Winter winds boost sales of skincare products

The skincare market in Bangladesh has witnessed good sales since the start of winter as rising awareness about the benefits of self-care during the dry season is driving demand, according to business people.

As such, the demand for skincare products will increase as temperatures continue to drop across the country, they said.

Temperatures may soon fall further, creating the possibility of a moderate cold wave this month, as per data from the Bangladesh Meteorological Department.

Yesterday, the highest temperature was recorded at 30.5 degrees Celsius in Cox's Bazar while Naogaon saw the lowest temperature of 11.4 degrees Celsius.

Zeeshan Rahman, marketing manager for skincare at Unilever Bangladesh, said they had received a good response this year as retailers were stocking up in preparation for winter sales.

"Besides, it is a good sign that customers are buying skincare products earlier than usual this year. So, we can say that the market will see a robust growth this year."

Jihadul Islam, who works and lives in Cox's Bazar, said he bought creams for his four-member family a few days ago to protect them against the winter weather.

Nurul Alam Shikdar, a retailer in the capital's Pallabi extension area, said the sales of cold-related products picked up in mid-November.

Creams, lotions, glycerin, petroleum jelly, skincare serums, and olive oil are among the products that usually see higher sales during winter, according to industry people.

Golam Kibria Sarkar, senior vice-president for branding at Kohinoor Chemical Company Bangladesh, said the skincare market is seeing a good response this year even though winter is yet to arrive in earnest.

"People tend to purchase and use skincare products the most during winter. So, the demand for some of our products is witnessing significant growth."

Sarkar added that such a response at the start of the season was a signal of more good things to come.

Ashraful Ambia, managing director of Remark HB Limited, a beauty and home care brand, said they were also receiving a good response.

"Due to increasing awareness, consumers are buying various winter products."

As per a report by Allied Market Research, the local skincare market is estimated to be worth around $1.23 billion in 2020 and is expected to hit $2.12 billion by 2027, registering an annual compound growth rate of 8.1 percent.

However, increasing penetration of counterfeit products is impeding the growth to some extent, the report added.

Jesmin Zaman, head of marketing at Square Toiletries, however, said sales of their winter skincare products have not been as robust as they should be at the moment.

"This is because winter is not in full force in Bangladesh yet. So, customers are not buying that much."

Zaman also informed that prices of some products fell this season but demand remains inadequate.

"If we compare the sales of November last year with November this year, there is no growth in the winter skincare segment. We expected normal growth even if was not that much, but it is in a stagnant situation."

She believes high inflation in the country could be behind the slow sales of winter skincare products.

Jamal Uddin, general secretary of the Association of Skincare and Beauty Product Manufacturers and Exporters of Bangladesh, said keeping in mind consumers' tastes and comfort, the cosmetics market is diversifying the product range.

Abriti Ahmed, a 24-year-old resident in the capital's Tejgaon area, says she uses moisturizer in winter as her skin gets dry.

She thinks when buying skincare products, one should be careful about the contents of the items because not everyone's skin is the same and there are some ingredients that can cause problems for those who are allergic.

ABM Faroque, a former professor of the pharmacy department at the University of Dhaka, said during winter the humidity level falls, causing the water content of the epidermis – the outermost layer of skin – to experience roughness, flaking, itching and cracking.

"People use various creams and lotions to protect the skin from drying up," he added.