Cosmetics are booming: 2025 will see a 5.1% revenue growth and 7% export growth.
With a forecast turnover of €17.4 billion in 2025 (up 5.1% from 2024) and exports of €8.5 billion (up 7%), equal to approximately 50% of sales, the Italian cosmetics industry is booming and, despite the complex geopolitical context, confirms its position as a key sector for the country's economy and a natural booster of competitiveness.
Lombardy confirms its position as Italy's leading cosmetics production and innovation hub, with the sector experiencing continued growth since 2020. In 2024, turnover in this region exceeded €11 billion, a 9.1% increase compared to 2023. Estimates for 2025 predict a further 6.3% increase, with turnover expected to exceed €11.7 billion.
These are the main findings emerging, at the national level, from the snapshot of the sector's performance taken by the Cosmetica Italia Research Center, which released the 2025 forecasts of its economic survey, and, at the regional level, from the fourth edition of the Assolombarda and Cosmetica Italia Observatory, which offers an overview of the cosmetics sector in Lombardy, analyzing its turnover, its impact on national exports, and its prospects for the domestic and global markets.
The data was presented at Assolombarda during the event "Beauty between ethics and innovation - Development guidelines for a sector capable of combining beauty, economic value, and a positive impact on society," the inaugural conference of Milan Beauty Week – The week dedicated to the culture of beauty and well-being (an initiative by Cosmetica Italia in collaboration with Cosmoprof and Esxence).
"Cosmetics is an industry in which Italy is a global leader, and our region leads the way," stated Alvise Biffi, President of Assolombarda. "International exposure is the strongest lever: since 2019, Lombardy's exports in the sector have grown by 61%, with the United States as the primary destination market and new opportunities in the Middle East and Asia. Looking at the entire chemicals sector, of which cosmetics is a significant part, we see that Italy is the third-largest European country in terms of production and twelfth in the world. This prominent position is based in Lombardy, the fifth-largest European region in terms of number of sector employees, with our quadrilateral region of Milan, Monza Brianza, Lodi, and Pavia alone accounting for half of the region's chemical workers and 20% of Italy's. This success stems from a solid industrial tradition and a deeply rooted supply chain, capable of combining innovation, quality, and sustainability." Today, faced with an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape, it is essential to increasingly focus on innovation—the true key to competitiveness—and diversify markets. Only in this way will the cosmetics industry, and Assolombarda companies more generally, be able to successfully address the challenges of our time.
Total cosmetics sector revenue will reach €17.4 billion by the end of 2025, up 5.1% compared to the previous year and in line with the average annual growth rate of the last 10 years. Exports account for approximately half of total sales, with an estimated value of €8.5 billion (up 7% compared to 2024). The domestic market is slowing compared to the start of the year estimates, primarily due to the reduction in Italians' spending power. Domestic revenue will grow 3.3% to €8.9 billion, while consumption will reach €13.9 billion, up 3.7%. Analyzing consumption across distribution channels, the best performances are seen in e-commerce (+9% compared to 2024) and, among traditional channels, in perfumery (+5.8%) and pharmacy (+3.3%), underscoring the strong importance of specialization. Large-scale retail trade (+2.1%), which still remains the leading distribution channel for cosmetics in terms of value, and herbal medicine (+2.2%) performed more moderately. Estimates for professional channels are also positive, with hairdressing reporting a 3.4% increase and beauty care projected to grow by 2.6% compared to the previous year. At the product level, alcoholic perfumery stands out (+5.2% compared to 2024), followed by hair care (+4.9%) and skin care (+3.9%). In 2024, the total turnover of the supply chain reached €41.2 billion and supported employment overall with approximately 440,000 jobs (1.6% of the Italian workforce). Research and innovation remain two key pillars in the development of the Italian cosmetics industry, with total investments equal to approximately 6% of turnover, compared to a national average of 3% for the manufacturing industry. In particular, the focus on sustainable transition is reflected across the entire production chain – from packaging to energy management, from emissions reduction to logistics optimization.
"Cosmetics have become an essential commodity with strong social value, becoming one of the primary goods used recurrently in households' daily consumption. The national cosmetics sector continues to grow steadily and confirms its strong international vocation," commented Benedetto Lavino, president of Cosmetica Italia. "The entire Italian cosmetics industry supply chain is strategic for economic growth and is a fundamental component of the country's economic system, capable of generating wealth and employment. We are one of the leading examples of Made in Italy, and working in synergy with institutions is crucial to affirming the value of 'Italian beauty' and increasing its competitiveness and attractiveness."
Export-orientedism is a key factor in the sector's success. In 2024, exports exceeded €6 billion, up 12.1% compared to 2023. This growth exceeds the 5.6% increase recorded by the domestic market.
"Lombardy confirms its position as the beating heart of the Italian cosmetics industry: it is home to over half of the sector's businesses and employees, with 231,000 employees, generating 67% of domestic revenue and 76% of exports," says Filippo De Caterina, president of the Cosmetics Section of Assolombarda and vice president of Cosmetica Italia. "In 2024, the sector reached €11 billion, €6 billion of which came from exports, especially considering the extremely complex global context. This result is the fruit of our companies' ability to adapt and is what makes them a world-renowned excellence."
In 2025, exports are estimated to reach €6.5 billion, an annual increase of 8.6%. The foreign market represents a growing share of total revenue. In 2024, exports accounted for 54.6% of total revenue, up from 47.6% in 2019. The main destination markets for Italian cosmetics exports are the United States, France, and Germany. Alcoholic perfumery products account for approximately one-third of the total value of Italian exports.
Lombardy stands out not only for its turnover, but also for its importance in the national cosmetics industry. In fact, the region will host 53.8% of cosmetics companies active in Italy in 2024 and generate 66.6% of the national turnover. Lombardy is also the region with the highest production capacity in the Italian cosmetics industry, with nearly 80% of the turnover of subcontractors concentrated within its territory. Furthermore, Lombardy employs more than half, 52.5%, of the sector's workforce nationwide, for a total of 231,000 people.
Lombardy's cosmetics industry consolidates its position of global excellence, distinguishing itself for its ability to combine craftsmanship, technology, design, and scientific research. The sector, which ranges from skincare and haircare to makeup, is recognized globally for its quality and innovation.
Assolombarda, in collaboration with Cosmetica Italia, has organized "Fuori Beauty Week," two events in the Monza-Brianza and Lodi areas, two centers of excellence for Lombardy's cosmetics production. The first event is tomorrow in Monza and the second on Friday the 19th in Lodi.
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