CHICAGO—Well, it looks like the eyes are more than just clichéd window to the soul. According to Mintel, eye makeup is the driver for color cosmetic sales, and is the responsible party for boosting flat and declining lip and foundation makeup purchases. Sales have increased by 38 percent since 2004, compared to an 11-percent increase in the color cosmetics market overall.
More than half of respondents surveyed by Mintel reported using mascara (65 percent), making it one of the fastest growing segments in color cosmetics. Eye shadow and eye liner aren’t trailing too far behind, with 63 percent of women surveyed using shadow and 62 percent using liner. Thirty-eight percent of women reported using brow pencils.
“The focus is now on more dramatic eyes,” said Kat Fay, senior beauty analyst at Mintel. “Mascara products are offering everything from serums to invigorate your natural lashes, to iridescent particles that reflect light to bring out a woman’s natural eye color. Retailers’ offerings seem to be working, as women report using mascara almost five times a week.”
While eye makeup leads the pack in sales, other segments of the market are still viable. Lipstick and lip gloss are the most popular color cosmetic products, with 76 percent of survey respondents. Twenty-two percent use a lip pencil, 9 percent use a lip stain and 7 percent use a compact lip color. Women report using lipstick and lip gloss six times a week, suggesting these products are a daily must-have.
“Incidence of lipstick or lip gloss usage increases with age,” added Fay. “As women get older, lip color is a relatively easy way to brighten up the face without having to put on a face full of makeup.”
While four out of five women report using makeup, only 31 percent state their makeup buying behavior hasn’t changed as a result of the economy. Fay suggests r utilizing environmentally friendly packaging to attract consumers and jumpstart the stalling beauty market.