Sales of beauty products in the selective channel in France (products sold in department stores and specialty chains perfume brands) continued to decrease in the first half of 2013, in the wake of the downward trend recorded in 2012.

Sales down

According to The NPD Group, sales of fragrances and cosmetics perfumes have declined by 1.5% in value in 2013 compared to the first half of 2012. Among the three main segments only makeup resisted (+0.2%), while fragrances dropped by 1.7% (-1.0% for women’s fragrances and -2.8% for women’s fragrances) and skin care products dropped by 2.3%. Compared to other European countries, the market in France is now very close to the Spanish one, which is declining by 1.7%, but is better than in Italy (-3.4%). In contrast, sales in the UK remain dynamic with an increase of 5.9%.

Eye products drive sales

For the first half of 2013, makeup for the eyes clearly stand out from the mass with its dynamism, on the contrary, last year the nail segment was the most dynamic,” says Mathilde Puszka, Beauty Analyst at The NPD Group. However, it is important to note that the NPD Group’s figures only cover nail varnishes that are sold by prestige brands (Dior, Chanel, Estee Lauder, etc..) and do not take into consideration varnish products sold exclusively in certain chains or department stores, or retailers’ private label brands.

The NPD Group figures also show that, beyond makeup "classics" such as mascara, sales growth actually concerns all types of eye makeup products such as eye shadows and even smaller segments such as eyebrow pencils and eyeliners.

These figures seem to confirm the trend towards accentuated eye makeup seen in the United States, which has been emerging in Europe since 2012. In the first half of 2013, the eye makeup segment was also the makeup segment showing the fastest growth rates in the UK, Spain and Italy.