Key findings

  • Online advertising is the most effective channel overall, with 35% of UK regular make-up users saying it has the biggest chance of catching their attention, compared with 29% of UK adults overall.
  • TV advertising also resonates more with regular make-up users, with 26% citing TV adverts as most attention-grabbing versus 21% nationally.
  • Within digital, social media stands out clearly, with 58% of regular make-up users saying ads on social networks would catch their attention, compared with 46% of UK adults.

As beauty brands continue to invest across a fragmented media landscape, understanding which channels actually cut through for core category users remains key. New YouGov Profiles data highlights where regular make-up users in the UK say advertising is most likely to catch their attention, and how that compares with the wider population.

For this analysis, regular make-up users are defined as Britons who say they wear make-up every day or most days.

Which advertising channels stand out overall

Across all channels, online advertising is the most attention-grabbing format for regular make-up users. More than a third (35%) say online ads have the biggest chance of catching their attention, compared with 29% of UK adults overall.

Around a quarter (26%) of regular make-up users say TV adverts are most likely to grab their attention, versus 21% nationally, reinforcing TV’s continued relevance for beauty messaging.

While lower in absolute terms, direct mail (6% vs 4%) and in-store promotions (5% vs 4%) follow. By contrast, formats such as radio, billboards and print tend to resonate less with this group, and regular make-up users are less likely than average to say that none of the listed channels catch their attention.

Where online advertising works best

Looking more closely at online formats, social networks stand out clearly. A majority of regular make-up users (58%) say advertising on social platforms would give an advertiser a chance of catching their attention, compared with 46% of UK adults overall.

Other online formats perform more evenly. Streaming and on-demand TV services (28% vs 31%), online video ads (27% vs 30%) and website advertising (21% vs 26%) all attract slightly less attention from regular make-up users than from the wider population. Advertising within apps shows a similar pattern (17% vs 19%).

Notably, regular make-up users are also less likely to select “none of the above” or “don’t know,” suggesting clearer preferences when it comes to online advertising environments.

The data shows that regular make-up users in the UK are most consistently reached through online and TV advertising, with social media playing a particularly important role within digital. For beauty brands, this points to the value of prioritising visually led, online-first formats while maintaining TV as a complementary channel.

Methodology: YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data through rolling surveys, rather than a single limited questionnaire. Figures are drawn from responses collected between January 2025 and January 2026, using a 52-week dataset updated weekly. Data is nationally representative of adults (18+) in the US and weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race.

Image: Getty Images

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