While 2020 proved to be a nail-biter of a year for the mass market, data from IRI shows that the nail category actually ended up on top.

Data from IRI, ending the week of Dec. 27, showed nail products exhibiting double-digit growth for the year — but other categories were not so lucky.

“If you were a beauty manufacturer in the cosmetics space, it’s been a really, really, rough year,” said Lisa Mulyk, senior vice president, strategic solutions group at IRI. “Makeup sales are down double-digits, people moving inside aren’t seeing the need to put makeup on, unless they’re on a video conference.”

The year ahead contains equal doses of uncertainty and opportunity, Mulyk said. “Until everything opens up, you’re going to see the categories ebb and flow,” Mulyk said, noting that a handful skin care segments saw growth. “Anything related to self care is going to win if you can talk about the benefits of it.”

Here, the top 10 mass market categories in beauty, ranked by percent growth.

Top 10 Mass-Market Categories:

1. Unisex hair coloring: +70.7 percent
2. Artificial nails: +40.2 percent
3. Nail treatment: +18.6 percent
4. Nail polish: +14.5 percent
5. Facial moisturizers: +14.3 percent
6. Home perm kit: +13.9  percent
7. Depilatories: +10.7 percent
8. Eyelash adhesives: +9.8 percent
9. Hair conditioner/creme rinse: +7.5 percent
10. Sharpeners: +6.8 percent

Source: IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm. Time period: 12 months ending the week of Dec. 27.

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