A major beauty retailer’s Q1 2026 report points to a few beauty categories that are picking up speed right now. Body Care, Hair Care, Skin Care, Makeup, and Fragrance were all highlighted as categories with future growth potential. Personal Care Insights reviewed the report and looked at areas where products are gaining traction, plus where new opportunities are starting to appear. Paid visibility, especially top-of-search placements, came up as a major part of performance too. Sponsored activity is now viewed as a pretty important part of growth.

Body Care keeps getting bigger

Body Care stood out during Q1, with 93 new brands entering the category in one quarter. Premium deodorants and niche products helped push that growth.

The report says brands trying to grow in this space should focus on targeted positioning and efficacy-driven products. Premium deodorants, ingrown hair treatments, and pre gnancy oils were mentioned as examples.

One fast-growing body care company managed to connect body products with fragrance and wellness positioning. Its presence across both Body and Fragrance categories showed how cross-category product lines can connect with consumers in different ways.

The retailer described Body Care as a “strategic pillar” instead of a secondary category. The report mentioned that the Top 5 brands control 23% of the body care market share, which makes differentiation more important. Wellness-focused positioning and clinical efficacy claims are becoming more relevant for brands trying to stand out.

Hair Care and celebrity influence

Hair Care saw the launch of a celebrity-backed hair care line, which captured a 2.4% brand share after launch. One restoring hair and edge product became the #1 item across all of Hair Care.

A professional hair care company stayed strong with a wide product range covering different hair concerns. Another hair brand increased paid visibility to compete with estab lished players.

The report describes Hair Care as highly competitive, though strong brand equity and paid media spending can still support growth. The retailer says brands should focus on targ eted treatments and celebrity-backed storytelling that connects with shoppers. Scalp health and bond repair kept showing up too. Personal Care Insights pointed to the ongoing “skinification” trend inside hair care.

Skin Care still depends on trust and efficacy

A skincare oil ranked as the #2 item in Body Care with a 0.6% share. Its scars and stretch marks product kept performing strongly among Body shoppers.

One pharmacy-backed skin care brand held an 8.7% share in Skin Care and placed four products inside the category’s top five products. The brand’s performance was tied to strong customer loyalty, active ingredients, and clinical efficacy positioning. The article says this was the company’s strongest performance at the retailer in recent memory.