The obsession among many European women for tanned skin is fading, particularly among women in their late 30s, according to a new study by Japan's Kanebo Cosmetics, meaning there is a small but growing market for whitening products.
Concern about spots and freckles is most pronounced in Scandinavia, Spain, Italy and Russia, according to Kanebo, which produced the report in collaboration with market analyst Euromonitor. Awareness of the importance of sun protection is growing most markedly in Russia, noteworthy because consumers in Eastern Europe have long been considered to be less concerned about UV damage.
Whitening products have traditionally accounted for a huge proportion of the Japanese cosmetics market, with demand similarly high in China, South Korea and Taiwan. And in these markets, whitening products continue to be used to attain a fairer, clearer skin. However, Kanebo says that the focus for such products in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand is more on inhibiting spots and freckles.
Demand for lightening cosmetics in North America is small but growing, according to the research, with the products marketed as "brightening cosmetics" designed to reduce spots and other imperfections and enhance skin clarity.
The key to encouraging greater use of such cosmetics in European countries, Kanebo believes, lies in identifying them as "anti-spot" products.