SPF holds key to surge in prestige beauty sales

Prestige beauty products containing SPF have seen 11% growth versus the same time last year, according to research from The NPD Group.

In the four months to April 2013, sales increases were recorded in a number of product sub-sectors containing SPF, including: women’s foundation, up 14%, women’s moisturiser, up 6.5% and women’s facial sun creams, up 4.4%, the latter being driven by creams with SPF30 and above.

Notably, prestige beauty products containing SPF25 are performing particularly well, with a 19% rise year on year in total skin care and a 21% growth in make-up. Prestige cosmetics have performed particularly well, with almost 80% of all foundations sold in the UK containing an SPF of five to 50. In the same period, 25% of all women’s prestige facial moisturising creams sold included SPF, as value sales increased 6.5%.

June Jensen, Director for The NPD Group Beauty UK, said: “Women know that sun damage is a major cause of premature ageing – something that so many women fear and want to address through their skin care regime. Taking preventative action whether with a moisturizer, a foundation or lipstick with SPF removes the effort from protecting the skin on a daily basis – after all in England you never know if the sun will come out! As more British women choose prestige beauty products with SPF, we expect the manufacturers respond by incorporating SPF in their ranges in more innovative ways this year and beyond.”