasising the need for routine-based guidance rather than single "hero-product" solutions.

It comes as nearly one in four consumers report being unsure of their skin type, a finding that Revieve said underscores the role of diagnostics as an educational tool.

"This level of uncertainty around basic skin knowledge highlights why diagnostics matter. They don’t just drive performance, they empower consumers with confidence and clarity," added Mazur.

Virtual try-on shapes makeup discovery

In makeup, discovery is largely exploratory and experience-led, with more than 80% of guided journeys beginning with photo-based virtual try-on.

Products tested virtually are twice as likely to be added to cart, while virtual try-on extends evaluation time by around 40%, supporting more confident purchasing decisions rather than rushed conversions.

On average, consumers experiment with five to seven shades or looks per session, with leading lip and complexion products accounting for approximately 60% of try-on activity - highlighting the importance of a tightly curated core assortment.

Across beauty and wellness, the Index identifies key drivers of engagement and commercial success:

• Guided diagnostics
• Mobile-first experiences
• Concern-led personalisation
• Routine-based journeys

The findings suggest that brands perform best by optimising their most relevant products and streamlining decision-making, while retailers gain by enabling deeper exploration, encouraging routine and bundle purchases, and delaying conversion until intent is clear.

Sampo Parkkinen, CEO of Revieve, said: "What we’re seeing in the data is a fundamental change in how consumers expect to engage with beauty.

"Discovery starts with understanding - not browsing. Guided diagnostics have become the entry point to relevance, trust, and ultimately conversion."