Luxury beauty gift sets prove a popular choice for Christmas shoppers seeking savings Gifters adding ‘a treat for me’ set to boost beauty sales
BRACKNELL, UK – 25 November 2024– The Christmas season is in full swing for retailers and shoppers, with beauty halls transformed into the ultimate festive playground for grown-ups. The first analysis of pre-Christmas prestige beauty sales in the UK is revealed today by Circana, a leading advisor on the complexity of consumer behaviour. Beauty gifts are set to be the ultimate gift of choice for family, friends and loved ones this Christmas, Circana’s analysis reveals.
For the month of October, sales of prestige beauty gift sets in the UK were up by +5% compared to last year, bringing in £55.3 million for retailers. Gift sets priced under £30 are outperforming the rest of the market across all beauty categories, indicating that consumers are balancing their desire for luxury gifts or self-purchases with a careful approach to spending.
This year, Black Friday falls later in the month, aligning with payday and offering an ideal opportunity for beauty bargain hunters, especially with only three weekends left for Christmas shopping after the event.
Emma Fishwick, Account Director for Prestige Beauty, UK at Circana, said: “Prestige beauty has become a popular gift choice at Christmas. As more people focus on boosting their physical and mental wellbeing, beauty is playing an essential role in their wellness routines. Beauty gift sets are great value for money, enabling consumers to buy into the full beauty regime –cleanse, tone, serum and moisturise for example – for their favourite brands. With more beauty brands including smaller sized products and more a choice from their range, making it more affordable for consumers to buy luxury beauty as gifts for friends, family, and loved ones. For brands, they are an effective way to encourage trial.
Plus, let’s not forget, some of these gift sets are such great value, or feature such an irresistible product mix, that they’re often bought as a treat for oneself!”
The evolution of wellness has provided a critical boost to the beauty industry sales that continues to out-perform other FMCG sectors – including ambient grocery and healthcare. The key role that beauty plays in many wellness activities is contributing to the resilience of the category in the context of general market economic turmoil.
Fishwick says: “Consumers are looking for brands that spark powerful emotions, and beauty brands are responding by tapping into the wellness routines people are building around skincare, health, and self-care.”
Skincare shines among beauty sales
Skincare led prestige beauty giftset sales were the most popular giftsets in October, generating £31.7 million. Notably, seven of the top ten skincare gift sets sold in October had an average price under £30.
Fishwick adds “Skincare brands have been focused on educating consumers, often with the help of influencers, about the benefits of a skincare regime, which will likely increase skincare gifting this Christmas.
Skincare sets are also recognising that skincare doesn’t stop at the face. Body care is becoming a key part of daily routines, and many established brands are now launching or focusing more on this growing category.”
Fragrance gift sets are the real beauty bargain with sales up 20%
Fragrances have long been the quintessential Christmas gift for men and women alike, with nearly half of annual fragrance sales typically happening between October and December.
However, in recent years, consumers’ fragrance habits have shifted. Rather than sticking to a single signature scent, many now choose different fragrances for different occasions, seasons, or even moods. Fragrance gift sets are the fastest growing beauty sets for October, with sales rising 20% compared to last October last year.
Fragrance brands are successfully tapping into the consumer desire for cost saving and convenience. Gift sets that offer combinations of mini fragrances make the perfect on-the-go gift—ideal for a quick refresh wherever you are. Circana data shows that in October, three of the top five fragrance gift sets sold included only mini-sized fragrances, with no full-sized products. Another popular choice in fragrance gift sets combines a full-sized bottle with a matching mini version.
Circana has also seen a surge in Fragrance Body Sprays, which grew by 77% in the first nine months of 2024 compared to the previous year. These sprays, often priced at just over £30, offer a more accessible alternative to traditional perfumes.
According to Fishwick: “There is a real polarisation in beauty fragrances. Some consumers are shifting to body sprays that are less costly than the perfumes, while others are trading up to the niche elixirs and fragrances which are also outperforming the category.
Fishwick advises beauty shoppers to act quickly this season: “With limited stock of popular beauty gift sets and high demand anticipated based on what we’ve already seen in October – especially for sets that offer great value or feature trending products – we recommend buying now to avoid disappointment!”
Press Contact
Teresa Horscroft
Eureka Communications
Tel: +44 (0)1420 564346
Mob: +44 (0)7990 520390
