High-End Cosmetics Sales Grew Through Early 2026
Consumer spending shifted toward luxury beauty products as global demand for high-end fashion and leather goods declined.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Beauty
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High-end cosmetics sales saw significant growth across North America, Europe, and Latin America during the first half of 2026. This trend coincided with a broader decline in luxury fashion and leather goods purchases, as consumers pivoted toward beauty and self-optimization.
Why it matters
Steep price increases in luxury fashion have curbed overall spending, leading consumers to seek accessible self-care alternatives. Consequently, many shoppers are opting for beauty products rather than high-cost apparel, signaling a shift in how luxury brands capture market share.
Prestige cosmetics sales grew 7% in North America, 5% in Europe, and 10% in Latin America during the first half of 2026. This period also saw luxury brands lose 20 million customers between 2024 and 2025.
The players
LVMH
This French multinational holding company specializes in luxury goods and owns dozens of prestigious houses.
Kering
This global luxury group manages the development of a series of renowned houses in fashion, leather goods, jewelry, and watches.
Hermes
This French design house is known for its high-end leather goods, lifestyle accessories, and home furnishings.
Celine
This French luxury fashion house offers ready-to-wear and leather luxury goods to an international clientele.
L'Oreal
This French personal care company is the world's largest cosmetics group and currently holds a high valuation on the CAC 40.
The details
Luxury groups have increasingly developed accessible product ranges to capture customers, with brands like Hermes and Celine launching lipstick lines in 2020 and 2024 respectively. Meanwhile, major houses including LVMH and Kering reported a 5% decline in fashion and leather goods sales during the same timeframe, highlighting a clear divergence in category performance.
Timeline
Hermes launched its lipstick range in 2020.
Celine introduced its own line of lipsticks in 2024.
The luxury market lost approximately 20 million customers between 2024 and 2025.
Growth for high-end cosmetics was recorded throughout the first half of 2026.
Culture Shift
The transition from high-fashion consumption to prestige beauty products mirrors the broader societal trend of prioritizing self-optimization over ostentatious displays of apparel. This shift aligns with the 2024 luxury market customer attrition, marking a pivot toward more accessible entry points into the luxury lifestyle.
Consumers are increasingly choosing luxury beauty items as a more affordable way to participate in high-end brands compared to luxury apparel. This change in purchasing habits allows shoppers to maintain status markers through smaller, high-frequency beauty transactions.
The takeaway
Consumers are increasingly viewing prestige beauty as an essential, lower-barrier gateway to luxury living. Shoppers should remain aware that market trends suggest a potential future move toward less expensive dupes if current beauty price points continue to climb.
Further reading
For more information on current industry trends, explore the latest developments in Beauty.
Source note: This article includes information reported by FashionNetwork.
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