1.24 M Proof Points: Why Chicago’s Black Beauty Shoppers Matter
If you think the next big beauty shift is coming from a glossy coastal boardroom, think again. It’s bubbling up in Chicago, where curl-crowned commuters and skincare obsessives are rewriting every rule of the game—and The Black Beauty Club just crunched the numbers to explain how.
The City’s Most Influential Age Group? The Quarter-Life Crew
61 percent of our survey respondents sit in the 25-to-34 sweet spot. They’re old enough to wield real spending power, young enough to keep TikTok on speed-dial, and unapologetically loud about what works (and what flops). When this crowd falls in love with a new brow wax or scalp serum, their group chats go nuclear, and sales spikes follow.
Fenty Still Reigns—But Indie Darlings Are Catching Up
No surprise: Fenty tops the “most-purchased” list at a commanding 74 percent mention rate. Rihanna’s empire is followed by NARS (52 percent) and Danessa Myricks Beauty (39 percent). But look who’s storming the gates: Topicals, Dieux Skin, and Good Molecules—all indie, all fueled by social proof, all born from communities that look like the shoppers they serve. Chicagoans are sending a clear message: representation isn’t a request; it’s the baseline.
Real Talk: The Five Beauty Battles Everyone’s Fighting
Hyper-pigmentation & Brightening (56 %)
Hair Growth + Protective Styling (49 %)
Scalp Moisture & Barrier Care (41 %)
Shade Matching That Doesn’t Oxidize (38 %)
Holistic Aging & Wellness (33 %)
These aren’t vanity gripes—they’re marching orders. Brands that develop formulas for melanin-rich skin or invent next-gen braid refreshers will find an army of ready testers along the Lakefront.
Where They Shop (and Spill Tea)
Sephora still rules (78 percent shop here), with Ulta right on its heels (62 percent). But don’t sleep on Chicago’s Black-owned boutiques—they may account for “only” 12 percent of trips, yet they over-index on loyalty and word-of-mouth. One killer in-store event in Bronzeville can echo louder than a Super Bowl ad.
The Voices They Trust
If Jackie Aina posts it, Chicago clicks “add to cart.” She earns trust from 68 percent of our respondents, trailed by Danessa Myricks (44 percent) and Enigivensunday (32 percent). The lesson? Permission to speak comes from shared experience, not big-budget campaigns.
Hot Topics Heating Their Feeds
From Black-beauty venture capital to refillable cheek tints and AI shade matrices, our community is nerding out on the future. Nearly half crave content about funding and founder life, while more than a third want wellness-beauty mashups—think adaptogen serums or detox Pilates x skincare collabs. Show them innovation with a conscience, and they’ll repay you in unfiltered product reviews.
Proof in the Numbers
When The Black Beauty Club hosted its Chicago Summer Sessions, 100+ insiders showed up, and within 48 hours, those intimate moments exploded into 1.24 million organic impressions and 66,000 engagements. That’s what happens when you hand the mic to the people shaping culture instead of marketing at them from afar.
Chicago’s Black beauty consumers are tastemakers, early adopters, and community educators all rolled into one. They don’t just influence their neighbors—they set trends that ripple from Hyde Park hair salons to Hollywood red-carpet glam teams. Ignore them, and you’ll miss tomorrow’s blockbuster. Invest in their needs, speak their language, and you might just create the next Fenty-level phenomenon.
TL;DR: The Midwest isn’t a fly-over zone—it’s a launchpad. And The Black Beauty Club has the receipts to prove it. Ready to play? The community is waiting.