Pink is the new black when it comes to prestige color cosmetics

27-Jul-2011 - Last updated on 28-Jul-2011 at 16:01 GMT

So far this year, women in the US are looking for bold and bright eye and nail colors and soft lip shades when buying cosmetics, and this in turn is helping prestige beauty sales soar this summer.

According to beauty market research conducted by The NPD Group, sales for prestige make up for January through May 2011, increased by nine percent to $1.4 billion in US department stores.

According to the research, for the month of May alone, make up posted its strongest dollar performance in the last three years.

Color cosmetics driving make up growth

The trends in dramatic eyes, soft lip shades, and bold and bright nail colors all contributed to the growth, and Karen Grant vice president and senior global industry analyst, commented on how the color pink has made resurgence.

"As consumers continue to gradually emerge from the great recession, the current sentiment among women seems to be 'celebrate your girlhood.' Pink, pink, and more pink, continues to lead the way in both lip and nail color.”

Grant added that the popularity of lip color, a category that had struggled for most of the past decade, suggests that even younger consumers are now seeing these products as a fashionable.

"Prestige make up sales are soaring this summer due to the strength of offerings that are easy to adopt and enticing with fashion, fun, as well as functionality," continued Grant.

Nails, eyes, lips…

The biggest growth in the prestige makeup category came from the smallest segment, the nail category. This consists of base coats/top coats, color enamel, and nail care, and grew 57 percent in dollar sales vs. January through May 2010.

The eye segment gained nearly 10 percent dollar growth during the reported period with sub-segments like eye shadow and mascara growing 11 percent in dollar sales, while eyebrow products grew 10 percent.

"The trend in makeup today is all about accentuating. The return in popularity of eye products comes with a shift from strong or playful colors, and all-purpose mascaras, to products that subtly punctuate and dramatize features around a flawless and yet natural looking face," Grant commented.

The lip segment continues to do well, due mostly to the growth in lip color, in which pink is once again the dominant color. In the first five months, it posted double-digit dollar, while the once very popular lip gloss segment increased only 1 percent in dollar sales.