Lip treatments, plumpers inflate sales

Brace yourselves. If the recent success of Kylie Jenner’s Lip Kit is any indication, 2016 could be the year of the lip. Jenner’s online launch of her kit, designed to help achieve her luscious lip look, sold out within an hour. The rush for full lips is expected to invite many mass market contenders offering a similar look at a reasonable price, and without having to buy a kit on eBay at significantly more than the $29 price tag. One kit recently sold for $1,000 on the auction site.

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The quest for plumped up lips comes on the heels of already rosy lip category sales, showing a 12% increase to $830 million, according to IRI data for the 52-week period ended Nov. 1, 2015, in multi-outlets. There’s already been mounting demand in mass doors for lip treatments, a category including many plumper formulas and primers, with category sales up 10%.



While glosses always have an audience, over the past year the category sales growth was driven by liners and lipsticks. Sales in those areas expanded 22% and 15%, respectively. Gloss sales were down 5.6%.



Rimmel, known for its on-trend color, hit the lip trends out of the park this year with sales of its Moisture Renew Lip Liner soaring 254%. Other popular liners included Revlon Colorstay and the hot NYX liner.



Consumers opted for a rich payoff in lipsticks with sales paced by L’Oréal Infallible, Wet n Wild Mega Last, Maybelline Color Sensational Matte and Revlon Colorbust.



While full lips may be the look for 2016, experts predict some new trends in colors. Runways hinted at trends in browns, brick red and even violets setting the pace. And don’t count out glosses. The industry is anxious to see what Markwins has in mind to stir up sales of Bonne Bell. Eos continues to roll on with links to fashion, such as partnerships with Keds. And, Burt’s Bees continues to expand its distribution.