AI discovery exposes gap for luxury skin care brands

Only 8% of skin care brands show measurable AI referrals

AI referrals are creating a visibility gap for luxury and premium skin care brands, with many brands that rank highly in global e-commerce performing poorly in AI-driven discovery, according to Euromonitor.

Six of the 10 largest luxury and premium skin care brands by e-commerce rank sit outside the top 300 for AI referrals, the report said.

An analysis of 36,917 skin care brands found that Helena Rubinstein ranked 15th globally for e-commerce but 1,531st for AI referrals. For every consumer reaching Helena Rubinstein through an AI referral, 300 reach Neutrogena.

Estée Lauder and Lancôme are exceptions, ranking second and sixth, respectively, in global e-commerce and amongst the top 50 for AI referrals.

The gap reflects how AI systems assess products differently from traditional luxury marketing, which has long relied on emotional storytelling, prestige, exclusivity, and sensory experiences.

Proprietary brand language such as “Miracle Broth” and “PITERA™” carries significant brand value but provides less functional information when AI systems recommend products based on specific skin concerns.

Euromonitor classifies leading luxury and premium brands that perform strongly in global e-commerce but have weak or no measurable AI presence as “Luxury Revenue Orphans.” Geography also contributes to the gap.

SK-II ranks ninth in e-commerce but 309th in AI referrals, whilst COSRX ranks 10th in AI referrals. SK-II’s global e-commerce sales are three times larger than COSRX’s.

COSRX generates 91% of its e-commerce sales internationally, whilst 92% of SK-II’s sales come from China, which may affect their presence within English-language digital ecosystems used by many global AI platforms.

AI systems also rely heavily on sources outside brands’ own websites. For CeraVe and La Roche-Posay, brand websites account for only 14% to 19% of the sources cited by ChatGPT, with more than 80% coming from external sources.

AI-driven referrals grew 302% globally in 2025, compared with 40% growth across other referral sources combined. In the first half of 2026, AI referrals increased 128%, whilst other sources grew 0.8%.

Despite the growth, only 8% of the 36,917 skin care brands selling online globally recorded measurable AI referral activity, creating a concentrated discovery environment.

The shift could become more significant as AI agents move from recommending products to completing transactions, potentially changing the role of physical boutiques and consultations in the purchase journey.

Gen Z is also becoming increasingly important to luxury consumption and uses generative AI for skin care purchases more than millennials and the average luxury beauty shopper.

"As AI changes how consumers frame their needs – asking about hyperpigmentation rather than a brand – the answer is not to abandon mystique but to operate two registers at once," Euromonitor said. "Luxury and premium brands need an information architecture that makes products legible to machines whilst preserving the emotional architecture making them desirable to people."

It added that brands should first measure the gap between their AI visibility and e-commerce position to determine whether the issue stems from product information, third-party authority, distribution, model visibility, or a combination of factors.