Online shopping may dominate the conversation, but when it comes to buying skin care in person, beauty enthusiasts still have their go-to destinations—and the numbers tell an interesting story. We asked 600+ NewBeauty readers* where they typically shop for skin care in person, and two names clearly lead the pack.
Sephora takes the top spot with 64 percent of respondents designating it their go-to spot for in-person shopping, while Ulta follows closely behind with 59 percent. Department stores still hold their ground with 31 percent, and Target isn’t far behind at 26 percent. Drugstores like CVS and Walgreens account for 19 percent of respondents, while specialty skin retailers and those who don’t purchase in person each accounted for 13 percent.
While prestige beauty retailers are still the go-to for most shoppers, convenience-driven options like Target and drugstores remain strong contenders, especially for quick grabs and budget-friendly buys.
When we asked readers where they’d be most likely to purchase specific products, the results got even more interesting. Sephora dominates moisturizers, with 44 percent of responses, while Ulta leads for cleansers at 34 percent. For serums, “Other” retailers—think department stores or brand boutiques—take the crown with 41 percent, suggesting that shoppers may prefer more personalized or luxury experiences for high-performance products. Face mists? Sephora wins again with 38 percent, reinforcing its reputation as the destination for trend-driven beauty.
The takeaway: While online shopping continues to grow, in-person beauty shopping is far from dead. Sephora and Ulta remain the heavyweights, but the data shows that shoppers are strategic, choosing different retailers for different categories. Whether it’s the allure of swatching in-store, the instant gratification of walking out with a bag, or the personalized advice from beauty experts, brick-and-mortar still matters.
*Source: BeautyEngine Advanced Research, 2025
