PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y.—The total U.S. prestige beauty in 2010 generated $8.4 billion, an increase of 4 percent in dollars, compared to $8.19 billion in 2009, according to beauty market research conducted by The NPD Group Inc., a market research company. The fragrance industry was down 10 percent from 2008 to 2009; but things are looking up, as The NPD Group reported a 1 percent increase from 2009 to 2010. Skincare also experienced a nice leap in sales: it was down 4 percent from 2008 to 2009 and it up 8 percent from 2009 to 2010. Makeup enjoyed a 3-percent increase from 2009 to 2010, topping out at $3.2 billion.
Sweet Smelling Success
Dollars grew more than 1 percent versus 2009 in the prestige fragrance sector, its first annual gain since 2006. Juices (excludes fragrance ancillary or gift set items) grew 4 percent for both men and women, which helped drive the overall performance of more than1 percent for both. Fragrances launches were up more than 3 percent, driven by men’s fragrance launches, which grew more than 10 percent. Gift sets, which have traditionally been the better performing segment in prestige fragrance, declined in both the women’s (-1 percent) and the men’s (-5 percent) market.
Skincare: Better, Faster, Stronger
Prestige skincare ranked yet again as the strongest performer among the three prestige beauty categories. Skincare not only gained back what it had lost during the recession, but the category also surpassed pre-recession levels. Launches, which grew more than 30 percent, were a major contributor to the total prestige skincare increases, as well as anti-aging products, which grew more than 12 percent. Premium face products, ($75 and above), experienced a +7-percent dollar increase from 2009.
Powder Room Progress: Makeup
Prestige makeup experienced category growth for the first time in two years. Fueled by the double-digit growth of offerings from primers to anti-aging face products, to rich color options in lip and nail, five of the six segments within makeup posted growth. Three segments either met or outpaced category growth: Face (+3 percent), Lip (+3 percent), Nail (+39 percent), Eye (+2 percent) and Other Color (+1 percent) grew, but slightly behind the category. Gift sets declined in dollars, but had a unit growth of +3 percent.
Karen Grant, vice president and senior global industry analyst, The NPD Group, said: “In 2010, prestige beauty saw a quick recovery in skincare, followed by a gradual upturn in makeup, and finally, a late-year rally in fragrance. Individually and collectively, as an industry, we saw adroitly and strategically deployed initiatives in product, placement and pricing that worked to re-engage consumers in prestige, both in stores and online. It is the type of multi-pronged and multi-faceted action that will be key to driving the prestige beauty market in 2011."