The US premium beauty products market was worth $3.9bn in Q3 2017, up 5% on the same quarter last year.
The NPD Group data showed that the biggest growth area was skin care, which spiked 10% in the quarter to $1.3bn, followed by colour cosmetics up 4% to an even bigger $1.9bn, and fragrance up 3% to $713.6m.
Larissa Jensen, beauty industry analyst, The NPD Group, said: “Skin care continues to outpace the other beauty categories in 2017.
“The big story for the third quarter is the age specialist segment, which has been declining for several years and is now experiencing growth again.
“Driving this turnaround are new launches entering the market that focus less on the anti-ageing benefits that are inherent in these products, and instead on creating a story around ingredients, wellness and great skin at any age.”
Face masks outperform
In skin care, the trend for South Korean beauty drove the uptake of face masks with sales up 28% in Q3.
Meanwhile, premium sunscreen jumped 37%, and self-tanning products were up 13%.
Age-specific products made a comeback with sales up 7%, after declining in the double digits last year.
Foundations steal the show
In the colour cosmetics category, face products were the fastest growing sub-sector with sales up 6%; within this, prestige foundation grew 7%, primer rose 16% and tinted moisturiser jumped up 11%.
Eyebrow make-up growth slowed to 2% increase in sales, compared with the prior year quarter, and lip colour sales declined by 1%. However lipgloss sales grew by 7%.
False eyelashes fluttered into action with sales growing by more than 50%.
Home is where the heart is
The home fragrance market skyrocketed with sales up 40% on Q3 2016, driven by candles and home ancillary gift sets.
Meanwhile, fragrances grew 3%, with men’s scents up 5% and women’s up 2%.
