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Industry Examples

Beauty & Personal Care Product Categories and IDs

Face makeup goes under Health & Beauty > Personal Care > Cosmetics > Makeup: lipstick is Google ID 3021 and eye shadow 2904. Hair dryers sit in Hair Care > Hair Styling Tools > Hair Dryers (490) and nail polish in Cosmetics > Nail Care > Nail Polishes (2683). Classify by what the product does, not by brand. IDs follow Google's product taxonomy, version 2021-09-21. WISEPIM's Category map links your own categories to these Google IDs.

Diego Nijboer · WISEPIM··Updated

Quick answers: which category does it belong to?

Common item types with their category path and official ID in the standard.
ItemCategory pathStandardID
Hair dryerHealth & Beauty > Personal Care > Hair Care > Hair Styling Tools > Hair DryersGoogle product taxonomy490
Hair brushHealth & Beauty > Personal Care > Hair Care > Hair Styling Tools > Combs & BrushesGoogle product taxonomy487
Eyeshadow paletteHealth & Beauty > Personal Care > Cosmetics > Makeup > Eye Makeup > Eye ShadowGoogle product taxonomy2904
LipstickHealth & Beauty > Personal Care > Cosmetics > Makeup > Lip Makeup > LipstickGoogle product taxonomy3021
Nail polishHealth & Beauty > Personal Care > Cosmetics > Nail Care > Nail PolishesGoogle product taxonomy2683
Manicure and pedicure setHealth & Beauty > Personal Care > Cosmetics > Cosmetic Tools > Nail Tools > Manicure Tool SetsGoogle product taxonomy6300
Foot care productsHealth & Beauty > Personal Care > Foot CareGoogle product taxonomy515
Pads, tampons and menstrual cupsHealth & Beauty > Personal Care > Feminine Sanitary SuppliesGoogle product taxonomy485
ShampooHealth & Beauty > Personal Care > Hair Care > Shampoo & Conditioner > ShampooGoogle product taxonomy543615
PerfumeHealth & Beauty > Personal Care > Cosmetics > Perfume & CologneGoogle product taxonomy479
Taxonomy

Beauty & Personal Care Category Hierarchy

Standard category structure used across major e-commerce platforms and marketplaces

Skincare

Skincare

Face Care
Cleansers
Moisturizers
Serums
Toners
Masks
Eye Cream
Sunscreen
Exfoliators
Body Care
Body Lotions
Body Scrubs
Body Oils
Hand Creams
Foot Care
Lip Care
Lip Balms
Lip Scrubs
Lip Masks
Makeup

Makeup

Face
Foundation
Concealer
Powder
Blush
Bronzer
Highlighter
Primer
Eyes
Eyeshadow
Mascara
Eyeliner
Brow Products
False Lashes
Lips
Lipstick
Lip Gloss
Lip Liner
Lip Stain
Nails
Nail Polish
Nail Care
Press-On Nails
Gel Systems
Hair Care

Hair Care

Cleansing
Shampoo
Conditioner
Co-Wash
Dry Shampoo
Treatment
Hair Masks
Hair Serums
Hair Oils
Leave-In Conditioner
Styling
Hair Spray
Hair Gel
Hair Wax
Mousse
Heat Protectant
Color
Permanent Color
Semi-Permanent Color
Root Touch-Up
Color Care
Fragrance

Fragrance

Women
Eau de Parfum
Eau de Toilette
Body Mist
Men
Eau de Parfum
Eau de Toilette
Aftershave
Cologne
Unisex
Gift Sets
Home Fragrance
Candles
Diffusers
Personal Care

Personal Care

Oral Care
Toothpaste
Mouthwash
Whitening
Deodorant
Bath & Shower
Shower Gel
Bath Bombs
Soap
Shaving & Grooming
Razors
Shaving Cream
Beard Care
Tools & Devices

Tools & Devices

Makeup Brushes
Hair Tools
Hair Dryers
Flat Irons
Curling Irons
Hair Brushes
Skincare Devices
LED Devices
Microcurrent Devices
Face Rollers
Accessories
Mirrors
Makeup Bags
Organizers
Classification Rules

How to Classify Beauty & Personal Care Products

Follow these rules to place products in the right categories, every time

  1. 1

    Classify by product function and target body area

    Always assign products based on what they do and where they are applied. A hydrating mist for the face is Skincare > Face Care, not Hair Care, even if it could theoretically be used on hair. Function and body area together determine the primary category.

    A tinted moisturizer with SPF is Makeup > Face > Foundation, not Skincare
    A lip scrub is Skincare > Lip Care, not Makeup > Lips
  2. 2

    Keep brand as an attribute, never as a category

    Brand should be a filterable attribute, not a category level. Creating brand-based categories leads to an unmanageable taxonomy and duplicated product types across many branches.

    Use Skincare > Serums with Brand: The Ordinary, not The Ordinary > Serums
    Use Makeup > Foundation with Brand: MAC, not MAC > Foundation
  3. 3

    Separate tools and devices from consumable products

    Beauty tools, brushes, and electronic devices must live under Tools & Devices, not alongside the products they are used with. A makeup brush belongs with tools even though it is used for applying foundation.

    A jade roller is Tools & Devices > Skincare Devices > Face Rollers, not Skincare > Face Care
    A nail file is Tools & Devices, not Nails > Nail Care
  4. 4

    Use skin type and concern as attributes, not categories

    Do not create separate categories for oily skin, dry skin, or anti-aging. These are product attributes and filter options. A moisturizer for oily skin is still Skincare > Face Care > Moisturizers with a Skin Type: Oily attribute.

  5. 5

    Differentiate fragrance by concentration type

    Fragrances must be categorized by concentration (EDP, EDT, Body Mist, Cologne) as subcategories, since concentration fundamentally changes the product. Gender is the first split, concentration is the second.

    Women > Eau de Parfum vs Women > Body Mist
    Men > Eau de Toilette vs Men > Cologne
  6. 6

    Keep nail products as a separate makeup subcategory

    Nail products (polish, treatments, press-ons, gel systems) form their own subcategory under Makeup rather than being scattered across Tools or Skincare. This matches how customers shop for nail products.

  7. 7

    Integrate men's grooming within the main taxonomy

    Do not create a completely separate men's section. Instead, place men's products in the appropriate functional category (Shaving & Grooming under Personal Care, Men under Fragrance) and use gender as an attribute where products overlap.

    Beard oil is Personal Care > Shaving & Grooming > Beard Care, not a separate Men's category
    Men's moisturizer is Skincare > Face Care > Moisturizers with Gender: Men
  8. 8

    Treat clean beauty and certifications as attributes

    Clean, organic, vegan, cruelty-free, and similar designations should be filterable attributes, not separate categories. A clean beauty serum is still Skincare > Serums with attributes like Vegan: Yes, Cruelty-Free: Yes.

  9. 9

    Separate professional from consumer product lines

    Professional-grade products (salon-only, high concentration treatments) should share the same category structure as consumer products but use a Product Line attribute (Professional vs Consumer) for differentiation.

  10. 10

    Assign multi-purpose products to their primary function

    Products marketed for multiple uses (e.g., a lip and cheek tint) should be categorized by their primary use case. Use tags or secondary assignments for cross-merchandising rather than creating multi-purpose categories.

    A lip and cheek tint is primarily Makeup > Lips > Lip Stain with a tag for cheek use
    A shampoo and body wash combo is Hair Care > Cleansing > Shampoo with a multi-use attribute
Attribute Mapping

Required Attributes by Category

Make sure your product data is complete with the required and recommended attributes for each category level

SkincareFace CareSerums
Required
Skin Typee.g. All, Oily, Dry, Combination, Sensitive
enum
Key Ingredientse.g. Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin C, Niacinamide
text
Volumee.g. 30 ml
text
Skin Concerne.g. Hydration, Anti-Aging, Brightening, Acne
enum
Recommended
Texturee.g. Gel, Oil, Water-Based
enum
Application Methode.g. Dropper, Pump, Rollerball
enum
Fragrance-Freee.g. Yes
boolean
Cruelty-Freee.g. Yes
boolean
MakeupFaceFoundation
Required
Shade Rangee.g. Fair 01, Medium 15, Deep 40
text
Finishe.g. Matte, Dewy, Satin, Natural
enum
Coveragee.g. Sheer, Medium, Full
enum
Volumee.g. 30 ml
text
Skin Typee.g. All, Oily, Dry, Combination
enum
Recommended
SPFe.g. 15
number
Undertonee.g. Cool, Warm, Neutral
enum
Formulatione.g. Liquid, Cream, Powder, Stick
enum
Transfer-Proofe.g. Yes
boolean
Hair CareCleansingShampoo
Required
Hair Typee.g. Normal, Oily, Dry, Curly, Color-Treated
enum
Volumee.g. 250 ml
text
Key Ingredientse.g. Keratin, Argan Oil, Tea Tree
text
Concerne.g. Volume, Moisturizing, Anti-Dandruff, Repair
enum
Recommended
Sulfate-Freee.g. Yes
boolean
Paraben-Freee.g. Yes
boolean
Scente.g. Coconut, Citrus, Unscented
text
Vegane.g. Yes
boolean
FragranceWomenEau de Parfum
Required
Volumee.g. 50 ml, 100 ml
text
Scent Familye.g. Floral, Oriental, Woody, Fresh, Gourmand
enum
Concentratione.g. Eau de Parfum
enum
Top Notese.g. Bergamot, Pink Pepper
text
Recommended
Heart Notese.g. Rose, Jasmine, Iris
text
Base Notese.g. Musk, Vanilla, Sandalwood
text
Longevitye.g. 4-6 hours, 8-12 hours, All Day
enum
Seasone.g. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, All Year
enum
MakeupNailsNail Polish
Required
Colore.g. Red, Nude, Black, French White
text
Finishe.g. Cream, Shimmer, Glitter, Matte, Metallic
enum
Volumee.g. 14 ml
text
Formulatione.g. Regular, Quick-Dry, Gel Effect, Peel-Off
enum
Recommended
Vegane.g. Yes
boolean
Free-Frome.g. 10-Free, 7-Free, 5-Free
text
Drying Timee.g. 60 seconds
text
Chip Resistante.g. Yes
boolean
Tools & DevicesMakeup Brushes
Required
Brush Typee.g. Foundation, Powder, Contour, Blending, Lip
enum
Bristle Materiale.g. Synthetic, Natural, Duo-Fiber
enum
Handle Materiale.g. Wood, Metal, Bamboo, Plastic
enum
Recommended
Set Sizee.g. 12
number
Travel-Friendlye.g. Yes
boolean
Vegane.g. Yes
boolean
Case Includede.g. Yes
boolean
Common Mistakes

Beauty & Personal Care Classification Pitfalls to Avoid

Avoid these common categorization errors that hurt product discoverability

  • Mistake

    Using brand names as categories (e.g., creating a MAC or L'Oreal category instead of using brand as a filterable attribute)

    Better approach

    Always keep brand as a product attribute. Use functional categories like Makeup > Face > Foundation and let customers filter by brand. This scales better and prevents category explosion as you add more brands.

  • Mistake

    Mixing tools and brushes with the products they apply (e.g., placing makeup brushes in the same category as eyeshadow palettes)

    Better approach

    Create a dedicated Tools & Devices top-level category. Customers shopping for a foundation brush have different needs than those shopping for foundation itself. Cross-link with tags if needed.

  • Mistake

    Creating separate categories for skin types (e.g., Dry Skin Moisturizers, Oily Skin Cleansers as categories)

    Better approach

    Keep skin type as a filterable attribute on products. A moisturizer is always Skincare > Face Care > Moisturizers regardless of which skin type it targets. This prevents duplicate category branches.

  • Mistake

    Mixing professional and consumer products in undifferentiated categories without any distinguishing attribute

    Better approach

    Use the same taxonomy for both but add a Product Line attribute (Professional, Consumer) so salon buyers and everyday consumers can filter accordingly.

  • Mistake

    Misclassifying fragrances by putting all perfumes in one flat category without concentration-level distinctions

    Better approach

    Subcategorize by concentration (EDP, EDT, Body Mist, Cologne) since they differ significantly in longevity, price point, and use case. Gender should be the first split, then concentration.

  • Mistake

    Handling shade ranges as separate SKUs without structured color data or shade numbering

    Better approach

    Use a structured shade attribute with consistent naming (e.g., Shade Number, Shade Name, Undertone) so that shades can be grouped, compared, and filtered properly across products.

  • Mistake

    Categorizing products by ingredient rather than function (e.g., creating a Retinol category or a Hyaluronic Acid category)

    Better approach

    Categorize by function (Anti-Aging Serum, Hydrating Serum) and list key ingredients as searchable attributes. Customers rarely shop by single ingredient alone.

  • Mistake

    Creating a separate category for gift sets and bundles instead of linking them to their component categories

    Better approach

    Place gift sets under the primary product category (e.g., Fragrance > Gift Sets) and tag component products. This keeps navigation clean while enabling discovery through both the set and its individual items.

  • Mistake

    Isolating all men's products in a separate top-level category, duplicating the entire taxonomy

    Better approach

    Integrate men's products into the functional taxonomy (Skincare, Hair Care, Personal Care) and use Gender as an attribute. Only Fragrance warrants a gender-level split because shopping behavior genuinely differs.

  • Mistake

    Treating seasonal and limited edition products as permanent categories (e.g., Holiday Collection, Summer Glow)

    Better approach

    Use the standard category structure and add a Collection or Season attribute. Limited editions should be merchandised through tags and landing pages, not permanent taxonomy changes.

How to Categorize Beauty & Personal Care Products

Follow these steps to categorize your Beauty & Personal Care products correctly for e-commerce and marketplace requirements

  1. 01

    Import Your Beauty Product Catalog

    Connect your e-commerce platform or upload your product feed with product names, descriptions, ingredient lists, and images. WISEPIM automatically parses beauty-specific data points like shade names, volumes, and key ingredients to prepare for AI-powered categorization.

  2. 02

    AI Classifies Products by Function and Body Area

    WISEPIM analyzes product titles, descriptions, ingredient lists, and images to assign each item to the correct category. The AI distinguishes between skincare and makeup, recognizes fragrance concentrations, and identifies tools versus consumable products.

  3. 03

    Enrich Attributes Automatically

    Based on the assigned category, WISEPIM populates required attributes like skin type, key ingredients, volume, and shade information. Missing attributes are flagged for manual review to ensure your catalog meets marketplace requirements.

  4. 04

    Review, Approve & Publish

    Review AI suggestions in bulk, make adjustments where needed, and publish your categorized catalog across all sales channels. Category mappings for Google Shopping, Amazon, and other marketplaces are generated automatically so your products appear in the right place everywhere.

See how AI categorization works in WISEPIM
Free plan

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Sign up for the free plan and apply this guide to your own products: build your category tree, let AI suggest a category for each product, and map your categories to Google's product taxonomy.

  • 100 products and 50 AI credits a month on the free plan
  • Import products from a CSV file or a connected store
  • AI categorization assigns categories, or suggests them for you to review first
  • The category map links your categories to Google product categories
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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Beauty & Personal Care product categorization

Start by separating your catalog into functional top-level categories: Skincare, Makeup, Hair Care, Fragrance, Personal Care, and Tools & Devices. Within each, subdivide by body area or product type -- for example, Skincare splits into Face Care, Body Care, and Lip Care, while Makeup splits into Face, Eyes, Lips, and Nails. Capture ingredient lists, skin/hair type compatibility, and regulatory data (such as INCI lists and EU Cosmetic Regulation compliance) as structured attributes to support both marketplace requirements and consumer transparency. AI-powered tools like WISEPIM can analyze product descriptions and ingredient lists to automatically classify items and flag missing compliance data, reducing categorization time significantly.

Start with broad functional categories (Skincare, Makeup, Hair Care, Fragrance, Personal Care, Tools & Devices) and subdivide by body area or product type. Keep your taxonomy to 3-4 levels of depth. Use attributes for brand, skin type, ingredients, and certifications rather than creating additional category branches. This structure scales well from a few hundred products to tens of thousands.

Ingredients should be searchable, filterable attributes rather than categories. A Vitamin C serum belongs in Skincare > Face Care > Serums with Key Ingredient: Vitamin C as an attribute. This allows customers to filter by ingredient across categories and prevents the taxonomy from fragmenting as ingredient trends change.

Assign multi-purpose products to their primary use case. A lip and cheek tint goes under Makeup > Lips with a tag indicating it can also be used on cheeks. A moisturizer with SPF is Skincare > Face Care > Moisturizers with SPF as an attribute. Use cross-merchandising tags rather than creating multi-use categories.

The essential attributes vary by category but generally include: Volume/Weight, Key Ingredients, Skin/Hair Type, Concern (what it treats), Finish or Texture, and Free-From claims (paraben-free, sulfate-free). For makeup, add Shade Range and Coverage. For fragrance, add Scent Family, Concentration, and Notes. Always include Cruelty-Free and Vegan status.

Yes. Modern AI models can analyze product names, descriptions, ingredient lists, and images to classify beauty products, and they work best when that data is complete. WISEPIM uses AI to read product data and automatically assign items to the correct taxonomy node, identify the right attributes, and flag products that need manual review. This reduces categorization time from hours to minutes.

Treat clean beauty, organic, natural, vegan, and cruelty-free as filterable product attributes rather than separate categories. This lets customers who prioritize these values filter across all product types while maintaining a clean, functional taxonomy. Add structured fields for certifications (Leaping Bunny, COSMOS Organic) to support compliance.

Use a structured shade attribute system with Shade Number, Shade Name, and Undertone (Cool, Warm, Neutral) fields. Group all shades as variants of a single parent product rather than creating separate product entries. This enables shade matching tools, comparison features, and accurate inventory management.

No. Duplicating the entire taxonomy for men's products creates maintenance overhead and confuses cross-gender shoppers. Instead, integrate men's products into the functional taxonomy (a men's moisturizer is Skincare > Face Care > Moisturizers) and use Gender as a filter attribute. Only Fragrance benefits from a gender-level category split because browsing behavior genuinely differs.

Build your internal taxonomy around product function and body area, then create mapping tables to each marketplace. Google Shopping uses Health & Beauty > Personal Care > Cosmetics with specific product types. Amazon uses Beauty & Personal Care with its own subcategory tree. WISEPIM can automate this mapping so you maintain one canonical taxonomy that feeds all channels.

Store INCI ingredient lists, safety warnings, and regulatory classifications as structured product attributes rather than category-level data. These should be searchable and exportable for compliance reporting. Include fields for EU Cosmetic Regulation compliance, FDA status (if selling in the US), and any allergen declarations required by your target markets.

Best Beauty & Personal Care Categories for Ecommerce

Discover the top-performing Beauty & Personal Care product categories ranked by demand, margins, and growth potential.

Map Beauty & Personal Care products to a global taxonomy

Got your own category tree? Map it to the standards that marketplaces, ad platforms, and data partners actually require.

Explore More Industry Guides

Printable checklist

Start in 15 minutes

Get every live product into the right category

Start with a 15-minute count of products with no category, or only a top-level one. You get two numbers, like 140 products, 12 in your top 100. Then 5 steps for the rest of the week.

How it works

  1. Filter products with no category or only a top-level one.
  2. Check how many of them are in your top 100 sellers.
  3. Write both numbers, such as '140 products, 12 in the top 100'.

One email, once, with a link to the printable checklist. Nothing else unless you tick the box.

Free Excel template

XLSX · 3 sheets

See which of your 20 best sellers are incomplete

An Excel check with the columns beauty & personal care products need. In about 15 minutes you know how many of your 20 are complete, and the one fix that helps the most rows.

How it works

  1. Paste 20 best sellers from your shop export into Products.
  2. Fill in what you know. The last column says what each row is missing.
  3. Read your result on Start here: how many are complete, and the fix that helps most rows.

One email, once, with the XLSX attached and as a download link. Nothing else unless you tick the box.

Keep exploring

Hand-picked next steps to go deeper.

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