How do cosmetic brands and products influence individual identity?

In contemporary society, cosmetics serve not only as tools for aesthetic enhancement, but also as powerful symbols in the construction and expression of individual identity and social belonging. This study examines how cosmetic brands and products contribute to identity formation by investigating how consumers integrate brand values, pricing, and product recommendations into their self-concept. Oriented by Social Identity Theory (Tajfel Stokburger-Sauer et al., 2012) and Consumer Culture Theory (Arnould H2 (Brand Distinctiveness) predicts that brands seen as more unique will elicit greater consumer–brand identification; and H3 (Brand Warmth) predicts that perceptions of emotional warmth will increase alignment between self-concept and brand identity. By employing a combination of regression analyses, interaction models, and mediation tests, the study interprets indicators, such as review ratings, product pricing, and recommendation behavior, as proxies for consumer-brand identification and as reflections of consumers' identity alignment. The findings reveal that while price has a modest negative influence on consumer evaluations, recommendation status shows a strong positive impact on review ratings. In addition, significant interactions between specific brand groups and recommendation behaviors indicate that certain brands uniquely facilitate the alignment between consumers' self-image and the brand identity, supporting the notion that consumers use cosmetic consumption as a means to improve their social belonging and self-definition. These results not only deepen our understanding of the cultural and social mechanisms underlying cosmetic consumption, but also underscore the role of consumer–brand identification in modern identity formation. The implications point to more consumer-centered and inclusive marketing practices that recognize the symbolic power of cosmetics in identity expression.