What categories make sense for cosmetics navigation?
Muhammed Tüfekyapan
Founder & CEO
TL;DR - Quick Answer
Complete Expert Analysis
What Categories Make Sense for Cosmetics Navigation?
Navigation categories should match how customers mentally organize beauty products - which is by product type, skin concern, and sometimes brand. Internal inventory categories (SKU-based, supplier-based) are irrelevant to how shoppers think.
Standard Cosmetics Navigation Structure
| Top Level | Sub-Categories |
|---|---|
| Skincare | Cleansers, Toners, Serums, Moisturizers, SPF, Eye Cream, Face Masks, Exfoliators |
| Makeup | Foundation, Concealer, Blush, Eyeshadow, Eyeliner, Mascara, Lipstick, Setting Spray |
| Body | Body Lotion, Body Wash, Scrubs, Hand Cream, Deodorant |
| Hair | Shampoo, Conditioner, Hair Masks, Styling, Scalp Treatments |
| Shop by Concern | Acne, Anti-Aging, Brightening, Dry Skin, Sensitive Skin, Dark Circles |
| New & Featured | New Arrivals, Bestsellers, Sale, Gift Sets |
Navigation Decisions to Make
Depth: 2 vs. 3 levels
Two levels (Skincare > Serums) works for most stores. Three levels (Skincare > Serums > Vitamin C Serums) is justified only for very large catalogs where the third level meaningfully narrows choice.
Feature "bestsellers" prominently
A "Bestsellers" or "Most Popular" navigation item helps first-time visitors who don't know your catalog. Often one of the highest-traffic nav items.
Sale/offers visibility
A "Sale" nav item highlighted in a different color (often red) has disproportionate click rates. Include when you have meaningful promotions running.
Limit top-level items to 5-7
More than 7 top-level items exceeds human working memory and creates navigation paralysis. Combine related categories or push less-important ones to a secondary navigation location.
Validating Your Navigation Structure
Run a tree testing exercise with 5-10 customers: can they find specific products using only your navigation? Patterns of confusion reveal where categories are misnamed, mis-grouped, or missing. This qualitative validation is faster and more insightful than relying purely on analytics data.
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With over a decade of experience in e-commerce optimization, Muhammed founded Growth Suite to help Shopify merchants maximize their conversion rates through intelligent behavior tracking and personalized offers. His expertise in growth strategies and conversion optimization has helped thousands of online stores increase their revenue.
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