Consumers are still craving high-end makeup, skin care and fragrance. In the third quarter of 2018, sales of US prestige beauty products rose 7% to $4.1 billion, according to The NPD Group.
 
“The big story for the third quarter is the acceleration in skincare, which is growing more than twice the rate of fragrance and 15 times faster than the rate of makeup. We continue to see natural brands and entry price categories fuel the skincare category, but the big shift this year is the renewed interest in new products from legacy classics in the anti-aging category. With consumer confidence breaking records, the two highest priced beauty categories of skincare and fragrance may be reaping the benefits of a bigger wallet. Despite the success of its sister categories, makeup continues to struggle, being the most impacted by a highly fragmented marketplace,” said Larissa Jensen, beauty industry analyst, The NPD Group.
 
“Heading into the holiday season, attention will center on value, newness, and fun. Skincare sets tend to perform well every year during holiday. I expect sales of skincare face masks and minis will be strong as the low price-point and fun packaging encourages the add-on gift purchase. In a similar fashion, travel sized makeup products have experienced double-digit gains throughout 2018, so I anticipate the strong performance will spill over into holiday. In fragrance, launches during holiday can make or break the category, but given the robust performance seen so far in 2018, I anticipate fragrance will end the year strong,” said Jensen.