Sales of male niche and premium fragrances have boosted overall sales of prestige fragrance in the US, according to a new study by market analyst NPD.
Sales of male fragrances rose 6% in 2018, compared with 4% for women’s fragrances, and saw a temporary rise of 10% during the run-up to Father’s Day in the US.
Men also appear to be increasingly turning to less mainstream fragrances, including higher concentrations: in June 2018, the niche artisanal category grew by 13%, and it continues to be the fastest-growing sector within men’s fragrance, up 25% last year.
“The men’s fragrance business continues to enjoy steady growth and not only during times of gift-giving,” said Larissa Jensen, beauty industry analyst at NPD.
While holidays and new product launches create excitement around men’s fragrances, she said, the release of luxury concentrations like perfumes among several of the top-performing brands currently account for what’s driving growth in the market.
In the two weeks prior to Father’s Day 2018, sales of the more concentrated juices grew by $6.6m, accounting for 85% of growth in the category.
One potential reason for this growth, says the analyst, is that around 35% of men now say they to like to wear a scent that others can smell on them, rather than only being able to smell it themselves.
“Looking at 2019, we expect a successful Father’s Day not only due to increased demand for luxury concentrations, but also due to increasing interest in artisanal brands,” Jensen said.
“These types of brands are growing not only in popularity but also in distribution, giving the consumer more options this Father’s Day than have historically been available.”
