More and more of today’s beauty consumers are using makeup to enhance their eyes. According to a recent report by The NPD Group, sales of prestige eye makeup products in the U.S. rose 9% to $1.1 billion in 2013 versus the prior year.

“U.S. consumers are embracing the art of eye makeup with the addition of products that go beyond the usual staples to their beauty tool boxes,” said Karen Grant, Vice President and Senior Global Industry Analyst, The NPD Group. “Today, less traditional items are emerging in importance. Eyebrow products are leading growth and in the larger segments within eye, enhanced benefits are the aspects fueling increases.”

Sales of prestige mascaras that offered long wear grew 18% and helped drive dollar sales growth, followed by volumizing mascara, which grew 11%, and multi-benefit mascara, which saw a 9% uplift. The long wear trend was also seen throughout other eye makeup categories, with sales of long wear eyebrow products growing 21%, eye liner sales up 11% and shadow sales up 9%. Excluding mascara, long wear products also brought in higher average selling prices than all other eye segments. Other large average selling price increases were seen in eye shadow, which grew 6%; brow, which grew 4%, and liner which saw 3% increases.

“Definition that lasts is important to today’s beauty consumer, looking to enhance their eyes with minimal repeat application, and they are willing to pay more to get it,” said Karen. “It has long been said that ‘our eyes have the ability to make a statement without saying a word’ – eye defining makeup just turns up the volume.”