Cosmetics, Beauty Supply & Perfume Stores
Companies in this industry operate physical retail establishments that primarily sell cosmetics, beauty supplies and toiletries, and perfume. Major companies include Bath & Body Works, Sally Beauty, and Ulta Beauty (all based in the US), along with Natura Cosméticos (Brazil), Sephora (France), and The Body Shop (UK).
The global cosmetics market is forecast to reach about $460 billion by 2027, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.1% between 2020 and 2027, according to Research Dive. The anticipated growth is primarily driven by the increase in the importance of skincare products and growing disposal income of the people, coupled with the awareness about waterless beauty and zero wastage of beauty components.
The US cosmetics, beauty supply, and perfume stores industry includes about 17,000 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $23 billion. The market for prestige cosmetics and fragrances have had fluctuating performances over the year per region, according to GCI Magazine.
Companies specializing in professional beauty products may restrict sales to salons and salon professionals, due to manufacturer policies. Salons may resell products to the public or use products for customer treatments.
Competitive Landscape
High margins, repeat purchases, easy storage, and cheap shipping all serve to make the retailing of cosmetics, beauty supplies, and perfume highly attractive -- and highly competitive. Established competitors for cosmetics, beauty supply, and perfume stores include department stores, mass merchandisers, drug stores, TV shopping networks, internet retailers, distributors, supermarkets, manufacturers, and salons. In-home sales providers such as Avon and Mary Kay also compete in the direct sales channel. In addition, some beauty stores compete with dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and spas in the high-end market for cosmetics and skin care. Subscription beauty product services such as Allure Beauty Box and Birchbox are gaining in popularity, especially among younger buyers.
The profitability of individual stores depends on the ability to generate store traffic and effective merchandising. Large companies can offer a wide selection of products, and have advantages in purchasing, distribution, and marketing. Small companies can compete effectively by selling specialty products, providing superior customer service, or serving a local market. The US industry is concentrated: the top 50 companies account for about 80% of industry revenue.
Competitive Advantages:
Focus on Young Women - Women ages 18 to 25 are the heaviest buyers of beauty products. According to GCI Magazine, US teens spend about $315 annually on beauty products.
Relationship with Influencers - Video bloggers (aka vloggers) are a growing trusted and popular source for product recommendations and how-to beauty tips among young women who spend much of their time online. Celebrity vloggers can spur product sales and draw customers to in-store meet-and-greets.
Omni-Channel Business Model - Successful beauty retailers, including Sephora and Ulta, operate both physical and virtual stores. Online sites can offer a broader selection of products than physical stores as well as many hard-to-find niche and foreign brands. Ulta Beauty's online sales are growing at more than four times the rate of in-store sales.
Company Spotlight:
Ulta Beauty is the largest beauty retailer in the US, selling a mix of prestige and mass market cosmetics, fragrance, and skin care products. Ulta has about 1,400 stores in the US as of 2023. Ulta's online sales are growing at more than four times the rate of in-store sales.
Sephora, part of French luxury brand giant LVMH, is a global market leader with more than 2,700 stores in 30-plus countries worldwide. Sephora USA operates some 360 stand-alone stores in North America, and another 575 inside JCPenney department stores. Its touch-and-test format, focus on on-trend products, and use of in-store technology has won the company a devoted following, especially younger women.
Bluemercury, founded in 1999 and acquired in 2015 by Macy's to attract younger shoppers, operates about 180 luxury beauty products and spa stores. In addition to upscale product sales, the stores offer makeup lessons, facials, brow styling, and waxing. Bluemercury also operates a growing e-commerce business.
Amazon is dominating the fast-growing online market for beauty products. Amazon has reported that its 2022 net sales grew by 9% to about $515 billion. Sales grew by 13% compared to the prior year.
Products, Operations & Technology
Major products include cosmetics and fragrances (more than 60% of the industry revenue), followed by personal hygiene supplies (about 20%), as well as
... plus:
Sales & Marketing
,
Finance & Regulation
,
Regional & International Issues
,
Human Resources
Also includes the following chapters:
Quarterly Industry Update
,
Industry Indicators
,
Business Challenges
,
Trends and Opportunities
,
Call Preparation Questions
,
Financial Information
,
Industry Forecast
,
Industry Websites
,
Glossary of Acronyms