Hispanics boost cosmetic sales

Beauty sales at many kinds of stores were sluggish last year. But one consumer segment emerged looking radiant: Hispanics.

The Hispanic market posted more growth across all beauty segments last year than the general population, sometimes dramatically so, according to an analysis released Friday by Nielsen.

Cosmetics purchases were up 7.4 percent among Hispanic consumers, while they fell 1.2 percent among non-Hispanics. Hair care and accessories grew 3 percent among Hispanics while declining 3.6 percent among non-Hispanics. Even in categories that grew among non-Hispanics – soaps, lotions, cleansers and moisturizers – the growth among Hispanics was greater.

In addition, half of the top 20 categories in which Hispanics spend at a greater rate than the general population are in the health and beauty categories.

“As a marketer who is trying to promote beauty and use beauty as a way to generate in-store sales and in-store traffic, you really can’t win without the Hispanic consumer,” said James Russo, Nielsen’s senior vice president of global consumer insight.

There is more to the story, Russo said. According to the Nielsen survey, Hispanics are more likely than non-Hispanics to try different hair styles; purchase a perfume after sampling it in a magazine; be influenced by a celebrity endorsement; and to use natural or organic beauty products, Russo said.