It looks like the mass beauty market isn’t the only channel feeling the pressure.

According to recent sales data by The NPD Group, Inc. sales of U.S. prestige beauty products were $2.5 billion, a 4% decline the first quarter of 2013. (Note: 2013 was a 53-week retail calendar year, with an additional week in January 2013.)

While still down to last year, sales of makeup outperformed the overall industry, with $1 billion in sales in January through March 2014, a 3% decline from the first quarter of 2013. This performance was boosted in certain segments – primarily by growth in lip color, eyebrow and sales of other face makeup, such as primers. Bright spots came from double-digit dollar sales growth of masks, hair items and other facial skincare products, such as alphabet creams.

Some of the top segments in growth were:


Lip Color +6% to $101 million


Other Face Makeup +14% to $53 million


Other Facial Makeup +26% to $35 million


Eye Brow Makeup +26% to $35 million


Skincare Mask $18 million +44%

Karen Grant, Vice President and Global Industry Analyst, The NPD Group, Inc., “There are elements of disruption and a new A-List set of brands. That’s not to say the big brands aren’t innovating. But they need to revisit packaging and messaging their innovation and even some of the categories that they might not be playing in. The consumer is benefit driven. There is an opportunity for a whole new awareness with new offerings.”

Sagging beauty sales are also being seen the mass market, which for the first quarter of 2014 were down 3.2% in dollars and 2.6% in units, according to Nielsen.