January 12, 2004

By: Jenny Post
Website: http://www.1st-in-cosmetics.com

Half of British women won't leave home without make-up

Some 50 per cent of women in Britain aged 16 years and above will not go out of their homes without wearing some form of cosmetics, according to findings from TNS.

The research - carried out by TNS’ European Toiletries and Cosmetics Database - compared penetration of make-up usage in Britain, France, Germany and Italy. The results are published to coincide with the UK’s Beauty Awareness Week, which began on 15th April.

The study showed that Britain has the highest penetration of make-up usage with almost three quarters (73 per cent) of women using make-up in an average week, compared to just six out of ten (61 per cent) in Germany, where more women tend to prefer the ‘natural’ look. Italian women are the most frequent users of make-up and will apply cosmetics up to three times a day.

Interestingly, more than half of women in Britain choose to wear make-up for moisturising or nourishing purposes compared to just one in ten women who use make-up to ‘hide imperfections’ (10 per cent) or ‘make me more beautiful’ (eight per cent). This pattern – where moisturising benefits are more important than the beautifying purposes of make-up – was true for all European countries surveyed.

Additional findings from TNS’ Superpanel show that the British cosmetics market is currently worth £783m and is growing year on year. Approximately 19.2 million women bought some form of make-up in the last twelve months, with 19-24-year-olds spending the most money on products.

Amelie Gouws, Account Manager at ETCD, TNS said: “Clearly, for the majority of women in all countries surveyed, cosmetics are an important part of their daily routine. However, it is surprising that relatively few women use make-up to feel more attractive and confident. Instead, they are using products to improve the quality of their skin. This may be due to changes in the way in which cosmetic manufacturers package and market their products as well as a desire by a growing number of women to look after their skin and reduce the effects of ageing.

“Due to the popularity of moisturising and moisture-balancing cosmetic products, we anticipate that manufacturers will continue to develop new moisture-enriching ranges and also invest in product ranges for the modern woman, such as ‘convenience’ ranges which provide multi-purpose products for working women.”

About The Author:

Jenny Post is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.1st-in-cosmetics.com.  Tips on skin care, hair care and beauty products to bring out natural beauty.