The make-up market in Italy

The make-up market is a segment of the broader cosmetics industry and includes the production, distribution, and sale of products designed to enhance or change the appearance of the face, divided into categories such as lip makeup (lipsticks, lip glosses), complexion makeup (foundation, blush, concealers), eye makeup (mascara, eye shadow, eyeliner), and eyebrow makeup, as well as accessories such as brushes and sponges. This market sits at the intersection of beauty, fashion, and wellness, and is increasingly geared to respond to trends related to sustainability, inclusivity, and digitization of consumption. Demand is influenced by cultural, media and generational factors, with a particular centrality of beauty influencers and e-commerce.

Globally, the make-up market will grow from $314 billion in 2024 to $447.95 billion in 2030 (+42.7 percent). In Europe, the value will increase from 64.2 billion in 2024 to 87.5 billion in 2030 (+36.3%), with a stable annual CAGR of 5.3%. In Italy, the make-up market will reach 1.80 billion euros in 2024, rising gradually to 2.67 billion in 2030 (+48.3%). Among the main segments, face makeup will generate 690 million euros (+7%), eye makeup 619 million (+5%) and lip makeup nearly 511 million (+8.8%). Distribution is dominated by the mass market (more than 60 percent of sales), followed by perfumeries (30 percent) and emerging channels such as pharmacies and online sales.

The sector has a significant industrial structure: 569 active companies and 36,000 direct employees, which rises to about 400,000 considering the entire supply chain. Make-up exports are worth 680 million euros in 2024, down from 2023 (-30%), but still representing 20% of Italian cosmetic exports. The main destination markets are France (205M €), the US (117M €), Germany (84M €) and Belgium. Competitively, L'Oréal dominates with 28% of the market, followed by KIKO (9.8%), Deborah Group (6.8%) and PUPA (4.9%). The remaining share (50.6 percent) is fragmented among independent brands and niche players, often active online or in mass retail.

Distribution channels see steady growth in e-commerce (+40%), although perfumeries remain the preferred channels (32%), along with single-brand stores. Prices show a wide range between bands: for lipsticks they range from €1.15 to over €70, for mascaras from €2 to €60, for nail polishes from €4 to €30. Price dynamics are moderate, with a CPI increase of +2.2% over the period 2021-2025. On the innovation front, 15% of the Italian cosmetics market is already represented by natural or organic products, worth €1.6 billion. Sustainable packaging is a key driver, especially among consumers under 35.

Regulation of the sector is governed at the European level by Regulation (EC) 1223/2009, which sets standards for product safety, notification, labeling and liability. Supervision is entrusted to the Ministry of Health, with a cosmetovigilance system to report unwanted effects and nonconformities.