Sales of anti-pollution prestige skincare products are skyrocketing in the UK. Sales of have were up by 30% in the six-month period January 2017 to end of June 2017 according to The NPD Group. “As the market develops we are seeing more brands introducing products that are specifically designed to protect the skin from pollution,” explains June Jensen, Director, NPD UK Beauty.
Emerging category
However, despite these impressive growth rates, anti-pollution remains an emerging category in the women’s skincare sector. According to The NPD Group, the market for these products is valued at £3.1 million.
Sales of anti-pollution face masks reported the strongest growth, increasing 112% in the six months to the end of June 2017 when compared to the same period in 2016. Anti-pollution moisturiser was also a star performer, reporting 62% growth in the same period. Cleansers and eye creams, designed specifically to tackle the issues relating to pollution also reported double digit growth.
The trend for anti-pollution skincare, which emerged a couple of years ago, benefits from consumers’ concerns about air quality, in particular in big cities. Today, over half (52%) of Londoners say they are concerned about pollution levels, compared to a national average of 34%. According to Mintel, this trend also boosts sales of air care products as UK consumers are estimated to spend £502 million on these products in 2017, up from £499 million in 2016.
More and more products that protect and defend the skin with antioxidants and SPF are marketed as anti-pollution and often feature terms like ‘urban’, ‘city skin’, ‘shield’, ‘protector’, ‘defence’ and ‘environment’ in their names.
Cleanse and protect
More widely in the prestige beauty market, products which support a healthy skin regime have also reported a rise in sales. Face masks and cleansers in particular, which are regarded as essential for detoxing the skin have reported impressive growth in the six-month period January 2017 to end of June 2017. According to The NPD Group, face cleansers grew 7% to £1.6 million and skincare face masks (not specific to pollution) grew 42% to £2.2 million. Within that category, clay and mud face masks, regarded as the most effective deep cleansing and detoxifying of products, grew by 102%.
SPF Protection
Make-up products that protect the skin have also reported an increase. Sales of foundations formulated with an SPF have increased by 11% in the year to date June 2017. Foundations with SFP of 20 and above have reported double digit growth, whilst foundation formulated with SPF 50, often seen as the gold standard for pollution defence, has increased by 350%.
“The popularity of products which protect against pollution have had a big impact on the prestige beauty market. We have witnessed the emergence of a niche skincare segment that has proved hugely popular with consumers. Brands like Murad in particular have created innovative products to protect the skin from pollution and blue light which is emitted from digital devices. We expect to see more products like those in the Murad City Skin range in the future as people aim to protect their skin from the harmful damage of pollution and city life,” concludes June Jensen.
