The perfumery, cosmetics, and personal care industry in Spain has not only consolidated its position as a strategic pillar of the national economy, but has demonstrated exceptional strength and dynamism in a complex global environment. According to the latest sectoral report from Stanpa corresponding to the 2025 fiscal year, the market has reached a historic turnover of 11,818.86 million euros, which represents a growth of 5.8% compared to the previous year.
This figure takes on special relevance when compared with the macroeconomic context: the beauty sector is growing at double the rate of the national GDP. With a contribution exceeding 1% of the Gross Domestic Product, the industry reaffirms itself as a driver of competitiveness, quality employment, and international projection.
A market driven by the culture of perfume and the rigor of skincare
The analysis by categories reveals that the Spanish consumer maintains a deep and close relationship with beauty products. Skin care remains as the central axis of the market, representing 32% of the total with a consumption volume exceeding 3.7 billion euros. Within this segment, interest in skin health is transgenerational: facial care already concentrates 61.3% of the category, while photoprotection, an area where España is a benchmark, accounts for 21%.
However, the true protagonist of growth in 2025 has been perfume. With an increase of 9.5%, fragrances have surpassed the barrier of 2,400 million euros. This phenomenon is not casual; it reflects a "perfume culture" deeply rooted in Spanish society, where aroma is a sign of identity and a vehicle for emotional well-being.
For its part, hair care has experienced a qualitative transformation. Although its global growth was 6.5%, hair treatment products, those focused on scalp health and deep repair shot up by 11%, indicating an increasingly evident "skinification" of hair. On the opposite side, color cosmetics show a slower pace, with facial makeup growing 6.6% (500 million euros) and lip products 3.8%.
The triumph of the physical experience versus the setback of 'e-commerce'
One of the most revealing data points of the 2025 report is the behavior of distribution channels. Despite the prevailing digitalization, the physical channel continues to be the absolute sovereign, concentrating more than 90% of the market. Surprisingly, online sales have registered a decrease of 4.72%, which suggests a return of the consumer to the point of sale in search of professional advice, sensory experience, and immediate gratification.
In this scenario, the selective channel (luxury and specialized perfumery) leads industrial growth with a growth of 8.9%. The ability of this channel to offer exclusive experiences has resonated with a buyer looking for added value. Mass consumption, for its part, maintains its relevance due to accessibility, with a growth of 6.2% and a volume close to 5.8 billion euros. Pharmacy, although still the third most important channel (17% of the market), has grown at a more moderate rate of 3.8%.
Exporting power: the challenge of the new tariffs
Spain has consolidated itself as the second global exporter of perfumes, only behind France, and the fourth market in the European Union. In 2025, the sector's exports reached a historical high of 10,124 million euros, with a positive trade balance of 3,849 million.
However, the international outlook presents lights and shadows. While exports have doubled in the last five years, the US market, the main extra-community destination, has suffered a fall of 13%, reaching 725 million euros. This setback is a direct consequence of the tariff policy imposed by the Trump administration, which has taxed European beauty products. Added to this is the instability in Oriente Medio, which is already beginning to impact the supply chain and raw material imports.
Despite these challenges, the "Made in Spain" enjoys an enviable prestige. 50% of exports are directed to the EU+EFTA, but markets such as Mexico, China, and Singapore continue to gain weight in the international strategy of our companies.
Employment and talent: a sector with a female and qualified face
The cosmetics industry is, above all, an industry of people. The sector generates more than 50,200 direct jobs and exceeds 300,000 indirect. In the last five years, job creation has grown by 24.1%, a figure that supports the solidity of the Spanish business fabric, composed of 84% SMEs, but which also hosts large multinationals that choose Spain as a production center.
Diversity and female leadership are pillars of this industry. Women represent the 60% of direct employment and, what is more significant, occupy the 56.6% of management and executive positions, counting with more than 1,000 female executives in their ranks. This data places the beauty sector well above the average of other industrial sectors in terms of effective equality.
Innovation and sustainability: the investment in the future
To maintain this leadership position, the industry has raised its investment in R&D&i above 3.4% of its turnover. Innovation is no longer limited to the creation of new formulas; it is an integral vision that encompasses from biotechnology applied to ingredients to the digitalization of the value chain through artificial intelligence.
The industry trusts that the Unión Europea fulfills its commitments to support competitiveness. The sector demands regulations that are "clear, efficient, and guaranteeing", that allow continued progress in the green and digital transition without losing competitive advantage against other economic blocs.
How do we take care of ourselves in 2025? The consumer profile
The Stanpa report also offers a look at social behavior. Personal care is placed in the top 3 activities that Spaniards perform to feel better, only surpassed by physical exercise and relaxation. Per capita spending in Spain has risen to 234.5 euros, a significantly higher figure than the European Union average (184 euros).
This consumption is stable and unseasonalized, although it maintains its traditional peaks: summer, driven by sun protection, and the Christmas and Three Kings campaign. Regarding daily routines, the gender gap persists but is nuanced: while women use an average of 9.4 cosmetic products per day, men already use 6.2 products, consolidating the male market as a niche with great potential for growth.