Q1 2026 Beauty Category Benchmark Report

This benchmark report provides a comprehensive analysis of the Holistic Share of Voice (SOV) within the U.S. Beauty and Personal Care category for the first quarter of 2026. It details the SOV percentages across various domains, highlighting the performance of key players such as ulta.com, which maintains the highest SOV at 9.6% with a positive quarter-over-quarter trend. The report outlines significant declines in SOV for mass retailers like amazon.com and walmart.com, attributing these changes to reduced visibility in Shopping and Merchant Listings. Additionally, it documents the competitive landscape, noting the rapid growth of challengers like macys.com and cvs.com. The methodology section explains the data collection process, including the use of a curated basket of 2,400 keywords and daily SERP captures to ensure accuracy. The report emphasizes the importance of feature visibility and position weighting in calculating SOV, providing insights into the dynamics of the beauty category's digital presence.