From Play to Purchase: The Audio-Driven Beauty Shopper

Beauty and grooming are everyday rituals for podcast listeners—and audio is built right into the experience. New survey data from a SiriusXM Media Soundboard study on beauty and grooming shows that podcast listeners are highly engaged in their self-care routines, shop across both in-store and online channels, and are especially receptive to audio-led product inspiration. More than nine in 10 podcast listeners (94%) maintain a daily grooming or beauty routine, creating ample opportunities for brands to deliver relevant messaging and timely prompts that can increase purchase intent. So, here’s what you need to know.

In-store still wins—but omnichannel is the norm

Even as e-commerce continues to grow, in-store shopping remains central to the beauty and grooming category. Nearly all podcast listeners (98%) buy beauty or grooming products in a physical store—especially everyday essentials like haircare (88%), bath and body products (88%), shaving products (83%), and skincare (70%). For staple purchases, listeners still turn to physical retail stores for what matters most: convenience (58%), certainty in their selection (57%), and immediate product use (47%).

At the same time, digital channels have become a standard part of the path to purchase. More than eight in 10 podcast listeners (82%) shop online, and 80% use both in-store and online channels, shifting between them, depending on their needs. Among listeners who buy online, the appeal centers on efficiency and cost savings: free shipping and returns (59%), access to products not available in stores (59%), convenience (58%), and online promotions (51%).  

The soundtrack of the beauty routine 

From getting ready in the morning to winding down at night, audio plays a meaningful role in podcast listeners’ beauty routines. In fact, 65% say they engage with audio during these routines—turning these everyday moments into more personalized, enjoyable experiences. Consumers most commonly listen to audio on a smartphone (81%), though many also rely on headphones (28%) for a more immersive feel or a smart speaker (24%) for hands-free convenience.

On average, listeners use two devices as they move through their routine, underscoring audio’s flexibility and its ability to travel with them from room to room or task to task without disruption. And audio does more than simply provide background sound—it enhances the experience of the routine itself. Almost seven in 10 podcast listeners (68%) say the medium boosts their mood, 62% report it helps them relax, and 49% describe it as entertaining. For many, the benefits extend beyond the moment itself: 52% of them say listening to audio during their routine helps set them up for a good day—or a good night.

Inspiration, influence, and what seals the deal

For podcast listeners, discovering new beauty and grooming products is a blend of intentional searching and trusted recommendations. Nearly two in three (63%) say they seek out beauty or grooming inspiration, indicating they’re receptive to fresh ideas, routines, and trends. Digital channels play a meaningful role in beauty and grooming inspiration, with 38% of listeners turning to online sources such as social media, influencers, blogs, and videos. Yet, friends and family remain a powerful catalyst, with 37% looking to their inner circle for inspiration. In other words, podcast listeners are just as likely to be influenced by real-life recommendations as they are by what they see online. 

When it comes time to make a purchase, consumer motivations center on quality, affordability, and trust. Half of podcast listeners are motivated by product quality (50%), while 44% value price point. This is closely followed by recommendations from friends and family (43%), reinforcing the importance of trust in this category. Consumers’ personal values also shape decisions, with 37% of podcast listeners being motivated to buy products that are environmentally friendly, organic, clean, or cruelty-free. However, incentives like promotional pricing or sales (38%) and free samples (39%) help move listeners down the funnel, while online reviews (29%) play a supporting role.

How brands win: Easy to trust, easy to try

Audio does both—and the data proves it: 61% of podcast listeners say seeing or hearing an ad on streaming audio would inspire them to purchase a beauty or grooming product, and six in 10 say hearing their favorite podcast host endorse a product they like would influence a purchase. Together, streaming audio ads and host-read endorsements don’t just build awareness—they play a direct role in driving action and shaping purchase behavior.

As the beauty category becomes increasingly competitive amid economic headwinds, nearly eight in 10 consumers report changing at least one aspect of how they shop for beauty products. As a result, brands need channels that build trust and drive measurable results. Audio does both, and the data proves it: 61% of podcast listeners say seeing or hearing an ad on streaming audio would inspire them to buy a beauty or grooming product, and six in 10 of them say hearing their favorite podcast host talk about a product they like would inspire a purchase. This means streaming audio ads and host-read endorsements don’t just build awareness, they play a direct role in driving action and influencing purchase behavior. 

However, to break through in this category, brands can’t overlook this key insight: 74% of podcast listeners say the most helpful factor when choosing a new product or brand is trying it for themselves. That’s a clear signal to lean into messaging around samples, trial sizes, or limited-time “try it” offers—especially powerful when paired with a strong call-to-action delivered by a trusted podcast host. Messaging that’s both benefit-led and tangible matters, too: 30% of podcast listeners say hearing about product benefits is important, while 24% are influenced by seeing a product on others.  This points to video podcasts as a powerful format for beauty and grooming brands—where visual proof helps turn product benefits into something consumers can see, understand, and trust. 

Relevance is another powerful way for brands to resonate with listeners, and it’s where host-read endorsements can feel especially authentic, personal, and relatable. More than one in three podcast listeners (35%) say they buy products designed to work for people with their racial/ethnic background, and one in four say their ethnicity and cultural background influences the grooming and beauty products they choose. Listeners are also clear on how brands can show up more meaningfully: by offering products and representation that reflect real consumers. Almost 30% of podcast listeners find relevance when brands carry products designed for their skin tone or hair texture. For others, it’s featuring ad creatives that showcase people who look like them—whether through skin tone (24%) or hair texture (22%). In short, inclusive product offerings and cultural representation are critical. And when paired with trusted, relevant voices, brands can build deeper connections, strengthen credibility, and move listeners further down the funnel.

GRWU: Get ready with us

Here’s how beauty brands can win with the SiriusXM Podcast Network. A national beauty retailer partnered with us to run a custom streaming audio and podcast campaign, designed to drive foot traffic to physical store locations. The campaign combined mobile interstitial placements, announcer-read ads across Black-hosted podcasts, and show-sponsored host-read integrations to target female audio streamers and podcast listeners ages 18–54 across key DMAs. By combining trusted host endorsements, creative that celebrates Black-owned and Black-founded brands, and a compelling call to action, the campaign successfully drove incremental store visits and measurable behavioral lift, all while maintaining an efficient CPSV (cost per store visit).

•  +117.5% behavioral lift in store visitation 

•  +24K incremental store visits 

•   $1.23 CPSV (below typical category benchmarks)

Here’s another example: A personal care and beauty advertiser partnered with the SiriusXM Podcast Network and Call Her Daddy to reach a highly engaged, young female audience while immersing the brand within culturally relevant conversations and moments. The campaign featured host-read ads delivered by Alex Cooper to amplify brand messaging and drive engagement through the show’s high-impact video podcast format. By pairing authentic personal endorsements with lively, informative brand messaging and a compelling call to action, the campaign drove double-digit, statistically significant lifts in purchase intent and two key brand attributes.

• 77% unaided recall 

• +22 pts in purchase intent 

•  +14 pts in brand-specific attribute about “feeling beautiful”

• +13 pts in brand attribute “is a brand for people like me”

Ready, set, glow: Your next beauty win starts here

Daily beauty and grooming routines create powerful moments of connection between listeners and brands. With SiriusXM Media, those moments translate into measurable results—making audio a smart ROI play for beauty and grooming brands. 

If you’re ready to give your next campaign a glow-up, let’s talk. 

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