The cosmetic industry has done it tough in recent times, however, a recent report by marketing researcher NPD and French Federation of Selective Perfumery shows that cosmetic products are not all suffering equally. New research shows there’s a clear definition between the products that are staying strong, and the ones that are falling behind.
Out of all categories, the French report points to perfumes as area of most concern with women’s fragrances decreasing by 1.4 per cent in value, while men’s have decreased by 1.8 per cent in the first five months of 2012. This was a shock to hear after the number of major fragrance launches that have happened this year.
Moving on from the not-so-sweet perfumes, the report shows that caring for the skin is a must with skincare sales staying stable. However, what sits on top of our skin doesn’t seem as important, with make-up seeing sales decrease by 0.2 per cent.
Moving away from negative figures, the cosmetics sector did see one colourful category grow. Nail products saw an increase in sales by 2.2 per cent. And the growth in the category isn’t just in France, with Women’s Wear Daily reporting that Aussie sales for nail polish were also up by 59 per cent in the first 10 months of 2011.
When looking at what’s selling the best in the cosmetics market, and it’s not surprising that shiny, colourful and affordable lacquers have made their way to the top of the pyramid, reminiscent of the lipstick effect”. Consumers are obviously staying true to their skincare brand of choice but might not be as loyal to their make-up brands - moving around to find cheaper alternatives or swapping their new shade of lippie for a cheaper shade of polish instead.
What are the products you’d swap and save when money’s tight?
