The Boys Are, Indeed, Buying Perfume at Sephora and Ulta Beauty
It’s not just tweens specialty beauty retailers are increasingly courting — it’s men, too.
In May, Sephora hosted a “Next Stop, Sephora” activation in New York, inviting prominent male influencers including Carl Radke of “Summer House” and TikTok creator Jalen Noble to a photo-opportunity-filled event that sought to emphasize, as one sign read, “The Boys Are at Sephora.”
Men have become an increasingly engaged and valuable cohort for the beauty industry, particularly when it comes to fragrance, which has emerged as a favorite category among the group in recent years.
In terms of what’s driving men’s fragrance sales at both Sephora and fellow specialty retailer Ulta Beauty, web-scraped data from research and strategy firm Jump Accelerator shows that YSL Beauty is leading the charge, ranking as the number-one brand at both retailers by first-quarter online sales.
YSL is best known in men’s for its woody-floral Myslf Eau de Parfum, a runaway hit since its launch in 2023, which has gained several flankers since, including a recent, woodier Eau de Toilette Intense. Valentino, another L’Oréal-owned fragrance brand, is also a top-five performer at both stores, thanks to its Uomo Born in Roma franchise.
Beyond the top-five brands, key growers at Ulta during the first quarter included Rabanne, which rose eight ranks to number-seven for its 1 Million franchise, as well as Dolce & Gabbana, which saw momentum for its Devotion for Men scent. At Sephora, key growers included several Estée Lauder Cos. brands including Tom Ford, Jo Malone London and Kilian Paris.
The top five men’s fragrances by online Sephora sales in Q1.
[Ed note: Please write in fine print in chart] Source: Jump Accelerator
1. YSL Beauty
2. Valentino Beauty
3. Jean Paul Gaultier
4. Prada Beauty
5. Dior
The top five men’s fragrances by online Ulta sales during the first quarter.
1. YSL Beauty
2. Dior
3. Better World Fragrance House
4. Chanel
5. Valentino Beauty
