Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days 2026: A Record Year for Beauty Purchases

Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days in October 2026 marked a significant moment for the beauty and cosmetics sector, as it emerged as the most popular purchasing category on the platform. According to a report by Market Defense, beauty products were bought by 32% of shoppers, an increase from 22% in 2025, showcasing a remarkable growth trajectory over the course of a year.

The two-day shopping event, which took place from October 6-7, saw a total online spending of $9.86 billion across all U.S. retailers, a notable 8.5% increase from $9.09 billion during the same period in 2025. Beauty played a pivotal role in driving these sales, with skincare brands accounting for a substantial portion of products sold.

The Rise of Beauty in E-commerce

As beauty products secured the top-selling position on Amazon, skincare brands notably dominated the bestsellers list, with nine out of the ten top spots claimed by this category. Vanessa Kuykendall, Chief Engagement Officer at Market Defense, emphasized the importance of both influencer marketing and established brands rejuvenating interest through quality offerings. The report highlighted how beauty shopping is becoming a vital precursor to the holiday shopping season.

Shoppers engaged heavily with beauty products, demonstrating that they were indeed buying with intent, often looking for specific items rather than just browsing. This targeted approach resulted in a conversion rate of 18% for shoppers who were searching for particular products or ingredients, showcasing an increase from 11.6% in the previous year.

Mobile Shopping Trends

Mobile shopping proved to be a key driver of sales during Big Deal Days, which saw approximately 52% of all online sales being conducted through smartphones, reflecting a 12.8% growth compared to the previous year. In addition, social media emerged as a robust traffic source, accounting for 7% of online sales, showing a 40% increase from 2025.

Beauty's Lead Positions

With beauty leading the way in online searches, Amazon reported 152.4 million beauty-related searches during the Big Deal Days week, nearly matching the total search volume achieved over the four days of June's Prime Day. Notably, personal care climbed to new heights, with online sales rising 73% compared to daily averages earlier in September.

The increasing demand has set the stage for brands like La Roche-Posay and CeraVe who collectively captured 20.8% of beauty sales on Amazon, marking a substantial growth from the previous year. Interestingly, even K-beauty icons like medicube, Biodance, and Anua gained popularity, making the beauty landscape increasingly competitive.

Early Holiday Shopping

As the shopping event coincided closely with the holiday shopping season, trends indicated that beauty was also the most-clicked category for searches related to holiday gifts. Searches for