Leading global retail bank, payments, and shopping service, Klarna has partnered with global beauty retailer, Sephora to enable customers to use Klarna’s flexible payment options when shopping online in Australia.

To coincide with the partnership, Klarna has released new research that delivers insights into the country’s beauty habits and Covid’s impact on beauty trends and shopping behaviours.

Almost two-thirds (63%) of those surveyed say their shopping habits for beauty have not changed due to the pandemic. Of those changed, almost half are wearing less cosmetics than pre-Covid, 46% are shopping less and 45% are buying more online. Further, almost 50% of Australians surveyed admit to undertaking DIY beauty hacks in lockdown including haircuts and eyebrow waxing.

The research also revealed that Australian consumers are increasingly alert to ethical beauty issues with 54% actively looking for brands that care about the environment. Natural ingredients are important to many when it comes to selecting their beauty products, with 69% of those surveyed stating it as the most important purchasing consideration.

The research confirms that Australian shoppers’ love for beauty has remained high over the past year, but they are more discerning about the products they buy and use, according to Klarna Australia and New Zealand marketing director, Katrina Ang.

“While many shoppers switched to shopping online out of both necessity and convenience, it comes as no surprise that Australians are keen to return to in-person shopping and treatments post-lockdown,” she said.

“The past year has highlighted the importance of providing shoppers with an omnichannel approach, particularly for beauty. More than ever shoppers want to interact with retailers both online and in-store and we’re excited to work with our retail partners to deliver the seamless shopping experience consumers expect.”

Sephora Australia customers can now shop beauty products with Klarna online, with the added flexibility to Pay in 4, to spread cost for larger purchases.

Sephora Australia and New Zealand general manager, Beth Glancey said, “Our partnership with Klarna is an important step in further enhancing our shopping experience and giving customers more flexibility at checkout.”

According to the report, promotions and sales are the key drivers of beauty shopping behaviour across all age groups. The upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales will be a key purchasing period for the majority of beauty shoppers, with 76% of consumers identifying this as the time when they will buy beauty products.

Klarna combines the convenience of its flexible ‘Pay in 4’ service with smart app features like price drop notifications, reward points and exclusive deals. The Klarna app, which enables shoppers to Pay in 4 anywhere both in store and online, has been downloaded more than one million times in Australia, and local consumers have shopped at more than 25,000 retailers via the app.