Alberta residents spend more on beauty products than anyone else in Canada, according to an October 2026 report on cosmetics spending. The newly released study by Laserbody MD set out to find where Canadians don’t hold back when it comes to makeup, skin care and fragrance products.
- Alberta households spend nearly C$530 a year on beauty products, the most in Canada and around 60% above the national average.
- Almost 50% of British Columbians’ personal care budget goes toward beauty products, the highest share of any province.
- People in Quebec spend the least on self-care products, putting aside just C$245 for cosmetics items.
The research examined all Canadian provinces to find where households spend the most money on beauty products. It looked at spending on makeup, skin care, manicure and fragrance items together as one combined category. It also compared each province’s beauty spending against the national average, how big a slice of the personal care budget goes to beauty products, and how that fits into overall household spending. Provinces were then ranked from highest to lowest by their yearly beauty spending.
Here’s a look at the 10 provinces where Canadians spend the most on beauty products:
| Province | Beauty/Household (C$) | Vs Canada Average (%) | Product Mix (%) |
| Alberta | 527 | +62.2 | 42.06 |
| British Columbia | 440 | +35.4 | 47.46 |
| Nova Scotia | 315 | -3.1 | 36.25 |
| Saskatchewan | 299 | -8.0 | 31.94 |
| Ontario | 290 | -10.8 | 42.46 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 285 | -12.3 | 31.18 |
| Manitoba | 277 | -14.8 | 28.27 |
| New Brunswick | 250 | -23.1 | 35.01 |
| Prince Edward Island | 248 | -23.7 | 36.90 |
| Quebec | 245 | -24.6 | 34.85 |
You can access the complete research findings here.
1. Alberta
- Average yearly beauty spending: C$527
- Spending vs. the Canada benchmark: 62% above the national average
- Personal care budget going to beauty products: about 42%
Alberta residents are most obsessed with beauty products. People here spend up to C$530 a year on makeup, skin care, and fragrance products, roughly C$200 more than what a typical Canadian household spends on the same items. Albertans also set aside more for personal care products overall, spending over C$1,250 on those essentials, and beauty items make up a larger share of that budget, at around 42%.
2. British Columbia
British Columbians also have a thing for personal beauty products. Residents here spend about C$440 a year on manicure and makeup, around 35% above the national average. Beauty supplies also make up close to half of everything a BC household spends on personal care overall. No other province actually comes close to that share.
3. Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is next on the list. Households here spend about C$315 a year on beauty products such as skincare and fragrance, or roughly C$26 a month. This is actually close to the national spending levels for cosmetics. But beauty products still make up a solid chunk of the personal care budget here, taking up a bit more than a third of it.
4. Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan residents spend nearly C$300 on beauty products annually. Families here put over C$930 a year toward personal care products overall, and beauty items make up a good portion (32%) of that. The rest goes toward everyday essentials like shampoo and deodorant, meaning Saskatchewan households take a more balanced approach to self-care spending.
5. Ontario
Ontario rounds out the top five provinces for beauty spending. People here budget around C$290 a year for skin care, fragrance, and other similar products. Personal care spending overall comes to around $680 annually, and beauty supplies take up over 40% of that. This means while residents here generally spend less on self-care, they still budget a bigger share for beauty products than those in Saskatchewan.
A skincare expert from Laserbody MD commented on the study:
“Makeup and fragrance products are part of most people’s daily routine at this point, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But a few habits can make a difference in how those products treat your skin. The expiration date is where everyone should look first. Old makeup can build up bacteria over time, and expired products have tested positive for things like E. coli. Another common mistake is applying makeup on skin that hasn’t been cleansed properly, or on skin that’s already dealing with acne. That combination tends to make breakouts worse instead of covering them up.”