Frequently Bought Together for Beauty & Skincare Shopify Stores

frequently bought together beauty products on Shopify
frequently bought together beauty products on Shopify

Selling frequently bought together beauty products on Shopify is one of the fastest ways to grow your average order value without spending more on ads. But most beauty brands get it wrong. They suggest random products instead of building bundles around how their customers actually use skincare.

Your customer finds your Vitamin C serum. They like it. They add it to cart. They check out. One product. One sale.

But that customer probably needed a cleanser, a moisturizer, and SPF sunscreen to go along with it. They just didn’t feel like hunting through 40 product pages to figure out what works together.

That’s the gap FBT fills. You’re not pushing random add-ons. You’re handing them the exact routine their skin needs — and making it dead simple to buy the whole thing at once.

This guide is for beauty founders and marketing teams who want a real skincare bundle strategy they can launch this week. No vague advice. You’ll get actual revenue data from two live Shopify stores, a step-by-step setup walkthrough with screenshots, and the exact bundle formats that are working right now.

Why FBT Works Differently for Beauty

In most ecommerce categories, FBT is basic upselling. “You bought a phone case, here’s a screen protector.” It works fine, but it’s nothing special.

Beauty is a completely different game. Skincare products aren’t standalone items — they’re part of a system. Nobody uses just a serum by itself. They cleanse first, apply the serum, moisturize after, and finish with SPF. Each product depends on the one before it.

That’s what makes beauty FBT on Shopify so much more effective than regular cross-selling. You’re not suggesting random extras. You’re completing a routine the customer already wants to follow.

Here’s why this matters for your store:

It drives repeat purchases. Customers who follow a full routine get better results. Better results bring them back.

It matches real behavior. Skincare shoppers already think in routines. Your FBT section mirrors what’s in their head.

It kills decision fatigue. New customers don’t know which serum pairs with which moisturizer. You solve that instantly.

It builds trust. A logical routine suggestion feels like expert advice, not a hard sell. That’s what good cosmetics cross sell should feel like.

The Real Insight

The best beauty cross-sell doesn’t feel like selling at all. It feels like a knowledgeable friend saying “you’ll need this too.” That’s exactly what routine-based FBT does — and it’s why it outperforms generic “you may also like” widgets every time.

Real Store Data: What FBT Actually Does to Revenue

Let’s skip the theory. Here’s what happens when real Shopify beauty stores turn on FBT recommendations. This is data from two stores using Oxify’s product page upsell features — one based in India, one in the UK.

Store 1: UK Beauty Brand

Product Page Upsell Analytics — UK-based beauty store using Oxify Cart Drawer

This store runs the full stack — cross-sell, FBT, and product add-ons all active at the same time:

  • Frequently Bought Together Revenue: £9,642.30
  • Cross-Sell Revenue: £3,284.75
  • Product Add-on Revenue: £2,157.40
  • 2,934 upsell items sold across 1,486 orders
  • Total Upsell Revenue: £15,084.45

Even with all three upsell types running, FBT alone accounts for 64% of total upsell revenue. It outperforms basic cross-sells by nearly 3x and product add-ons by over 4x.

£15K+

Total upsell revenue (UK store)

64%

Revenue from FBT alone

2,934

Upsell items sold

Store 2: Indian Beauty Brand

Product Page Upsell Analytics — Indian skincare store using Oxify Cart Drawer

The numbers here are clear:

  • Frequently Bought Together Revenue: ₹6,395.60
  • 67 upsell items sold across 24 orders
  • Average Order Value (with upsells): ₹266.48
  • Cross-Sell Revenue: ₹0 | Product Add-on Revenue: ₹0

Look at that last line. Cross-sell and product add-on revenue are both at zero. The FBT widget is doing all the heavy lifting. That tells you something important: when beauty customers see routine-based recommendations, they actually buy. Generic “you might also like” suggestions? Not so much.

Takeaway for Founders

If you’re going to run one type of product page upsell, make it FBT. Both stores — different countries, different currencies, different scales — show the same pattern. Routine-based “frequently bought together” recommendations consistently outperform basic cross-sells and add-ons for beauty products.

The Skincare Routine Framework Your Bundles Should Follow

Before you build a single bundle, understand the framework your customers already follow. Most skincare routines use a layered approach where each product preps the skin for the next one.

  1. Cleanse — Remove dirt, oil, and makeup to start fresh
  2. Tone — Balance pH and prep skin for better absorption
  3. Treat — Apply actives like Vitamin C, retinol, or niacinamide (this is the serum application order step)
  4. Hydrate — Lock in moisture with a cream or lotion
  5. Protect — SPF sunscreen for morning routines

This “cleanse, tone, moisturize, protect” sequence is the backbone of every solid skincare bundle strategy. When your bundles follow this natural order, the FBT suggestions feel obvious to the customer — not forced or random.

☀️ Morning Routine🌙 Night Routine
Gentle Cleanser
Vitamin C Serum
Lightweight Moisturizer
SPF 50 Sunscreen
Oil Cleanser or Balm
Retinol Serum
Hydrating Night Cream
Eye Cream

When someone views your cleanser page, showing the serum and moisturizer as frequently bought together beauty products feels completely natural. You’re not selling harder. You’re making it easier to buy the routine they already want.

5 Bundle Types That Actually Convert

Not all bundles perform equally. These five formats consistently work best for beauty brands on Shopify.

1. The Complete Routine Bundle

This is the highest performer across the board. You package every step of a skincare routine together.

Example — Brightening Routine

Step 1: Vitamin C Cleanser → Step 2: Vitamin C Serum → Step 3: Brightening Moisturizer → Step 4: SPF 50

The customer sees the entire routine mapped out. No guesswork. Offer a 10–15% discount, show total savings clearly, and give them a one-click “add all to cart” button.

This kind of beauty FBT Shopify bundle works best on product pages for hero products. Serums make the best anchors because they naturally connect to cleansers (before) and moisturizers (after) in the routine.

2. Concern-Based Bundles

Many shoppers don’t browse by product type. They search by problem: “how to treat acne,” “best products for dark spots,” “dry skin routine.”

Build bundles that speak directly to those concerns:

Acne Treatment Set

  • Salicylic Acid Cleanser
  • Niacinamide Serum
  • Oil-Free Moisturizer

Anti-Aging Regimen

  • Gentle Cream Cleanser
  • Retinol Serum
  • Peptide Eye Cream
  • SPF Moisturizer

This is one of the strongest cosmetics cross sell approaches. You’re positioning products as a complete solution. The customer isn’t buying three separate items — they’re buying an acne treatment set or a hydration bundle that solves their specific problem.

3. AM / PM Routine Bundles

Splitting by time of day simplifies the decision. Morning routines focus on protection — Vitamin C, lightweight textures, SPF sunscreenNight routines focus on repair — retinol, peptides, rich creams.

The bonus: you can sell two bundles to the same customer. One for morning. One for night. That can double the order value from a single shopping session.

4. Starter Bundles for New Customers

First-time buyers freeze when they see 30+ products. They don’t know your brand. They don’t know which products work together. So they either buy one safe item or leave entirely.

A starter bundle fixes that. Keep it tight — cleanser, serum, moisturizer. Three products. One clear routine. Consider offering travel size or sample bundle options so the price feels low and approachable.

Pro Tip

Pair starter bundles with a skin type quiz or product finder. Based on the answers — skin type, concerns, budget — recommend a specific bundle. This creates a personalized routine experience that typically converts 2–3x higher than generic product pages. Brands like Function of Beauty have proven this funnel works at scale.

5. Upgrade Bundles

The customer already added your Vitamin C Serum to cart. Now you show:

“Complete your brightening routine — add these 2 products and save 15%.”

This works because they’ve already committed. The upgrade builds on that momentum. You’re turning a single-product purchase into a 3-product routine sale — and the customer feels good about it because they’re getting a complete system, not random upsells.

Where to Place Bundles for Maximum Sales

What you bundle matters. Where you show it matters just as much. Top-performing beauty stores run three placement layers simultaneously.

Product Page — The #1 Spot

Place your frequently bought together beauty products Shopify widget right below the product description or near the add-to-cart button. The customer is already considering a purchase. A routine suggestion at that moment feels like helpful guidance, not a sales tactic.

Use specific labels: “Complete Your Vitamin C Routine” or “This Serum Works Best With” — not vague “You May Also Like” headers. Specific copy converts significantly better.

Cart Drawer — The Momentum Moment

Once a product is in the cart, the customer has said “yes” once already. The cart drawer is perfect for suggesting one more routine product.

Keep it to 1–2 suggestions. “Your routine is almost complete — add Eye Cream?” works without being pushy. The UK store data above shows that combining product page FBT with cart drawer suggestions creates the highest total upsell revenue.

Post-Purchase — The Zero-Risk Upsell

After checkout, offer a discounted routine product on the thank-you page. “Add our Hydrating Night Cream — 20% off, this order only.”

This doesn’t touch your primary conversion rate. It’s pure bonus revenue on top of a completed sale.

Dedicated Routine Landing Pages

Some of the smartest Shopify beauty brands create standalone pages for their top bundles:

  • Acne Treatment Routine page
  • Hydration bundle landing page
  • Anti-aging regimen collection page
  • Holiday edition gift set seasonal page

These pages capture organic search traffic for bundle-related keywords and give shoppers a focused buying experience. They also work great as landing pages for paid ads and email campaigns.

Cross-Category Bundles: Skincare + Makeup

This is a gap most beauty stores miss entirely. FBT doesn’t need to stay within skincare. Some of the best-converting bundles cross the line between skincare and makeup.

Think about it from the customer’s perspective. If they’re buying a foundation, they likely need:

  • makeup primer for smooth application
  • setting spray to lock everything in
  • brush set for proper application

Lip products follow the same logic — lipstick plus liner plus gloss is a natural “complete your look” bundle.

Here’s the clever play: cross-sell skincare into makeup purchases. Someone buying foundation probably isn’t thinking about skincare. But a gentle cleanser paired with a hydrating primer bridges both categories — and introduces your skincare line to a customer who came for makeup.

This type of cosmetics cross sell opens up bundle combos most competitors aren’t running. That means higher AOV and more product discovery across your entire catalog.

How to Set Up Your First FBT Bundle (Step by Step)

Let’s get practical. Here’s exactly how to set up a routine-based FBT bundle on your Shopify store. We’ll use Oxify as the example since the real store data above comes from brands running it.

Product page offer with add-ons

Setting up a product page offer in Oxify — choose between Cross-sell, Frequently Bought Together, or Product Add-on, then customize the title, button text, and preview the widget live

  1. Install your FBT app. Go to the Shopify App Store and install Oxify Cart Drawer, Frequently Bought Together by CBB, or another app from the comparison table below. If you also want dedicated product bundles, Oxify Product Bundles is built specifically for that.
  2. Choose your offer type. As shown in the screenshot, apps like Oxify let you pick between Cross-sell, Frequently Bought Together, and Product Add-on. For routine bundles, select “Frequently bought together.”
  3. Pick your anchor product. Start with your best seller — usually a serum or cleanser. This is the product page where the FBT widget shows up.
  4. Build the routine around it. If the anchor is a Vitamin C serum, add the cleanser that preps for it, the moisturizer that follows, and the SPF that completes the morning routine. Stick to 2–3 recommended products.
  5. Set your discount. 10–15% off the bundle. Enough to motivate the purchase. Not enough to hurt margins.
  6. Write specific copy. Change the default “You may also like” to something routine-focused: “Complete Your Vitamin C Routine” or “These 3 Products Work Together.” The title and button text are customizable (see the Content section in the screenshot).
  7. Choose placement. Product page is the priority. If your app supports cart drawer placement (Oxify does), enable that too for a second upsell layer.
  8. Publish and watch the data. Give it 7 days. Then check your upsell analytics dashboard — the same kind of dashboard shown in the store data section — to see what’s converting and what revenue it’s generating.

How Long Does This Take?

Most store owners get their first FBT bundle live in under 30 minutes. The technical setup isn’t hard — the strategy behind it is what matters. Start with one bundle on your top product page, collect a week of data, then expand based on what the numbers tell you.

Best Shopify Apps for Beauty FBT

You don’t need to code anything. These apps handle the technical work — you focus on picking the right products and writing good copy.

AppBest FeatureStarting PriceBest For
Oxify Cart DrawerFBT on product pages + cart drawer upsells + auto free gifts at spend thresholds + volume discounts. Also see Oxify Product Bundles for dedicated bundle pages.Free trial, ~$19.99/moBeauty stores wanting FBT + cart-stage upsells in one app
Frequently Bought Together (CBB)AI-powered recommendations + manual bundle creation + one-click add~$9.99/moHigh-volume beauty stores
RG Frequently Bought TogetherBehavior-based suggestions with simple setup~$4.99/moNewer skincare brands on a budget
K: Cross Sell Related ProductsCustomizable FBT widget layouts and designs~$9.99/moBrands wanting custom cosmetics cross sell design

The right pick depends on your needs. Want product page FBT plus cart drawer upsells plus free gift triggers in one tool? Oxify covers all three. Only need a product page FBT widget? CBB or RG work great at a lower price point.

Using Data to Build Better Bundles Over Time

The best beauty FBT Shopify strategies aren’t built on hunches. They’re built on what customers actually do after you launch. Shopify’s behavior reports give you a starting point, and your FBT app’s dashboard fills in the detail.

Here’s what to track:

  • Products bought in the same order — Your FBT app surfaces these patterns. These are your strongest natural pairs. Start here.
  • Cart add-on behavior — What do customers add after their first product? That’s your most natural cross-sell path.
  • Repeat purchase combos — If someone buys your cleanser first and returns for the serum two weeks later, bundle those for the next customer.
  • Bundle uptake rate — Which bundles are people actually clicking and buying? Double down on winners. Rework or remove the rest.
  • AOV with vs. without upsells — The Oxify dashboard tracks this automatically (see “Avg Order Value with Upsells” in the screenshots). Compare it to your baseline AOV to measure real dollar impact.

Test One Thing at a Time

Swap one product in a bundle. Change the discount from 10% to 12%. Rewrite the headline from “You may also like” to “Complete your morning routine.” Small changes sometimes produce big lifts. Give each test at least 7 days before deciding.

Your bundles should evolve monthly based on real purchase behavior — not what you assumed customers would want when you first set things up.

Bundle Pricing Psychology: How to Set Discounts That Convert

Most beauty brands pick a random discount number — “let’s do 10% off” — and leave it. That’s leaving money on the table. The way you structure your bundle pricing directly affects how many customers choose the bundle over a single product.

The Tiered Discount Framework

Tiered discounts work better than flat discounts because they reward the customer for buying more. Here’s a framework that works well for beauty stores:

Bundle SizeDiscountWhy It Works
Buy 2 products10% offLow commitment. Gets the customer into the habit of buying routine pairs.
Buy 3 products15% offThe sweet spot. Most complete routines have 3 core products. This is your target tier.
Buy 4+ products20% offFull routine buyers. Higher discount is justified because these customers have the highest lifetime value.

Why This Works Psychologically

The tiered structure creates a pull effect. A customer looking at a 2-product bundle sees they could save more by adding one more item. That “just one more product to unlock the next tier” feeling is powerful — it’s the same psychology behind free shipping thresholds.

For beauty specifically, it also matches natural behavior. A customer who buys a cleanser and serum is already 80% of the way to a complete morning routine. Showing them they’ll save an extra 5% by adding the moisturizer often tips the decision.

Show the Savings, Not Just the Discount

Don’t just say “15% off.” Show the actual dollar amount saved. “Save $12.50 with this bundle” is more concrete and motivating than a percentage. Customers process dollar amounts faster than percentages, especially on mobile where they’re making quick decisions.

Margin Check

Before setting your tiers, calculate your blended margin across the bundle products. If your average margin is 65%, a 15% bundle discount still leaves you at a healthy 50% margin — and the increased volume usually more than compensates. If your margins are tighter, start at 8% / 12% / 15% tiers instead.

Subscriptions + Bundles: The Recurring Revenue Play

Here’s something most beauty founders overlook: skincare products run out. A moisturizer lasts 6–8 weeks. A serum maybe 4–6. SPF sunscreen even less if they’re applying it daily.

That’s a massive opportunity to pair FBT bundles with subscriptions.

When a customer buys a 3-product hydration bundle, offer a “subscribe and save” option for automatic delivery every 4–8 weeks. The math works out fast:

  • One-time bundle purchase: $60
  • Same bundle on monthly subscription at $54 (10% off): $648/year
  • That’s roughly 10x the lifetime value from the same initial sale

Shopify subscription apps like Recharge, Loop, or Seal pair well with FBT tools. Some FBT apps also support integrations so you can show the subscription toggle right next to the bundle widget.

For beauty brands, this turns the skincare bundle strategy from a one-time AOV boost into a compounding revenue engine that keeps growing month over month.

Subscription options and pricing details

6 Mistakes That Kill Bundle Conversions

Even experienced beauty brands get tripped up by these. Avoid them from the start.

❌ Too Many Products in One Bundle

Bundles with 5+ products feel expensive and overwhelming. The sweet spot is 2–4 items. A focused routine converts better than a mega kit that makes customers do mental math.

❌ Pairing Unrelated Products

Lipstick with sunscreen? Foundation with a cleanser? These pairings confuse people. Every product in a bundle needs a clear “why” — they should belong in the same routine or solve the same concern.

❌ No Routine Explanation

Don’t just list product names. Show the steps: Step 1 Cleanse, Step 2 Treat, Step 3 Hydrate, Step 4 Protect. Labels build confidence and make your brand look like it knows what it’s doing.

❌ Ignoring Mobile

Most beauty shopping happens on phones. If your FBT widget is hard to tap, scrolls poorly, or loads slowly on mobile — you’re losing the majority of potential bundle sales.

❌ Using Generic Headlines

“You may also like” is forgettable. “Complete your Vitamin C routine” tells the customer exactly what they’re looking at. Specific copy always converts better than generic copy.

❌ Set-and-Forget Bundles

Best sellers change. Seasons change. Customer preferences shift. Review bundle performance monthly and update based on real data — not last quarter’s assumptions.

Advanced Strategies for Growing Brands

Once the basics are working, these tactics push your results further.

Ingredient Matching Bundles

Group products by active ingredient. A “Niacinamide Routine” with a niacinamide toner, niacinamide serum, and barrier repair moisturizer tells the ingredient matching-savvy customer everything works together at a formulation level. This plays especially well in the clean beauty and vegan skincare space.

Mix-and-Match Custom Bundles

Not every customer wants the same three products. If your brand sells multiple variants — different serum strengths, moisturizer textures, or SPF levels — let shoppers build their own routine from a curated selection.

The structure is simple: you define the categories (pick a cleanser, pick a serum, pick a moisturizer), and the customer fills in their preferences. This works especially well for brands with shade ranges, fragrance options, or tiered active ingredient concentrations.

Apps like Oxify Product Bundles let you set up these build-your-own bundle pages where customers select from approved products in each routine step. The result feels personalized without the complexity of a full quiz funnel. It also reduces returns because the customer chose exactly what they wanted.

Event-Driven Bundles

Beauty purchases spike around events — weddings, proms, holidays, vacations. Create bundles that match those moments:

  • “Pre-Wedding Glow Kit” — exfoliator, hydrating mask, brightening serum, makeup primer
  • “Vacation Ready Bundle” — travel size cleanser, SPF 50, after-sun moisturizer, lip balm
  • “Date Night Prep” — sheet mask, illuminating primer, setting spray

These bundles tap into emotional purchase triggers. The customer isn’t just buying skincare — they’re preparing for a moment that matters to them. That emotional connection drives higher conversion rates and makes these bundles very shareable on social media too.

Seasonal and Limited Edition Kits

Create urgency with time-bound offers. A “Winter Repair Bundle” with rich creams and lip balm sells from November through February. “Summer SPF Essentials” with lightweight sunscreen and setting spray moves fast in warmer months. Holiday edition gift sets are especially powerful for Q4.

Quiz-to-Bundle Funnels

Add a skin type quiz or product finder to your store. Based on answers — oily vs. dry, acne vs. aging, minimal vs. multi-step — recommend a specific bundle. This creates a personalized routine experience that typically converts 2–3x higher than generic product pages.

Free Gift Thresholds

Some apps (including Oxify Cart Drawer) let you trigger automatic free gifts when cart value reaches a set amount. For beauty: “Spend $75, get a free mini serum.” Customers will add that extra bundle item to hit the threshold — lifting AOV naturally without a discount on the bundle itself.

Your Launch Checklist

Ready to get your first routine-based FBT bundle live this week? Follow this order.

  • Pull your Shopify order data and find which products are already bought together
  • Map your catalog into routine steps (cleanse, tone, treat, hydrate, protect)
  • Create 3 starter bundles: one complete routine, one concern-based, one beginner kit
  • Install a Shopify FBT app (Oxify Cart Drawer, CBB, or RG)
  • Set up your first product page offer anchored on your best seller
  • Write specific widget copy — “Complete Your [Product Name] Routine”
  • Set bundle discount at 10–15%
  • Enable cart drawer cross-sell with 1–2 add-on suggestions
  • Test everything on mobile — tap every button, scroll every widget
  • Track AOV, bundle uptake, and upsell revenue for the first 7 days
  • A/B test one variable after 2 weeks of baseline data
  • Review and refresh all bundles monthly based on purchase patterns

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Frequently Bought Together mean for Shopify beauty stores?

FBT is a product recommendation feature that shows complementary items on your product pages. For skincare brands, it suggests other products from the same routine — like a toner and moisturizer alongside a cleanser — so customers can build a full regimen in one click.

How many products should a beauty bundle include?

2 to 4 products. Anything more overwhelms shoppers and drops conversion rates. Each bundle should focus on one routine or one skin concern.

What discount works best for skincare bundles?

10–15% off the combined price. Tiered discounts (buy 2 save 10%, buy 3 save 15%) also work well to push customers toward the larger bundle.

Where should FBT recommendations appear on my store?

Three spots work best: on the product page near add-to-cart, inside the cart drawer as a last-chance add-on, and on dedicated routine landing pages.

Do FBT bundles actually increase average order value?

Yes. The real store data in this article shows FBT generated £9,642 for one UK beauty store — 64% of all upsell revenue. Typical AOV lifts are 10–30%.

Can I use FBT for makeup too, or just skincare?

FBT works great for makeup. Pair foundation with primer and setting spray, or lipstick with liner and gloss. You can also cross-sell skincare into makeup purchases.

What’s the difference between FBT and regular cross-selling?

Cross-selling suggests loosely related products. FBT recommends products that are commonly purchased together and work as a system. For beauty, FBT converts better because customers naturally buy in routines.

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