How 3 Beauty Brands Are Growing While Consumers Spend Less

Harry Slatkin, Founder of Slatkin + Co., believes the distinction between mass-market and premium beauty brands has dissipated. His company's lines of "luxe for less" home fragrances and body care are testament to that. — Slatkin + Co.

Why it matters:

Value-seeking behavior is accelerating as shoppers face tariff-driven price hikes and economic uncertainty.
Mass-market beauty sales gains outpaced prestige growth for the first time in five years—4% versus 2%, respectively—according to Circana data.
Beauty brands that offer “luxe-for-less” experiences—without compromising quality—are resonating with consumers across retail channels.

Call it being at the right place at the right time. The value-driven strategies behind Suave, Fine’ry, and Slatkin + Co. position these personal care and fragrance brands in a sweet spot as consumers navigate tariff-fueled price increases and a cloudy economic picture.

“Consumers continue to exhibit value-seeking behavior, with comparison shopping emerging as a major trend,” said Ashley Helgans, Senior Vice President at investment firm Jefferies. Historically, during economic downturns, consumers migrate toward lower-priced options, she added.

Rather than abdicating categories altogether, shoppers are on the hunt for comparable products at a value. “Trading down becomes standard practice when faced with must-have personal care products like shampoo and deodorant,” said Sarah Jindal, Mintel’s VP of Insights for Beauty and Personal Care, Americas. Mintel research revealed that 27% of makeup users are actively looking for cheaper alternatives to premium products this year, up from 2024.

The trend is showing up in sales figures. Mass-market beauty sales grew 4%, outpacing prestige’s 2% gains, for the first half of 2025, according to Circana data. “The beauty industry’s latest results show a consumer focused on efficacy and elevated value,” Larissa Jensen, Global Beauty Industry Advisor at Circana, told CO—. “Only 14% of U.S. beauty buyers believe higher prices mean better quality. The mass and prestige markets are converging—with premium-priced brands in mass retail and value-priced prestige brands outperforming their peers.”

Three pairs of Fine'ry's perfumes and body mists are arranged on and around a pile of white stones. The jewel-toned scent bottles are two different heights, with the body mist being about twice as tall as the perfume. The three scents are Rosa Lina (in lavender bottles), No Prince Required (in black bottles), and She's a Goodie (in blue bottles). — **The Fine'ry brand was created to be luxury-coded but accessibly priced. The fragrance line became the fastest-growing fragrance brand at Target.** — Fine'ry

Luxe for less: Brands hitting the affordable beauty sweet spot

The executives behind these three personal care brands—Suave, Fine’ry, and Slatkin + Co.—share a common belief: consumers don’t have to sacrifice quality for affordability.

Under the leadership of Rafael Lopes, Vice President of Innovation and Brand Equity for Suave Brands Company, the 88-year-old heritage brand has been rebooted to stand out on crowded retail shelves.

His team doubled down on innovation, packaging upgrades, and leaned into telling ingredient stories across hair, body, and deodorant lines.

Suave’s formulas now include ceramides and prebiotics—buzzy ingredients typically associated with premium products. “This is very different than what the brand has done in the past,” said Lopes.

Younger consumers, Lopes added, in particular dissect labels. “They are savvy when it comes to ingredients. The new products articulate those benefits right on the packaging.”

A standout performance is Suave’s Strawberry Delight Uplifting Body Wash, which frequently ranks as the fourth best-selling body wash at Walmart, according to NielsenIQ data. The brand’s Bonding Infusion line, positioned as an affordable alternative to Olaplex, retails for under $5 compared with $30–$70.

“The label calls out specific fragrance notes, highlighting what the product smells like,” Lopes said. “It is performing exceedingly well.”

Never talk down to the consumer. Everyone should be treated as a luxury consumer.” Harry Slatkin, Founder of Slatkin + Co.

Fine’ry helps revive mass fragrance scents

Once stagnant, the mass fragrance category has found new life thanks to a host of affordable yet on-trend fragrances. Case in point is Maesa’s Fine’ry, which redefined what “affordable” can smell like.

Drug and discount store shelves were filled with fading, down-trending fragrances, and designer scents were often under lock and key until Fine’ry flipped the script—adding testers, premium packaging, and scents crafted by master perfumers. What many saw as a dying market with insurmountable challenges, Maesa saw as an opportunity, Oshiya Savur, Maesa’s Chief Brand and Marketing Officer, told CO—.

Priced at $30 for an eau de parfum and $15 for body mists, Fine’ry gained traction through social media virality. “Creators told people to ‘run, don’t walk’ to Target, and it took off instantly,” said Savur, who added that Fine’ry helped turn a mass fragrance into something coveted rather than inferior to premium scents.

Today, one Fine’ry unit sells every 10 seconds, making it Target’s number one and fastest-growing fragrance brand. A new men’s collection launched this year amid rising interest from male shoppers.

Fine'ry sales contributed to the discount channel producing the largest gains in fragrances for the first half of 2025 and to Target’s staggering 34% leap in sales, according to industry-tracking data shared with CO—.

A Pineapple Passion candle from Slatkin + Co.'s ScentWorx line sitting with its lid off among several slices of pineapple. The candle is a golden yellow three-wick candle in an octagonal glass jar. — **Slatkin + Co.'s ScentWorx candle line is sold at Walmart and CVS and offers premium-quality home fragrance at an affordable price.** — Slatkin + Co.

Slatkin + Co’s luxury-for-all business model

For Harry Slatkin, Founder of Slatkin + Co., the distinction between mass and premium has dissipated. “There’s no longer a person who won’t cross-shop,” he said. “People wearing Gucci sunglasses shop at Walmart. High/low is a vital part of my business.”

His candles and home fragrances emphasize quality, safety, and design integrity. His candles are sold under various logos such as ScentWorx, at retailers including Walmart, Dollar General, Home Depot, and QVC.

“The idea of high/low is a very important part of my business. I bring ‘high’ [style] at low cost. I probably make less margin than I should,” Slatkin told CO—. “Even with tariffs, my mandate is we cannot pass the cost on to consumers,” he said. Fortuitously, most of Slatkin + Co.'s merchandise is produced in the United States.

Watching shoppers’ in-store behavior helps Slatkin understand their purchasing triggers. For example, “You can tell if something is overpriced when they look at the bottom of a candle and move on to another or if they sniff a candle and put it back,” he said.

The strategy seems to be paying off. Industry sources anticipate Slatkin + Co. will reach $140 million in sales this year and $200 million next year.

Slatkin’s guiding principle? “Never talk down to the consumer,” he said. “Everyone should be treated as a luxury consumer.”

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