A report from Mintel in 2023 flagged that over 48% of emerging beauty brands in India had launched more than 10 SKUs within their first year. While this may look like a growth strategy, in most cases, it results in internal fragmentation: fragmented budgets, split attention, and confused consumer journeys. Too many SKUs dilute a brand’s identity. The hero product gets lost in the noise. Sales staff struggle to communicate clear benefits. Consumers abandon carts mid-browse not due to lack of interest, but indecision.  

According to Google Trends, search interest in “best product from brand” has increased by 36% YoY. That’s not just curiosity. It’s confusion. When consumers ask which product to try first, it’s often because the brand hasn’t made that choice obvious. This insight is supported by a 2023 report published by Mintel, which provides in-depth analysis of evolving beauty consumer behavior and product strategy trends.

From Overwhelm to Optimization: Real-World SKU Management 

Admigos has worked with several D2C beauty brands struggling with bloated portfolios. Using Admigos SKU analytics, we run performance audits across digital channels, looking at micro-metrics like add-to-cart rate by SKU, scroll depth per product page, and influencer mention frequency. When product portfolios are shaped by performance, not just potential, brands win.

How Admigos Analytics Helps Streamline Your Product Portfolio

Admigos is more than a visual content partner it’s a decision-making engine. Our SKU analytics module was built to help beauty brands identify:

This isn’t just spreadsheet logic. We combine visual data: how users engage with packaging visuals or motion swatches, with behavioral signals: wishlist adds, swatch saves, bounce rate after texture reveal. The insight is sharper than sales data alone. Because in beauty, how a product is perceived often outweighs what it claims to do.

Checklist: Is Your SKU Portfolio Working for You?

Before launching your next product, run through this SKU audit checklist powered by Admigos strategy logic:

Brands that run this checklist quarterly typically avoid the cycle of launch-regret-discontinue that haunts so many shelves.

What the Experts Say: The Case for Simplification

According to Dr. Alisha Rana, cosmetic chemist and product formulator for several clean beauty lines in Europe: “Most brands overestimate the need for variety. What customers really want is reliability. One serum that works across conditions is more powerful than five for specific concerns that sound good in theory but overwhelm in practice.”

This insight mirrors what Admigos sees in consumer behavior across digital: visual memory strengthens when product structure is minimal. You can’t build recall when your product ladder is always shifting. That’s why many beauty conglomerates are shifting toward “pillared portfolios” tight, clearly defined categories with minimal overlap. Ignyte outlines five brand pillars essential for building a successful and enduring brand.

Portfolio Planning as Brand Strategy

SKU optimization is not just about inventory. It’s about brand clarity. The brands that scale fast without burning out usually have one of two things: a hero product strategy or a system strategy. Admigos helps identify which one you’re positioned for and what to retire to support that path. SKU pruning isn’t reduction. It’s refinement.

What Makes Admigos SKU Analytics Different

Unlike traditional analytics dashboards that focus on sell-through or revenue by SKU, Admigos integrates visual behavior tracking.

This multi-layered approach reveals why a product performs and not just how much. And once you know the why, scaling it becomes easier. One unique Admigos insight we’ve seen across brands: shimmer-based textures hold attention 1.8x longer than matte textures in video content. So if your next SKU is matte and sits low on engagement, maybe it’s not the formula. It’s the finish.

The THRVE Perspective

If you want to dig deeper into SKU behavior and launch strategy, the THRVE section on our site offers multiple breakdowns from launch pacing to campaign cadence. Articles like Avoiding SKU Overload and Designing One-Hero Product Pages uber the Brand's section explore how simplifying visual hierarchy and portfolio logic not only improves conversions but builds lasting memory with your audience. In an age of scroll-speed branding, clarity isn’t optional. It’s your competitive edge.

Final Word: Small Portfolios, Stronger Brands

Beauty moves fast. But that doesn’t mean you need to chase every trend with a new SKU. Sometimes, the most strategic thing a brand can do is pause, prune, and perfect what’s already working. Consumers crave consistency. And algorithms reward simplicity.

Admigos helps beauty brands create smarter portfolios and not just pretty campaigns. Because success isn’t built on how much you launch. It’s built on how clearly you communicate what you already offer.