Spanish Beauty Blossoms: Cosmetics and Perfume Sales Surge

Spain’s cosmetics and perfume sector is experiencing a significant upswing, with sales reaching €11.2 billion last year, marking a robust 7.7% year-on-year increase. This growth underscores the resilience and dynamism of the Spanish beauty market, positioning it as a key player in the global industry.

Export Powerhouse: Spain’s cosmetics Reach Global Markets

Exports have been a major driver of this growth, soaring by an impressive 23% to reach €9.5 billion (approximately $10.69 billion). This surge highlights the increasing demand for Spanish beauty products worldwide. The Spanish Cosmetics Association (Stanpa) released these figures, emphasizing the sector’s contribution to the national economy.

“The Spanish cosmetics industry has shown remarkable growth, contributing significantly to the country’s GDP and export revenue.”

Stanpa – Spanish Cosmetics Association

This export performance is particularly noteworthy considering that traditional Spanish exports have often been dominated by sectors like wine, shoes, and olive oil.

Consumer Spending: A Personal Affair

Spanish consumers are investing heavily in their personal care, with an average annual spend of €221.60 per person on cosmetics. This reflects a strong cultural emphasis on personal grooming and beauty.

Economic Impact: Beauty’s Growing Share of GDP

The cosmetics industry’s contribution to Spain’s gross Domestic Product (GDP) has steadily increased over the past four years, rising from 0.9% to 1.03%. This demonstrates the sector’s growing importance to the Spanish economy.

Gendered Consumption: A Tale of Two Routines

Spanish women use an average of 8.5 cosmetic products daily, significantly more then the 5.7 products used by men. This disparity highlights the different priorities and routines within the male and female consumer segments.

Popular Products Among Men

Among male consumers, the most commonly used personal care items include:

• Toothpaste (94%)
• Soap and shower gel (93%)
• Deodorant (83%)
• Shampoo (82%)
• Perfume (59%)
• Facial care products (49%)

Sector Breakdown: Perfume Leads the Charge

Within the Spanish cosmetics market, perfume emerged as the most dynamic sector, with sales reaching €2.2 billion (approximately $2.96 billion), an 11.3% increase year-on-year. color cosmetics also performed strongly,with sales of €1.1 billion (about $1.28 billion), up 9.8% from the previous year.Notably, face makeup (18.8%) and lip makeup (11.6%) products experienced double-digit growth.

Growth by Product Category

In terms of sales growth compared to the previous year:

• Hair care products led with 8.9% growth.
• Skin care followed with 6% growth.
• Personal care products saw a 5.8% increase.

Global Reach: Export Destinations

Spain’s cosmetics exports have doubled in the last five years, now accounting for 2.5% of the country’s total exports. In 2024,the leading export categories were perfume (43%),colored cosmetics (7.18%), skin care (5.6%), personal care (3%), and hair care (2.54%).

Regional Export Breakdown

The primary destinations for Spanish cosmetics exports in 2024 were:

• European Economic Area (EEA): 52%
• Other European countries: 10%
• Latin America: 11%
• North America: 10%
• Asia-Pacific: 8%
• Middle East: 4%
• Africa: 3%
• Oceania: 2%

Import dynamics: A Growing Surplus

while exports have surged, imports of cosmetics and perfumes also increased by 11% year-on-year, reaching €5.8 billion (approximately $6.81 billion). However, the significant growth in exports has resulted in a considerable trade surplus for the Spanish cosmetics industry.