Year-end data from Circana shows that across mass and prestige, U.S. beauty sales hit $33.9bn in 2024, with fragrance leading the way in both market segments. For the first time, it’s now the second-largest category in prestige beauty behind makeup, dethroning skin care. The category made up 28% of overall beauty sales in the channel. On the prestige side, fragrance was up 12%, with parfums growing 43% and eaux de parfums growing 14%.

Luxury brands comprised 12% of overall sales, while body sprays soared 94% for the year.

On the mass side, fragrance was the fastest-growing category by dollar volume. Makeup is also still predominantly a prestige game, where it grew 5% overall. Lip, however, climbed 19%, driven by makeup-meets-skin-care hybrids like tinted balms and lip oils. The skinification of makeup extended beyond the segment, with face makeup products touting skin care benefits growing faster than skin products with the same benefits. Makeup in the mass market, however, declined 3%. Skin care growth moderated, having edged up 2% in the prestige market and 1% in the mass market.