Navigating Amazon's Premium Beauty Category: What is premium beauty? How do I join?

Denny Smolinski

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Learn about the Amazon beauty category from beBOLD by understanding the nuances between Amazon Premium Beauty, Professional Skincare, and Indie Beauty.

Blog  /  Navigating Amazon's Premium Beauty Category: What is premium beauty? How do I join?

navigating amazon's premium & professional beauty category

As the beauty and personal care industry continues to grow, Amazon has responded with its own Premium Beauty category. This is a special section of Amazon that is dedicated to prestige brands and professional beauty products. If you are a brand owner or part of a team deciding if you want to sell your product in the Amazon Premium Beauty Category - this is the ultimate blog post for you.

In this blog post, we will discuss the differences between:

  • Retail Beauty Category
  • Premium Beauty (which includes Professional Beauty). 

beBOLD is Full Service Amazon Agency focused ONLY ON BEAUTY!  Our entire team has some experience in the beauty industry.    

We will also provide tips for beauty brands that want to join this Amazon category!

 

What is Amazon's Premium Beauty category, and what can be found in it?

Premium Beauty (used to be called "Luxury Beauty" which is now "Amazon Luxury Stores") is a category on Amazon for beauty products that are sold in luxury retail stores such as Sephora, Ulta, and Nordstrom to name a few.

The term "premium" is used to distinguish these products from mass-market or drugstore beauty products.

To have your beauty brand be considered premium, a product must meet certain criteria, such as being made with high-quality ingredients, having unique packaging, and providing exceptional results.

amazon premium beauty gated

Which brands are included in the Premium Beauty Category, and why were they chosen?

The category includes a wide range of prestige brands. These high-end beauty brands were chosen for their quality, effectiveness, and luxury appeal. Some of the most popular brands in the category include La Roche-Posay, Embryolisse, and Grande Lash.

Here is the full list of Premium Brands

These brands are known for their luxurious formulations and high-end packaging. They offer a wide range of products that are sure to meet the needs of even the most discerning beauty lover.

In addition to these well-known brands, the category also includes several lesser-known but equally impressive brands.

This provides customers with a broad selection of products to choose from, ensuring that they can find the perfect product for their needs. Whether you're looking for a new skincare routine or want to experiment with a new makeup look, the premium beauty category has something for everyone.

How to sell on Amazon Premium Beauty?

The specific criteria for brands on Amazon Premium Beauty can vary, but there are some general guidelines that apply to most premium beauty brands.  These include:

  1. Approval: Brands sold at Ulta, Sephora, Nordstrom or Salons, Spas, Barbershops have higher probability to be accepted into the Premium / Professional Beauty program.

  2. Product Quality: Products listed in Amazon Premium Beauty must meet a certain standard of quality and authenticity, and must not infringe on any intellectual property rights.

  3. Brand Reputation: Brands must have a positive reputation and meet Amazon's requirements for brand protection.

  4. Product Listings: Listings must be accurate, complete, and comply with Amazon's listing guidelines for beauty products, including providing appropriate images and descriptions.

  5. Pricing and Availability: Prices must be competitive and in line with industry standards, and products must be available for immediate shipping.

At beBOLD, we can help you navigate these requirements and optimize your product listings to ensure that your brand is successful on Amazon Premium Beauty. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you meet the criteria and succeed on Amazon.

What is Amazon Brand Gating?

Amazon gating refers to the practice of restricting certain product categories on the Amazon marketplace, so that only approved sellers can sell items within those categories. Amazon implements gating restrictions as a way to ensure the quality, safety, and authenticity of products sold on its site.

Branding Gating is the #1 reason why most brands join the Amazon Vendor or Seller Premium beauty program.

The Premium Beauty is a gated section of the Amazon website that can only be accessed by authorized sellers. This means that third-party sellers are not able to sell products in this section. This is an "Authorized Seller Environment", which means that all products sold in this section must be brand new, authentic, and unopened.

Sellers who wish to sell products in gated categories must go through a strict approval process, which typically includes providing documentation such as invoices, product photos, and/or manufacturer information.

Amazon reviews the application and may require additional documentation or testing before approving the seller to sell within the gated category. Once approved, the seller may list products within the category and may be subject to ongoing compliance and performance standards.

Gating can be frustrating for some sellers, particularly those who are new to selling on Amazon or who specialize in products within gated categories. However, it is important to note that gating is intended to protect the Amazon customer experience and maintain the integrity of the marketplace.

By ensuring that all sellers meet certain standards, Amazon can provide customers with a better shopping experience and build trust in the platform.

Content Differences In The Premium Beauty Category:

  • Product detail requirements differ from traditional products sold on Amazon. You are allowed three bullet points versus six — Description, Benefit, and Suggested Use.
  • Description: 229 characters
  • Benefit: 115 characters
  • Suggested Use: 160 characters
  • Small images with icons or callouts are also allowed for the bullet points.

amazon-premium-beauty-attributes

Is Premium Beauty part of Vendor (1P) or Seller (3P)?

Amazon's Premium Beauty selection is available to both vendors and sellers, making it a 1P/3P marketplace. This category is a curated selection of high-end beauty products that must meet certain quality and performance standards to be included.

Vendors can apply to have their products featured in Premium Beauty, and sellers who are invited to participate can list their products under the Premium Beauty category.

Because this is a high-end category, it typically has higher prices and margins than other beauty categories on Amazon. As a result, it can be a lucrative opportunity for both vendors and sellers.

What are the categories for Amazon Premium Beauty?

Amazon Premium Beauty is a curated selection of high-end, luxury beauty products that are available exclusively on Amazon. The category includes a wide range of products from skincare and makeup to haircare and fragrance.

Some of the specific categories within Amazon Premium Beauty include:

  • Makeup: This category includes products such as foundation, mascara, lipstick, and eyeshadow from brands like Chanel, Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent.

  • Skincare: This category includes products such as cleansers, moisturizers, and anti-aging treatments from brands like La Mer, SK-II, and Sunday Riley.

  • Haircare: This category includes products such as shampoos, conditioners, and styling products from brands like Oribe, Bumble and Bumble, and Living Proof.

  • Fragrance: This category includes designer fragrances for both men and women, including brands like Tom Ford, Jo Malone, and Creed.

Amazon Premium Beauty offers a premium shopping experience for customers who are looking for high-end beauty products from some of the most renowned brands in the industry.

What happened to the "Luxury Beauty" category on Amazon?

The "Luxury Beauty" category on Amazon was renamed to "Premium Beauty" in 2019. This change was made to reflect the growing number of premium brands that were available on the platform and because

Amazon was creating the Luxury Stores to sell luxury fashion. The store was to include high-end brands such as Oscar de la Renta, Tory Burch, and Badgley Mischka.

How can my Beauty Brand join the Premium Beauty Category?

Contact Us Today!

 

What is Amazon Professional Beauty?

Note: the only difference a consumer can see on Amazon between Premium Beauty and Professional Beauty on Amazon are the badges (which I highly doubt consumers even see).

Professional Beauty contains products that can be found in professional settings like spas, salons, and dermatologist offices. Further divided into the Professional Skin Care and Salon & Spa categories, it contains all items a professional might use for their customer’s hair, skin, and nails.

With benefits like free shipping for beauty professionals, it provides a convenient destination to shop for high-quality products. 

amazon professional beauty gated

How can my Beauty Brand join the Professional Beauty Category?

Contact Us Today!

 

What is Amazon Indie Beauty?

With its vast customer base, Amazon provides an opportunity for smaller brands to stand out. The Indie Beauty category on the website gives these emerging products access and allows them not only to be seen but also to give customers what they want in terms of quality natural or unique items that no other store has available

The launch date was 2018 which means this new feature came about shortly after; it's just another way indie companies can get ahead by leveraging one major player who may otherwise ignore their business because there are so many others vying for attention.

If you are an indie beauty brand and would like to be considered for the Indie Beauty category, note that Amazon must invite your brand to participate.

How To Sell In The Indie Beauty Category:

  • Brand must be at least 50% owned by an independent operator
  • Brand must not be available at large retailers like Ulta, Sephora, Target, Walmart, or other major retailers
  • Brand must have an active Amazon storefront
  • All products must be Prime eligible

Amazon Premium Beauty Category: Frequently Asked Questions

What does Premium Beauty mean on Amazon?

Amazon's “Premium Beauty” program has a unique benefit for the brands that are enrolled: brand gating. This means that Amazon will restrict third-party resellers from selling gated brands' products.

What is premium beauty?

Per Amazon, Premium Beauty offers “a curated collection of the world’s most sought-after luxury brands,” such as K18 and JLO Beauty. The biggest advantage to joining the premium program is to help prestige brands maintain control over their brand image as well as crackdown on unauthorized 3rd party sellers of their products. 

What are premium beauty brands?

Assuming you're asking about luxury beauty brands, there are plenty of options out there to choose from. Amazon offers a wide selection of products, ranging from skincare and makeup to hair care and fragrance. Some of the most popular premium beauty brands available on Amazon include NARS, SK-II, La Roche-Posay, Herbivore Botan

Does Amazon have a beauty brand?

Yes, Amazon has 2 beauty brands of its own.  Belei by Amazon which is a skincare brand. Amazon Aware, which has everything from apparel to housewares to beauty products.

Amazon Premium Beauty Agency

 

beBOLD is Full Service Amazon Agency focused ONLY ON BEAUTY!  Our entire team has some experience in the beauty industry.  

If you're looking to take your beauty brand to the next level on Amazon, look no further than beBOLD. Our team of experienced professionals can help you maximize your potential on the platform with our full suite of services, including account management, SEO, image and A+ design, PPC and DSP ad management, and more.

Our focus on sustainable growth and profitability means that we're dedicated to helping our partners achieve long-term success on Amazon. Contact us today to learn more about how beBOLD can help your beauty brand thrive on Amazon and beyond.

 

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Do you want more growth?

Hey, we are beBOLD.   We are determined to make your Amazon & Walmart business grow.  Our only question is, will it be yours business?

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About Denny Smolinski

He is the CEO and founder of beBOLD Digital - A Full-Service Amazon and Walmart agency that focuses on Sustainable Growth and Profitability for Our Partners (clients).

Denny has been selling on Amazon since 2007 and has had to adapt for every change that Amazon has made along the way.   Amazon and Walmart are an ever changing environment and Denny has his beBOLD team ready to handle any and every challenge.

Is your brand having challenges with growth, profitability, advertising, reporting etc - If yes, please contact us today!

Contact Us Today!

Do you want more growth?

Hey, we are beBOLD.   We are determined to make your Amazon & Walmart business grow.  Our only question is, will it be yours business?

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