Things are picking up as the prestige beauty rebound from the coronavirus continued in the second quarter of 2021 according to The NPD Group, as consumers start to "venture out into the world."

• US prestige beauty sales approached $4.9 billion, a 66% increase over 2020, and a 6% increase from 2019.
• Retail sales are coming back as consumers returned to stores during the quarter. In-store purchases were up 284% last year, when many stores were shut down. Online saw a decrease of 19%.
• Makeup sales were $1.7 billion for the quarter, a 71% increase over last year driven by foundation and concealer, with the strongest growth coming from tinted moisturizer. The lip category benefited from the dropping of mask mandates, in many regions growing almost 100% year-over-year.
• Skincare sales totaled $1.5 billion in Q2, representing a 32% increase benefiting from the continuation of the at-home treatment trend. Suncare and products aimed at face protection saw an 80% increase in sales compared to both 2020 and 2019, while sales of facial serums and exfoliators remain strong.
• The hair category gained 70% year-over-year to $346 million; hair coloring and care remained strong while styling products posted a resurgence, growing nearly 100% from the prior year.
• Fragrance grew 123% this quarter, posting $1.3 billion in sales, up 40% compared to 2019. Stronger concentrations of fragrance juices and fragrance eau de parfums (EDP) were drivers of growth, with Mother's Day and Father's Day in the second quarter having a positive impact on the category.

According to Larissa Jensen, beauty industry advisor, The NPD Group, "There are many positive markers emerging in the second quarter of this year that point to an industry in full recovery mode. Among the most important is that makeup, the largest category in beauty, is showing signs of life, with a growth rate and dollar gains more than double skincare. Fragrance continues to blaze a new path forward, with unprecedented performance, not only compared to 2020, but also 2019. Each trend is an acceleration of what we observed at the beginning of the year and indicative of a changing consumer mindset, as restrictions ease and life as we knew it returns. Maintaining this momentum is the industry's call-to-action, as we head into the back half of the year."