The active cosmetics market has seen considerable growth due to a variety of factors.
• The market size for active cosmetics has seen a swift expansion in the past few years. Its growth is expected to escalate from a worth of $10.79 billion in 2024 to $12.28 billion in 2025, marking a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.9%.
This growth during the historical period is attributable to various factors including the rise of e-commerce, regulatory assistance towards safe ingredients, growth in emerging markets, an upturn in demand for natural and organic beauty products, and an overall enhancement in current lifestyles.
The active cosmetics market is expected to maintain its strong growth trajectory in upcoming years.
• The anticipated expansion of the active cosmetics market is set to be swift over the coming years, with predictions showing it reaching $19.18 billion by 2029, experiencing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.8%.
This prospective growth during the forecast period could be linked to a heightened awareness amongst consumers, an emphasis on anti-aging solutions, an increase in disposable income, and a burgeoning demand for skincare products, coupled with consumer education. Significant trends to watch during this forecast period include product innovation, alliances with providers of recyclable and biodegradable materials, corporate partnerships and collaborations, and enhanced investment by companies.
The growth of the active cosmetics market is foreseen to be fueled by the mounting popularity of online shopping. Defined as the acquisition of products or services through internet platforms such as websites or mobile apps, online shopping provides consumers with the flexibility of browsing and conducting transactions whenever and wherever. The attractiveness of online shopping is being amplified by its advantages such as convenience, a wider array of product offerings, competitive costs, along with the increasing usage of electronic payment methods among consumers. The active cosmetics sector benefits from this in that online shopping gives customers the ability to effortlessly access a varied portfolio of products, delve into ingredient details, peruse reviews and compare prices, which altogether contribute to improved purchasing experiences and customer satisfaction. To illustrate, the US Census Bureau, a government organization based in the U.S, delivered a report in November 2023 that disclosed US retail e-commerce sales, accounting for seasonal fluctuations but not for price modifications, peaked at $284.1 billion in Q3 2023, - a 2.3 percent increase (±0.4%) relative to Q2 2023. Concurrently, overall retail sales for the identical time span was approximated at $1,825.3 billion, signifying a 1.5 percent rise (±0.2%) from the earlier quarter. On a year-on-year basis, e-commerce sales escalated by 7.6 percent (±1.2%) from Q3 2022, while total retail sales noticed a 2.3 percent (±0.4%) surge over the same phase. The proportion of e-commerce sales was 15.6 percent of overall retail sales in Q3 2023. Thus, the escalating trend of online shopping is lending impetus to the expansion of the active cosmetics market.
The active cosmetics market covered in this report is segmented –
1) By Product: Liquid, Cream, Other Products
2) By Gender: Male, Female
3) By Distribution Channel: Drug Stores, Mass Merchandiser, Online, Department Stores, Others
4) By Application: Skin Care, Hair Care, Other Applications
Subsegments:
1) By Liquid: Serums, Toners, Face Oils
2) By Cream: Moisturizing Creams, Anti-Aging Creams, Sun Protection Creams
3) By Other Products: Gels, Masks, Lotions
Leading firms in the active cosmetics market are unveiling new products with pioneering features, such as retinol derived from natural sources, aiming to satisfy customer demands. Natural-origin retinol is an alternative version of retinol - a vitamin A derivative, sourced naturally rather than synthesized artificially. Givaudan, a Switzerland-based producer of active cosmetic ingredients, for example, introduced RetiLife in February 2023. This cutting-edge active cosmetic ingredient is the result of sophisticated biotechnology development, employing microorganisms to yield pure retinol within a natural medium via a fermentation process using plant sugars. Together with natural antioxidants for improved protection, RetiLife manages to attain an impressively high concentration of pure retinol. It represents a trailblazing sustainable alternative to synthetic retinol, offering similar anti-wrinkle performance. RetiLife stands out with its 100% natural-origin content, such as the use of sunflower oil as a carrier, steering clear of synthetic elements like BHT/BHA or polysorbate. Furthermore, its molecular structure is reflective of its chemical equivalent.
Major companies operating in the active cosmetics market report are:
• Johnson & Johnson
• BASF SE
• The Procter & Gamble
• Unilever PLC
• L'Oréal S.A.
• Wacker Chemie AG
• Estée Lauder
• Estee Lauder Companies Inc.
• International Flavors & Fragrances
• Eastman Chemical Company
• DSM
• Givaudan
• Lonza
• Clinique
• Symrise AG
• Symrise
• Avon
• Evonik Industries AG
• Croda International PLC
• Revlon
• CeraVe
• Laboratoires Expanscience
• Shiseido Company Ltd.
• The Face Shop
• La Roche-Posay Laboratoire Dermatologique SAS
• Lucas Meyer Cosmetics
• Naolys
• Skinbetter Science
• Mixa
• Vichy
• SkinCeuticals
Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the active cosmetics market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the active cosmetics market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.