The premium cosmetics market is one of the top markets in Switzerland that remains relatively stable, even during an economic crisis. After all, being beautiful is in, and so is being in the luxury cosmetics sector. Complimentary to this, the desire for a healthy, eco-friendly and sustainable lifestyle is becoming increasingly important to everyone. The commercial demands for luxury in today’s society are also satisfied with ecological and ethical correctness.

This consumption style applies not only to diet and health, but also to the choice of cosmetic products. More than ever, customers are looking for natural, highly effective and sustainably produced cosmetic products, and are prepared to pay accordingly.

I will do something good for myself...

Premium cosmetics must align with the consumers’ attitude towards life, as today’s consumers have a strong need to confront their own emotions. “I will do something for myself” is a crucial buying motive that compensates for everyday stress with beautiful and special things. Luxury is not seen as something unaffordable, but rather as something special and individual. This view was shared by Coco Chanel: “Luxury is not the opposite of poverty; it is the opposite of vulgarity.” 

Appearance and aesthetics are of great importance in today’s media society. Trend researchers explain that people are ready to “do anything and spend a lot of money” to keep their external appearance in peak form for as long as possible. 

Market studies clearly show that the luxury sector is largely immune to recessions. Not only the super-rich buy expensive cosmetics; the average buyer also indulges from time to time in body luxury. The market for premium cosmetics benefits from the desire for brands and quality and from the “pampering experience” ... “because I am worth it” (1). 

The price, quality and impression of luxury items are important features for creating the sense of preciousness in the buyer. Exquisite raw materials from gemstones, pearls or rare plants pick up on the luxury trend and impart that million-dollar feeling. 

I will also do something good for nature...

Parallel to the premium cosmetics market in terms of continuity, natural cosmetics has proven in recent years to be a stable growth market. 

The movement among buyers towards natural cosmetics has long since been about more than just natural ingredients, rather the primary concern is on socioecological criteria. 

Market expert Elfriede Dambacher (publisher of the Naturkosmetik Branchenreport) observes a trend towards de-ideologization of natural cosmetics. Consumers see it as a complement to the existing cosmetics range and often accept even unconventional, so-called near-natural-cosmetic concepts that are not 100% natural cosmetics. 

The results obtained by Kline’s market researchers also show that an increasing percentage of consumers in the developed markets of Europe and the USA are buying products with predominantly natural ingredients. Nevertheless, the natural cosmetics market is still dominated by near-natural cosmetic products that still contain many synthetic ingredients. According to Kline, this accounted for around 75% of the market in 2014 (2). 

Growth over recent years makes it very clear that the natural cosmetics market is moving towards the mainstream. In addition to many faithful natural cosmetics customers, a new group of consumers has developed that hardly distinguishes between near-natural cosmetics and certified natural cosmetics. What is most important to them when buying a product is not the presence of a label, rather its believability.
 

Natural premium cosmetics as an opportunity

The current direction of the trend in natural cosmetics shows that a return to naturalness and purity of ingredients is underway. Modern consumers find it important to take care of the environment and to do something good for themselves. Labels serve as a guide, yet their choice is often a near-natural cosmetics product without a seal of quality. These near-natural cosmetic products are enjoying a great upswing.

Cosmetics producers have the opportunity to combine these two trends, and to develop nature-inspired cosmetics in premium quality.

Literature:

1. Premiumkosmetik: Zielgruppen – Marken – Zukunftspotenziale. Lecture by Dr. Susanne Eichholz-Klein
2. www.spa-business.eu/news/top-news/1155-naturkosmetik-nat%C3%BCrlich-2