The body care market in the Big 5 has posted fairly slow but steady growth in the past year with all countries, with the exception of France, increasing value sales. Gains have not been very dramatic but they have been gains nonetheless which proves that the future for European body care looks smooth for the foreseeable future.

Sales in France fell 0.5% to $443 million, according to SymphonyIRI France. But volume increased 0.6% to 66.88 million units. Sales of general body care products declined 2.3%, depilatory sales rose 0.5% and specific care body product sales rose 1%.

France is always awash with new formats and the newest is body balm. With creamy, smooth textures, balms appeal to women who want a more pleasurable and sensory body care product. Charme d’Orient has expanded its Ecocert-certified organic range with Baume d’alun, formulated with purifying alum stone, known for its toning and firming properties, as well as beeswax, argan oil and nourishing and protective shea butter, delicately scented with orange flower and almond.

Melvita launched a balm within its new Apicosma Body range based on a three-honey complex. The combination of organic thyme honey, acacia honey and orange blossom honey, all selected for their ultra-nourishing properties, is said to provide an effective revitalizing solution for dry, delicate skin. The Baume Fondant Corps body balm contains 11% butters and oils and, in addition to the three-honey complex, includes royal jelly with cocoa butter and stevia leaf to leave extra dry skin feeling comfortable. Crème Mains Extra-Riche, a repairing hand cream, and Lait Velours Nourrissant Corps, a velvety body lotion, completes the line.

Staying in Shape
No definitive figures were available at press time, but German sales appear to be moving in the right direction. Dr. Hauschka rolled out two new SKUs to tempt consumers to part with their euros. Lavender Sandalwood Body Moisturizer is said to soothe and relax the skin and replenish and balance the moisture content. Almond Moisturizer contains almond oil blended with extract of St. John’s Wort and anthyllis to smooth and fortify dry, sensitive skin.

New from Nivea is Q10 Plus Firming Body Oil, which is said to dramatically improve the overall condition of normal, problem or dry skin. According to Beiersdorf, the oil is quick to absorb and has a silky smooth texture that sinks into the skin quickly and can be used on either wet or dry skin. The product contains EFA-rich avocado oil, which promotes healthy skin. The main hero ingredient, however, is co-enzyme Q10 which is essential for the body for the production of energy in all cells. This antioxidant also helps protect the skin cells from unstable free radicals.

Italian Improvement
According to Unipro, sales of body care products in Italy, which include softening creams, all-purpose creams, body waters and oils, anti-aging creams and depilatories, increased 1.9% to $1.9 billion. Only anti-cellulite product sales disappointed, falling 2.1% to $173 million.

Italians are loyal to domestic brands, especially body care. While once reserved for summer use, body scrubs are now a key part of a woman’s routine to maintain healthy skin all year and are gaining a substantial share of the body care market. Scrubs are particularly popular during the summer months because Italian women like to maintain an even tan. New products go beyond exfoliation, incorporating other benefits for the skin from moisturizing and toning to slimming and draining properties.

The top selling scrub in the perfumery category is Collistar’s Thalasso Scrub. More than an exfoliant, it is a powerful revitalizing and restorative treatment that uses the properties of thalassotherapy and carefully selected oils, including avocado, macadamia and sweet almond, to moisturize and increase the effects of exfoliation. It contains more than 90 types of sea salt, with different grain sizes, to tackle small and large patches of dead skin. The salt has an iono-osmotic action that encourages drainage of excess water stored in the body and toned skin.

Supermarket Sweep
In a market increasingly reliant on own brand and supermarket products, Spain has also seen a polished past year, with body care sales increasing 1.7% to $227 million, while volume rose 7% to 16.5 million units, according to Symphony IRI Spain. Sales in supermarkets and hypermarkets rose 3% in value terms and 6% in volume terms.

When it came to NPD, Unilever led the way, with a range of Dove products that contain Deep Care Complex, which is designed to hydrate the top layers of the skin.

Shea butter is a key ingredient in the new 24 hour Hand Protection Balm range from German brand Essence by Cosnova. The balms, which also contain coconut oil, are conceived for long-lasting protection for hands and to help soothe cracked skin.

Buffed and Beautiful
According to Kantar Worldpanel, UK body care sales rose 1.3% to $609 million and volume sales gained 0.4% to 22.49 million units. Exfoliators in particular scrubbed up well, rising 33.9%. However, body oil sales fell 14.8%. The UK body care market paid special attention to its hands and feet in the past year and there were some key new rollouts in this area.

Luxury brand Molton Brown increased its influence with its first antibacterial fine liquid handwash called Rok Mint Hand Duo. Combining a blend of basil, blackcurrant and mint, Rok Mint soothing hand lotion contains a shea butter complex, which is designed to prevent moisture loss and ensure hands are nourished.

Body care sales in the Big 5, for the most part, have been blooming in the past year with value sales headed in the right direction and innovative products hitting the market left, right and center.