The numbers, as they are saying, never lie. 

Compare beauty business stats of 20 years ago to the stats of today, and an image of a really dynamic — and equally resilient —global industry emerges.

In 2001, the primary yr of Beauty Inc (then “WWD Beauty Biz,” prestige beauty sales totaled $7 billion within the U.S., per numbers from the NPD Group. In today’s terms, that’s lower than 1 / 4 of L’Oréal’s global beauty sales in 2020, the number-one beauty manufacturers then and now.

Category-by-category, makeup and skincare sales have almost tripled within the U.S, and the retail scene can be very different. Globally, the rise of China has had a transformational impact on the industry. 

 

The WWD Beauty Inc Top 100 Beauty Manufacturers, 2001:

Combined sales of the highest 101* firms: $93 billion

1. L’Oréal Group, $11.99 billion, 23 brands.
2. Procter & Gamble, $8.8 billion, 19 brands.
3. Unilever PLC, $6.39 billion, 22 brands.
4. Shiseido Co. Ltd., $4.65 billion, 27 brands.
5. The Estée Lauder Cos. Inc., $4.6 billion, 16 brands.

The smallest company on the list:
#101. Escada Beaute: $46 million

Firms By Country

U.S.: 37

France: 17

Italy, Germany: 10

Japan: 9

U.K., Switzerland: 3

The WWD Beauty Inc Top 100 Beauty Manufacturers, 2020:

Combined sales of the highest 100 firms: $212.59 billion

1. L’Oréal, $31.95 billion, 35 brands.
2. Unilever, $22.17 billion, 31 brands.
3. The Estée Lauder Cos., $14.2 billion, 34 brands.
4. Procter & Gamble, $14 billion, 19 brands.
5. Shiseido Co. Ltd., $8.39 billion, 26 brands.

The smallest company on the list:

#100. Clea Cosmetics Co. Ltd.: $185 million

Firms By Country:

U.S.: 31

France: 14

Japan: 12

German, U.K., Switzerland, China: 4

*Resulting from a tie there have been 101 firms on the list in 2001, slightly than the customary 100.

U.S. Prestige Beauty Sales: 2001

All beauty: $7 billion
Makeup: $2.3 billion
Skincare: $1.8 billion
Fragrance: $2.9 billion

 

U.S. Prestige Beauty Sales: 2019*

All beauty: $18.8 billion
Makeup: $7.6 billion
Skincare: $5.9 billion
Fragrance: $4.5 billion

Source: The NPD Group

*Due to coronavirus pandemic, 2020 numbers aren’t as reflective because the historic growth rates over the past 20 years, so 2019 figures are used for comparison.

Sephora: 2001

50 stores in 19 states

Employees: 1,163

Top brands:

• Sephora Collection
• Stila Cosmetics
• Profit
• Lorac
• Urban Decay

Sephora, 2021:
452 stores in 45 states (not including Sephora at Kohl’s or Sephora inside JCPenney)

Employees: 13,011

• Sephora Collection
• Fenty
• Olaplex
• Drunk Elephant
• Charlotte Tilbury

Completely satisfied Birthday to You, Too!

Here, a listing of brands launched in 2001:

Kevyn Aucoin

Essence Cosmetics

Oyin Handmade

Lamaur

ghd

Circadia

Industry Titans With Multiple Beauty Inc Covers:

Jean-Paul Agon, former chief executive officer and current chairman, L’Oréal

Bobbi Brown, entrepreneur

Fabrizio Freda, chief executive officer, The Estée Lauder Cos.

Iman, supermodel and entrepreneur

Alex Keith, CEO, P&G Beauty

Lindsay Owen-Jones, former chairman and CEO, L’Oréal

Masahiko Uotani, CEO, Shiseido

For more from WWD.com, see:

Prestige Beauty Grew 11 Percent in Q1, Per NPD Group

L’Oréal USA Receives Intersectional Equity Certification