Localized Insights And Growth Opportunities For Beauty Brands

Key Takeaways

• US: Prestige fragrance sales are up by 19% YoY.[1] Gen Z is revitalizing this category, with a wave of indie brands like PHLUR and Boy Smells bringing excitement back into the space. While Valentine’s and Mother’s Day are key promotional opportunities, National Fragrance Day on March 21st is a chance for retailers to promote newness at full price.
• UK: Hair products are set to replace the ‘lipstick effect’ as the next affordable luxury that Brits are after, projected to grow by a CAGR of 4.5% over the next five years.[2] The skinification of hair has contributed to this category’s growth, with “scalp” featuring in 6% of all hair products in stock on June 12th, 2023.
• CN: After three years of COVID-19 restrictions, luxury retail is being revived in China. 28% of Chinese customers prefer to buy premium or luxury beauty products,[3] with skincare dominating. Aside from the Lunar New Year, key promotional dates include 520, unofficial Valentine’s Day, as well as 618 Shopping Festival, China’s second- largest shopping event after Singles’ Day.
• IN: The ancient medical system of Ayurveda is driving India’s beauty boom, which is projected to reach $17.5bn by 2025.[4] Ayurvedic brands, such as Forest Essentials and Fable & Mane, are becoming popular worldwide, with the latter being the first South Asian-owned hair care brand to launch at Sephora.
• AU: Consumers are becoming increasingly interested in organic ingredients, with “natural” and “vegan” featuring in 14% and 13% of all skincare product descriptions in stock on June 12th, 2023. Sun protection is also a huge focus, with National Skin Cancer Action Week on November 20th an opportunity for retailers to educate customers on the importance of using SPF.

Overview

The beauty market is expected to reach approximately $580bn by 2027, growing by a projected 6% each year[5]. To scale successfully, omnichannel expansion and internationalization will be critical for gaining further market share. A major growth opportunity across regions will be products and services in the top tier of the pricing pyramid – the true luxury and ultraluxury beauty market, which has remained relatively inflation-proof so far.

United States – Luxury Fragrances

Prestige fragrances are growing steadily in the US following its pandemic-era jump, with NPD reporting that sales are up by 19% YoY already[1]. Creed commands the exit price for fragrance at the majority of analyzed retailers, including Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom, as being $1,260.00. Coty also reported that its fragrance division is 60% above pre-pandemic levels[6], It’s not just beauty. Fragrance is ‘booming in the US,’ Coty CEO says. – Yahoo Finance buoyed by Gen Z who are rediscovering this category and using fragrance not just on their skin, but on their clothes and outfits. Consumers are also gravitating towards higher concentrations which last longer and carry a higher price tag, amplifying revenue growth. Indie brands are also disrupting the space, with Sephora, who already stock PHLUR, Boy Smells and DedCool, heavily focused on bringing more of them into its assortment mix this year. Fragrance prices at the retailer range from $12 – $940, with the median advertised full price of all perfumes lying at $98.07. TikTok has caused many niche scents, such as Phlur’s Missing Person scent, to sell out overnight.

Currently Retailing

2024 Key Promotional Dates

In 2022, prestige fragrance sales in the two weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day reached nearly $270mn, growing by 24% versus the same time in 2021[7]. But with more consumers buying fragrances for themselves, retailers should use national days such as National Fragrance Day on March 21st to highlight their latest drops and encourage consumers to gift themselves as an act of self-care.

Date	Event
Feb 14	Valentine’s Day
Mar 21	National Fragrance Day
May 12	Mother’s Day
Jun 16	Father’s Day
Dec 3	Candle Day
Dec 25	Christmas

How to Action:

Multi-brand retailers should invest in more premium fragrance brands to ensure a healthy mix of prestige household names, such as Tom Ford, and upcoming indie brands that are resonating with customers on social platforms. Fragrances can also have higher margins, especially in the prestige market, which can generate more revenue for retailers and brands. In order to capitalize on the prestige fragrance boom, beauty brands developing new product should premiumize their offering by focusing on higher concentrations and mood-boosting scents, in adddition to  expanding their exit-level prices. Retailers should use National Fragrance Day on March 21st to promote fragrances at full price, reserving any promotions for major holidays, including Valentine’s Day and Christmas.

United Kingdom – Haircare

The UK haircare market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% over the next five years[2]. In fact, hair products are on track to replace the ‘lipstick effect’ as an affordable luxury. The Hut Group revealed that in October 2022, searches for hair rollers, hair straighteners and hair oils increased by 103%, 47% and 60% YoY, respectively, while lipstick saw the biggest decline[8]. The skinification of hair has contributed to this category’s overall growth as consumers are investing in a multi-layered approach to haircare, akin to skincare routines, with “scalp” featuring in 6% of all hair product names in stock on June 12th, 2023. The industry is also focused on addressing a wider spectrum range of hair types to be more inclusive and cater to Afro and Type 4 hair types, which require more hydrating ingredients.

Currently Retailing

2024 Key Promotional Dates

While popular holidays and events such as Mother’s Day and Black Friday are prime opportunities for retailers to offer discounts on specialized haircare treatments and gift sets, brands should also focus on national days like Good Hair Day on March 26th and National Hair Day on October 1st to educate their audience on how to properly care for their hair type and create informative posts on the latest haircare trend, hair cycling.

Date	Event
Mar 10	Mother’s Day
Mar 26	Good Hair Day
Jul	Amazon Prime Day
Oct 1	National Hair Day
Nov 29	Black Friday
Dec 25	Christmas

How to action

As consumers prioritize hair and scalp health as part of holistic wellness routines, ensure that your offering includes treatments, such as scalp oils, that address these concerns to capitalize on this area’s growth. Shampoo and conditioner remain staple products that your consumers will continue to buy; make sure your offering is diverse and caters to all hair types, from coiled to straight. Brands should endeavor to use recyclable and eco-friendly packaging materials and incorporate wellness-focused ingredients, such as adaptogens and vitamins, to promote hair health from within. 

China – Premium Skincare

Luxury retail is being revived in China after three years of COVID-19 restrictions, and it is projected that China’s beauty and skincare market will grow by 5% to $98bn this year[8]. Approximately 28% of Chinese customers prefer to buy premium or luxury products[3], with Chanel, Guerlain, Sisley, La Mer and Helena Rubinstein the top five prestige skincare brands in terms of sales of growth of Tmall, Taobao and Douyin combined[8]. Coty is also focused on accelerating its skincare business in the region, naming it a key driver for China, and recently launched Lancaster’s ultra-premium skincare line Ligne Princiere.

Currently Retailing

2024 Key Promotional Dates

Shopping events are huge drivers for sales in China. The Lunar New Year is the most important holiday and is the perfect opportunity for brands to launch limited-edition collections, offer special promotions and update bestsellers in unique packaging. 520 Valentine’s Day in May and Qixi Festival in August both center around the theme of love, with luxury makeup, skincare and fragrances key gifts. As for major discounting events, 618 Shopping Carnival in June and Singles Day in November are popular dates for ecommerce promotions and discounts.

Date	Event
Feb 10	Chinese New Year
Feb 14	Valentine’s Day
May 20	520
Jun 18	618 Shopping Carnival
Aug 10	Qixi Day*
Nov 11	Single’s Day
Dec 12	Double 12

*dates may vary

How to Action:

Digitization is a crucial factor in China’s expansion. As such, prestige brands looking to succeed in the space should continue to explore the potential of China’s popular ecommerce and social media platforms, including Tmall and WeChat, along with hosting livestreams to drive brand education and sales conversion. Participating in major shopping events such as the 618 Shopping Festival is also lucrative, driven by top ecommerce platforms including JD and Taobao.

India – Ayurvedic

India’s beauty market is projected to reach $17.4bn by 2025[4], driven by rising income levels and India having the world’s largest population of young people. Boosted by consumers’ growing interest in wellness post-pandemic, traditional Indian ingredients and the ancient Indian medical system of Ayurveda are resonating with a wider audience. The global Ayurvedic market is projected to reach $21.12bn by 2028, up from $6.5bn in 2020[9], with indie brands leading the charge. Haircare brand Fable & Mane went viral on TikTok in 2020 and became the first South Asian-owned hair care brand to launch at Sephora.

Currently Retailing

2024 Key Promotional Dates

Retailers can create gifting edits for religious holidays such as Eid Al-Fitr and Diwali, where gifting is a large part of celebrating the occasion. Consider placing Oud fragrances, a symbol of love in Islam, within your gifting edits. Candles are a great gift for Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.

Date	Event
Feb 14	Valentine’s Day
Apr 8	Eid al-Fitr*
Jul 17	Muharram New Year
Oct 31	Diwali

*dates may vary

How to Action:

Retailers in India and other countries outside the UK and US should seek to add more local, ayurvedic brands into their brand assortment mix as part of their wellness offering. Demand for products that suit Indian skin types and hair is increasing and remains largely unfulfilled by international brands, presenting an opportunity for local brands to excel inthe space. Brands and retailers who are looking to tap into the Indian beauty market should respect the country’s major religious holidays and  promote appropriate gifts for the occasion, such as candles for Diwali.

Australia – SPF & Skincare

The Australian skincare market is projected to witness a CAGR of 3.39% for the forecast period between 2023 and 2030[10] and the number of people who have purchased skincare products in the last six months has grown from 7.3 million in November 2021 to 7.8 million in February 2023[11]. Consumers are growing increasingly interested in sustainable and organic ingredients, with “natural” and “vegan” featuring in 14% and 13% of all skincare product care descriptions in stock on June 12th, 2023, respectively. Interest in A-beauty products is also fueled by antioxidant ingredients like kakadu plum, deep-cleansing pink clay, and macadamia oil. Sun protection is also a huge area of concern for consumers, with revenue in the Sun Protection segment amounting to US $258.60m in 2023[12].

Currently Retailing

2024 Key Promotional Dates

As Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer globally, it is important for retailers in the region to educate their customers on the importance of using SPF during National Skin Cancer Action Week, which runs from November 20th – 26th. World Reef Awareness Day on June 1st is also an excellent opportunity to promote coral-safe sunscreen that uses non-toxic UV filters which won’t harm coral. EOFY, Afterpay Day sale and Click Frenzy are also all major sale periods in the region, with the latter known as the ecommerce version of Black Friday.

Date	Event
Mar	Afterpay Day Sale
Apr	Vogue Online Shopping Night
Jun	Stocktake Sale/EOFY
Jun 1	World Reef Awareness Day
Aug	Afterpay Day Sale
Nov	Click Frenzy
Nov 20 – 26	National Skin Cancer Action Week

How to Action:

Australian sunscreens are considered superior, with Aussie-label Ultra Violette gaining cult status in the UK. International retailers should look to Australian indie brands they can offer as part of their global brand assortment, particularly SPF products that target younger consumers. To tap into the growing clean and green beauty trend, brands should also use natural ingredients within skincare products, such as Kakadu plum and Australian sweet almond oil, and consider applying for accreditation or certifications from reputed institutions that will lend more credence to sustainable product claims.

In Summary

Across the globe, consumers are spending more on beauty products as part of affordable luxuries, incentivizing brands to premiumize their offerings and drive revenue. To gain further market share, geographic expansion is critical. To create a winning assortment, retailers and brands must better understand localized markets and the key product trends driving growth. While global dates such as Valentine’s Day are a huge driver for beauty sales worldwide, particularly prestige fragrance and makeup, each region has its own key promotional dates essential for growth, such as Singles Day in China. 

How EDITED Can Help

EDITED’s Merchandising Experience platform brings the world’s most comprehensive beauty market data insights into pricing, promotions, assortment and marketing activity together with a business view into product preferences, marketing touch points, location preferences, costs, returns, reviews, shopping behaviour, loyalty, profitability, and more. We bring you closer to your customers so you can drive localization, personalization and profit-driving actions.

ABOUT EDITED

EDITED is the world’s leading AI-driven merchandising experience platform that empowers brands and retailers with real-time decision-making power that drives profits and inspires customers. We help retailers increase margins, generate more sales and drive better outcomes through AI-driven Market and Enterprise Intelligence to fuel Automation. By connecting business analytics and external market data, retail’s most successful brands and retailers use EDITED’s Platform to get closer to their best customers and future-proof their business.

References

1. The Companies Behind Fashion’s Biggest Fragrances – NPD by Business of Fashion
2. UNITED KINGDOM HAIR CARE MARKET SIZE & SHARE ANALYSIS – GROWTH TRENDS & FORECASTS (2023 – 2028) – Mordor Intelligence
3. Preference to buy premium or luxury items in selected Asia-Pacific countries in 2022, by type – Statista
4. Why India’s beauty market is turning heads – Euromonitor International via Vogue Business
5. The beauty market in 2023: A special State of Fashion report – McKinsey
6. It’s not just beauty. Fragrance is ‘booming in the US,’ Coty CEO says. – Yahoo Finance
7. Fragrance is the Gift that Lasts, Long After Valentine’s Day – NPD via CEW
8. Prestige Brands to Lead China’s Beauty Market Growth in 2023 – Euromonitor International via WWD
9. Global Ayurvedic Market Size By Product (Drugs, Hair Care Products, Health Care Products), By Distribution Channel (Supermarkets, Pharmacies, Departmental Stores), By Geographic Scope And Forecast – Verified Market Research
10. Australia Skin Care Market Assessment – Market Research
11. The Rise of the Skincare Market: What’s Next for Beauty’s Latest Frontier? – Tracksuit
12. Sun Protection – Australia – Statista