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- [00:00]
A
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B
Foreign. Welcome to ASCP STTalk. I'm Ella Cressman, licensed esthetician, forever student of the skin and content contributor for Associated Skincare Professionals.
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C
I'm Maggie Stasik, licensed esthetician and ASCP's program director.
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B
Today we're going to talk about something super sexy. Are you ready?
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C
Yeah.
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B
We're gonna be looking at national beauty sales data. This is interesting. So this was an article I ran across recently and the reason that it caught my attention is because it was talking about the spending trends of 2025 and that's something personally I noticed. And it's also was using those 2025 spending habits and you know, falls and then rebounds to bring predict spending habits in 2026. So let's step slightly outside of the treatment room and take a peek at prestige and mass beauty and then fragrance and skincare. And before we start thinking, hey, that's retail and that's not us, that's fair. But because it's consumer behavior and watching the consumer behavior shift, we know that it also shows up in our appointment books and on our retail shelves, right?
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C
Yeah, absolutely. I would say we don't operate in a bubble, we operate inside the larger beauty economy.
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B
Ooh, I like that. Yes, for sure. So let's define mass and prestige because I gosh, it's probably about 10 years ago I was working with a company, it was a startup and one of their salespeople that they hired was talking about prestige and prestige and I was like what the heck Is that so? Let me break it down just in case. I'm not the only one who didn't quite understand that mass beauty in relation to skincare is the drugstore stuff. This is the stuff you find at Target or Walmart or Amazon usually has lower price points but higher accessibility and they do high volume sales. Prestige beauty is what you'll find at Sephora or Ulta's prestige side department stores. Think of like the Nordstrom, you know, beauty counter stuff usually has a higher price point. There's more brand storytelling and buying into that and then more of a perceived exclusivity. So two sides. Obviously these are both retail based categories and they're absolutely volume driven. They're absolutely product first. So here's where we need to think about it. As estheticians, obviously we're not mass beauty. Obviously we're not prestige, even though I'm prestigious. But we are professional. We operate a service based model. We are an authority driven space and our retail is supported by our professionalism. What the consultation looks like, how we're customizing for everybody and then the treatment outcomes. So I just wanted to put that out there because when we're looking at the statistics, we, we're not saying like, how can we compete? What we're really looking at is what does this tell us about consumer psychology? Because inevitably we're going to run across it, Right?
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C
Yeah.
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B
All right, so let's talk about what happened in 2025. Here's what the data shows. That prestige beauty grew around 4% and mass beauty grew around 5%. Normally that's like 6 or 7%. So a little bit down. These both expanded. Even with the pressured economy, there was fear everywhere, especially with tariff talks and whatnot. But can you guess what was one of the fastest growing categories in prestige or mass in the beauty sector?
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C
Honestly, I don't know.
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B
Fragrance outside of skincare. Outside of skincare, just in the beauty space. And fragrance, they're saying because fragrance has an immediate. I feel better.
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C
Yeah.
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B
Makes you immediately feel good.
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C
Well, I've seen a lot that fragrance and makeup is really trending. Absolutely more than it has in years past.
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B
Instant. We don't have to wait for the eye cream to kick in or for those spots to brighten. We can cover it up and we smell great doing it. Yeah, right. Feels really good. Skincare had a softer start in the year, but it rebounded strongly in the second half. And when you look at the little line charts, it's crazy. It started like going down and it's like, ooh, that's not looking good. I experienced it, I've talked about it. And I know talking to other professionals, they also experienced a huge shift in buying habits. Like, whoa, whoa, whoa, let me stretch this out. Do I really need this product starting around February last year, but knowing that it went up in the second half, which is also something that my business experienced, it's cool. Yeah.
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C
The rebound is important.
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B
For sure. It is, because it tells us that buying behavior isn't disappearing, it's just changing timing. Consumers might pause, but then they come back. And I'm sure our listeners can attest to that being true. So what it says about client behavior, the article describes it as an accessible indulgence. How does that make you feel?
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C
I would say it depends on the product we've talked about, like in our favorite things, specific products that we felt so good about. It felt like an indulgence. We didn't need it, we wanted it because we felt good putting it on. I think there are a lot of products that, that do that, that fill a void or make us feel so good. Whether it is actually a functional product or a feel good product. And then there's some that fail to do it. It's lacking in fragrance, whether it's natural or artificial, um, or it doesn't have that luxurious feel going on. Going back a little bit between mass products and prestige or professional products, I think there's also a type of consumer out there that will argue I don't need to invest all of this money for the prestige or the professional lines because I think I can still have great skin or I can still feel good with my mass produced product from wherever Walmart or Target or whatever the case may be.
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B
Enter the dupes. Yeah, enter the dupes. Yeah, for sure. And they're wanting that. They're wanting that because that indulgence, that little bit, that face mask that they're putting on, whether they're getting it at Target or they're getting it at Sephora or they're getting it from you. It's this little bit of time to have perceived luxury in their life. Especially at a time when things feel so uncertain and unpredictable.
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C
Yeah, like lipstick, skin care, fragrance, even a facial, for sure.
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B
It's a lipstick effect from that we talked about from the Great Depression. Like people were still buying lipstick at the time. Obviously there was a lot less skin care opportunity, but it made them feel better in uncertain times. I think one thing to consider is that consumers are strategic. That's not that they're disengaged and that's what I felt like. I guess maybe I assumed when things started changing, I'm like, are they pulling away from me? But they're just changing their strategy. I actually have one client who says I'm in her monthly budget for, like, she takes an average of what she might spend in a year and puts aside X amount per month for product cost and for treatments. And when she told the amount me the amount and that she was going to keep seeing me, even though she was very worried about being let go or laid off because she works for the government, I was like, wow, that's really cool. It was $400 a month she allocates for me for, like, product or whatever. I think that was pretty cool. I felt really honored. And then I also wanted to make sure that I was returning the value to her. The other thing, that client, especially in particular, and a lot of clients, they do a lot more research now, and their research, I'm gonna say in like air quotes, is googling or like. One of the things that really irritated me is that the brand that I brought on sells direct to consumer. So she would notify me when they were having a sale. I'm like, oh, my God. But it's because she expected value, not necessarily a low price. She was still loyal to me, but wanted to make sure I can offer her something. She really kept me on my toes. And I get it. And then obviously there's emotional spending and it's proven to stay strong all through 2025. And that's why that fragrance sector has grown so much. And then later last year, we saw a confidence restore to the market. And that's right, almost spot on when the skincare rebounded, which was really cool.
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C
I wanna touch on the emotional spending part because there's different types of buyers. So you're mentioning this client that has set aside the $400 every month. That is amazing. I would feel honored as well. Plus, she's doing her research to validate that these $400 is worth it to her, worth it to you, and potentially she's being laid off. Is there some emotional spending there? Maybe. But she's also probably a different type of buyer.
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B
Hold that thought. We'll be right back.
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A
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- [11:32]
B
Okay, here we go. Let's get back to the podcast. Okay, so let's talk about skincare's second half of the year. They call it H2 have to. The second half rebounded and that was really huge for us as professionals because the consumer delay that we experienced earlier in the year and then the return to spending habits later, it tells that we need to be intentional about a CP seasonal strategy. And I'm not talking about summer, winter, you know, and the rest of how that goes. I'm talking about seasons of uncertainty too. So are we building regimen conversations consistently and talking about these things? Are we planning quarter three and quarter four retail pushes like, do you sell? This is a conversation for the. Or a question for the listeners. Do you sell holiday packages? Do you. You sell gift certificates or gift packages and such? Because that's what the prestige and mass are doing. They plan for it and they know what they're selling in September, they know it in June. You know, they're planning and getting things ready. Are we creating these giftable skincare bundles so that it's an easy purchase for our clients to give to their loved ones? And are we tracking retail attachment rates? Also, are we building anticipation for advanced treatments later in the year? What do you think?
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C
I think that there are those estheticians out there that are truly operating as a business and they are thinking ahead and planning these things for the entire year. And of course it needs to be revisited and you need to make adjustments. But the person that's just operating as a professional esthetician, not thinking in terms of quote, unquote, business, is maybe not thinking far enough ahead, is not thinking in January. What does the end of this year look like? You know what I'm saying?
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B
Oh, a hundred percent. We don't. We think about what is our social media content looking like?
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C
Well, that's part of it, but, you know, in terms of what should I be tracking? How can I adjust? How does that adjustment impact my revenue? You know, all these little things.
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B
How about retail? Like expanding retail offerings to be maybe writing this. I don't wanna say trend, but this behavior indication. Like, would you say you had your own place and you had very expensive products that were. It's a harder sell, if I'm being honest. It's very hard to sell. Like, okay, whew let me like work and get you to get this product because you need it. But I'm going to really work to first of all build your trust and explain the value of it. And then at the cash wrap or however you know, at the front desk you have some maybe travel sized perfumes or you know, whatever. It worked for me when I went to a spa, any spa I go to, but I went to a hot springs in Santa Fe and I bought this perfume and now every time I wear it people are like, oh my gosh, what is that? I love it. And for me it reminds me of being there. It was very much I felt calm, I felt at peace at this place. I felt good. And that scent reminds me of it. So having something to remind you of coming out of this, let's say a Zen facial, not my facials, where you're coming out bloody and scraped. Just kidding. But where you're coming out of this Zen experience and connecting that vibe, that emotion of what you're feeling right now with how you feel tomorrow when you spray this on.
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C
What are you asking?
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B
Fair question. So because fragrance growth is one of the fastest growing categories that really does tell us that they're create, they the consumers are craving sensory identity. So could this be an opportunity we're overlooking, considering, sent his memory, sent his emotion and sent his ritual. Is this something we should consider bringing in, even in a limited capacity to compliment the experience, the roe, the return on experience for what they've done just had in our treatment rooms?
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C
Yeah. And it doesn't mean that you're selling bottles of perfume necessarily, but it could be that you're incorporating aromatherapy into the treatment, you're adding it, adding scent to your hot towels or something along those lines or even just considering the scent that's within your product and you can draw attention to that. So when you are applying your lemon cleanser, you're drawing attention to this. As you apply the cleanser, you're explaining to your client that this is a lemon, blah blah blah, that's going to do blah, blah blah. And it's triggering for your client in a positive way.
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B
So I don't know that I would bring in perfume. I see the value of it like a roll on or something, but I also see it as clutter for my space. But what I didn't even think about it. But there's a line that I use, like another line that I use that I love by the way, but they have this spray and it's great for the skin, but this, the scent Experience is also so pleasant for the month of February. And I did have some leftover for March. I gave away, I bought em, I think they were like $6 or something. And I gave that away like, love your face, love your face. And it was a little, a facial mist, like a purse size version of it. And it was a really nice way for me to give back to them and then have the experience. And I bet you they're gonna buy the full size next time.
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C
Love that idea.
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B
So here's a bigger lesson for professional aesthetics. Here's what I took from the data that I want you to consider is that even though last year there was spending uncertainty, beauty is resilient. They're, I think that goes along with the conversation of, oh, we're, you know, the market's oversaturated, I'm not getting enough business. I think it's out there, you just have to move in a different way. Consumers are also very strategic. So meeting that strategy with them and working with them, building trust is going to be key. And realizing that emotion drives spending. So taking the trust that you've built with them, understanding emotions, whether it's the fear emotions or the abundance emotions, being aware of that and really explaining the value of what you're selling and then understand that the skincare part rebounds, fragrance is thriving. And so how do we win? We stop competing with mass beauty on price. That's a big differentiator. Remember our dupes, our drugstore dupes that we talked about. And stop competing with prestige on hype. Lean into your professional authority and then also track your numbers. Watch your own businesses, buying habits and such and then make adjustments, maybe have an event, maybe throw in something for free that encourages the emotional connection stuff.
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C
We're not just sales, we're problem solvers.
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B
I think that's true. We're definitely problem solvers. So when we have a big problem come up like, oh my gosh, they're not spending like they used to, there's ways to fix it now. Listeners, we really want to hear from you. Are you watching trends? Are you adjusting seasonally? And are you creating emotional value, not just clinical results? Reach out via Instagram, Facebook or send us an email@getconnectedscp skincare.com we want to know all the details. In the meantime, thank you for listening to ASCP STTalk. For more information on this episode, for ways to connect with Maggie or myself, or to learn more about ascp, check out the show notes and stay tuned for the next episode of ASCP stdoc.