Italians are cutting back on spending on clothing, footwear and trips abroad, but they do not seem willing to give up spending on personal care. This trend emerged from a study conducted by the Italian ecodermatology association, Skineco. In 2023, total investments in the beauty and personal care sector reached 24 billion euros, with an average of about 929 euros per family. In particular, spending on cosmetics, which includes personal hygiene products, face, hair and perfumes, totaled 12.5 billion euros. This represents an increase of 31.5% compared to the previous ten years; in 2013 the figure was 9.5 billion euros. Inflation in the “Goods and services for personal care” sector in the same period was 10%, according to Istat data. Forecasts for 2024 indicate that the market could grow further to reach 13.5 billion euros.

But how do Italians spend in this area? Analyzing sales data in traditional channels shows that 16.4% of the budget (about 1.6 billion euros) is allocated to facial products such as anti-wrinkle creams and cleansers. Almost 1.5 billion (15% of the total) is dedicated to body products including deodorants and sunscreens. Italians spend approximately 1.3 billion euros annually on perfumes (14% of the total) and approximately 1.1 billion (11%) on personal hygiene such as soaps and shower gels. As for hair, spending exceeds one billion euros in 2023 only for specific products (shampoo and dyes), while almost 9.8 billion were spent at hairdressers (men, women and children), corresponding to an annual average of close to 380 euros per family.

However, the differences in prices are not uniform throughout the country. Skineco analyzed data from the Mimit Price Observatory revealing that the average cost of a blow-dry at salons in the main Italian cities is currently around 17.6 euros; a women’s cut costs on average around 22 euros while a men’s cut stands at 19.5 euros. Trento has the highest cost for a women’s cut with an average of 32.2 euros followed by Trieste (29.7 euros) and Bari (28.4 euros). On the contrary, Naples is the cheapest city with only 12.8 euros.

As for men’s haircuts, Trieste once again holds the leadership in costs with an average price of 29.7 euros. Bologna is at the top for blow-drying with an average cost of around 22.5 euros, while Venice follows closely behind with a rate of around 21.8 euros.

Furthermore, there is an increase in interest in eco-dermocompatible products that are safe and respectful of both personal health and the environment. Skineco President Pucci Romano has underlined