US retail sales in beauty and personal care increased 1.6% over the four weeks ending May 16, according to Nielsen figures referenced by Goldman Sachs. The same data set shows a 2.6% decline in volumes across the reporting window.
On a category basis, makeup sales rose 1.9%, hair care advanced 3.4% and body care increased 3.6%. Skin care moved in the opposite direction, falling 2.5% against a tougher comparison, with skin care volumes down 9%.
Goldman Sachs and Nielsen note that the Nielsen sample covers roughly 40% of the US beauty market. The measurement excludes online sales, which represent about 28% of the market, and specialist beauty retailers such as Sephora and Ulta, which account for about 16% of sales. Those coverage limits mean the Nielsen snapshot reflects a substantial portion of brick-and-mortar sales but does not encompass the full market footprint.
Company-level results cited by Goldman Sachs reflect the varied dynamics across brands and channels.
L'Oréal, for which the US comprises approximately 25% of sales, reported an 8.3% increase in sales for the period coupled with 10.3% volume growth. Within the L'Oréal portfolio, L'Oréal Paris rose 12.9% and La Roche-Posay jumped 31.6%. NYX accelerated to 11.2% growth, while Garnier and Maybelline declined modestly. CeraVe sales increased 4.9%.
Unilever's US beauty, wellbeing and personal care business - which represents about 12% of the group's sales - declined 0.4% with volumes down 2.2%. Brand-level performance was mixed: Dove sales rose 1.5% (a slowdown from 4.9% growth in April), Vaseline accelerated to 16% growth, Liquid IV sales fell 0.9% driven by a 7.6% decline in price and mix, and Axe remained weak with a 14% decline.
Beiersdorf, with US sales roughly 10% of company revenue, saw US sales decelerate to a 4.1% decline and volumes down 11.4%. Beiersdorf's derma portfolio grew 7%, driven by Aquaphor which posted 11.4% growth, while Nivea declined 2.3% amid a 9.4% volume drop. Coppertone contracted 33.4%, with the company losing share in a US sunscreen category that itself declined 16.7%.
Shifts in consumer health and household categories were also evident. Across consumer health, four-week sales fell in several segments: upper respiratory products were down 5.8%, internal pain relief declined 3.9% and sexual health slipped 2.5%. Offsetting those declines, vitamins and supplements grew 1.3%, toothpaste rose 3.4% and digestive care increased 0.8%.
Among household categories, cleaners increased 1.2%, dish care fell 0.5% and laundry sales rose 3.2% over the same four-week horizon.
Additional company-level detail in consumer health and household goods shows further differentiation across portfolios.
Haleon, where the US represents approximately 30% of sales, posted a 1.3% sales decline with volumes down 1.7%. Toothpaste grew 5%, led by Sensodyne at 3.9% and Parodontax at 26.6%. Upper respiratory sales were down 4.8% and nicotine replacement therapy declined 13.5%.
Reckitt, with the US representing about 31% of sales, recorded a 2.7% sales decline while volumes rose 0.6%. Within Reckitt's mix, infant formula sales fell 4%, sexual health declined 1.3% while Durex rose 9% and K-Y fell 4.4%. Household cleaning products were up 1.2%, led by Lysol at 1.1%, and laundry grew 11.4%.
Henkel, where the US accounts for roughly 26% of sales, underperformed in laundry with sales down 1.3%. Detergent sales fell 2% as Purex declined 5.9% and Persil dropped 9.1%, while All rose 3.8%.
The Nielsen snapshot cited by Goldman Sachs paints a picture of modest dollar growth in US beauty and personal care, with divergent performance across categories and material differences between price/mix and volume trends at the company level. The dataset's exclusions of online channels and specialty retailers are notable when interpreting these trends against full-market activity.