German consumers are now seeing the benefits of natural ingredients in beauty and skin care, and are willing to spend more on higher quality products in this area.

According to the research firm, a desire for a young and healthy appearance is driving value sales in Germany for skin care.

“Germans are placing a growing emphasis on their physical appearance, with the boundaries between health, wellness and skin care continuing to blur,​” the firm explains.

“Against this backdrop, they are showing a growing willingness to spend more on products with high quality ingredients, which are perceived as more effective​.”

Further to this, and connected, is the rising consumer interest in natural skin care as a result of a focus on greener lifestyles.

“Contrary to perceptions from years ago, consumers are becoming increasingly aware that natural products are just as effective as conventional ones thanks to the active ingredients in various plant saps, oils and extracts​,” says the firm.

“As these ingredients have the ability to naturally protect, maintain and firm the skin, natural-based skin care products are growing in popularity​.”

Other hot trends in Germany: Male grooming​

One consumer group picked out by the market research firm as one to watch within skin care in Germany is men.

“There is a consensus among major players that men’s skin care offers tremendous potential for growth, with key factors behind this development including the rising influence of social media and a widening range of skin care products for men from leading brands such as Nivea Men and L’Oréal Men Expert​,” Euromonitor confirms.

Competitive space: top players battle it out​

L’Oréal and Beiersdorf are both major figures within skin care in Germany, and are locked in a battle for the top spot in a fairly competitive market.

However, most recently, it seems L’Oréal has come out on top.

“In 2017, L’Oréal strengthened its lead in skin care thanks to a wide portfolio of brands covering every target group and price segment​,” confirms Euromonitor.

“Its mass brands such as Garnier and L’Oréal Paris dominate the shelves in the leading drugstore chains as well as other beauty specialists.”​