South Africa, July 7 -- Based on buyer-intent prompts run through ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews in Q1 2026, the index ranks the top 25 beauty brands by citation share, the percentage of AI answers that mention each brand when consumers ask questions like "best retinol for beginners" or "best vitamin C serum".

AI-led purchases

5W analysed 80+ common beauty-buyer prompts across five sub-categories - skincare, makeup, fragrance, hair care, and retailers - run daily through the five AI chatbots.

It also tracked specialist beauty editorial (Allure, Byrdie, Vogue, Elle), dermatologist-bylined editorial, retailer-owned content, beauty-business press, and beauty communities on Reddit and TikTok.

"Beauty is the l...