THG PLC’s retail media director on what beauty purchase data tells advertisers

Grocery chains like Tesco and Schwarz Group have led Europe’s retail media push so far. Now, more beauty retailers are making the case that purchase data from skin care, fragrance and makeup shoppers offers a different kind of signal — one that advertisers should pay just as much attention to.

THG PLC, the U.K. e-commerce group behind Cult Beauty and LookFantastic, announced it opened up self-serve access to its beauty retail data via The Trade Desk. Media buyers can now target segments spanning skin care, makeup, hair care and fragrance — and tie campaign activity across CTV, audio and the wider open internet to verified purchase outcomes.

It’s a bet that beauty purchase data carries different signals compared to the grocery and electronics categories that have dominated retail media so far.

For advertisers, the question is whether those signals translate to more effective targeting. The Current spoke with Rachel Moss, THG Beauty’s retail media director, about what makes beauty data distinct and how it’s already changing the way some brands allocate spend.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What makes beauty purchase data different as a signal compared to other retail categories?

Beauty purchase data is distinctive because it captures high‑consideration, repeat‑driven behavior rather than one‑off or purely functional purchases. We have also found that beauty purchases, given their often high basket value, can point to a more affluent consumer set.

And unlike many retail categories, beauty is deeply personal, and buying decisions are influenced by life stage, identity, routine and aspiration.

Can beauty purchase patterns act as a leading indicator of broader consumer shifts that advertisers should pay attention to?

Beauty purchasing can be an early indicator of broader lifestyle or life‑stage shifts that advertisers care about. Changes in beauty behavior often precede shifts elsewhere, for example, when consumers begin prioritizing quality, efficacy or go through life-stage changes.

For advertisers, this makes beauty data a valuable leading indicator, not just a category‑specific signal, which can make this data useful to non-endemic advertisers too.

Is the wellness spending trend — skin care, supplements, self-care — actually showing up in what people buy?

Beauty purchase behavior increasingly reflects the broader shift toward wellness and self‑care. Rather than just being driven purely by trend‑led items, we see sustained engagement in categories linked to skin care, protection, repair and maintenance.

What’s interesting is that this shows up not just in category growth, but in how people shop, such as their willingness to invest in multistep routines.

Have you seen beauty purchase data change how brands allocate media spend?

Beauty retail data often challenges assumptions about which channels are truly driving outcomes. In several cases, brands discover that upper‑funnel, data-driven channels they previously viewed as “awareness‑only” are playing a much stronger role in driving conversion when measured against actual purchase behavior.

Having access to purchase‑level signals allows brands to move beyond proxy metrics and make more confident, evidence‑based decisions about where to invest and where not to.

The Current is owned and operated by The Trade Desk Inc.