Short answer
- Of 26 distinct sources ChatGPT linked across five beauty shopping answers, 10 were brand websites and 11 were retailers (Ulta, Sephora, Target, Walmart, YesStyle).
- Medical and patient organisations (AAD, National Eczema Association, PubMed Central) appeared for skin-condition questions.
- One editorial site was linked; no forum or social pages were linked in this sample.
- Small sample, one engine, one run per prompt: read it as a pointer, not a market share.
What we did
On 10 October 2026 we asked ChatGPT's public web interface, logged out in a fresh browser profile with a US locale, five shopping questions of the kind beauty customers ask, each requesting five recommendations with sources. We logged every external link in each answer and counted each domain once per answer. We ran the same prompts in Gemini's public web interface (Flash-Lite); it answered without showing source links, so it is not included in the counts.
The results
| Prompt (shortened) | Sources linked | Brand websites | Retailers | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fragrance-free moisturiser for eczema-prone skin | 6 | cerave.com, laroche-posay.us, vanicream.com, vaseline.com | — | aad.org, nationaleczema.org |
| Niacinamide serum for oily, acne-prone skin | 6 | cosrx.com | sephora.com, target.com, ulta.com | aad.org, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov |
| Korean sunscreen for oily skin, no white cast | 7 | beautyofjoseon.com, roundlab.com, skin1004.com | target.com, ulta.com, yesstyle.com | glamour.com (editorial) |
| Sulfate-free shampoo for colour-treated curly hair | 3 | — | sephora.com, ulta.com, walmart.com | — |
| Long-wearing foundation for deep skin tones | 4 | fentybeauty.com, narscosmetics.com | sephora.com, ulta.com | — |
Totals: 26 source links — 10 brand websites (38%), 11 retailers (42%), 4 medical or patient organisations (15%), 1 editorial site (4%).
What it suggests for beauty brands
- Your own product pages are sources. Ten of 26 links went to brand sites — so product pages with clear ingredients, fit and claims are worth the effort.
- Retailer listings carry weight. Ulta appeared in four of five answers and Sephora in three. Retailer product data should match your site exactly.
- Condition questions pull in medical sources. For eczema and acne, ChatGPT linked dermatology and patient organisations. Claims-safe, evidence-based copy fits that context.
- Do not over-read it. Larger samples, other prompts and other engines may cite forums and editorial sites far more; five prompts on one engine cannot settle that.
Limits
- Five prompts, one run each, one engine (ChatGPT, logged out). Answers vary between runs, accounts and dates.
- We counted linked sources, not every source the model may have read.
- We have no commercial relationship with any brand or retailer named here.
Want this for your own category? The free AI snapshot runs your shoppers' prompts on four engines.