Since the early twentieth century, the production of cosmetics has been controlled by a small group of corporations around the globe. The world-wide cosmetics industry is broken down into six main categories; skincare being the largest one out of them all, accounting for 33.8 percent of the global market in 2012. Cosmetic displays in store still make up the greatest point of sales despite the illusion of all markets losing share to internet based sales.
The United States is the biggest cosmetic market in the world, with an estimated total revenue of about 54.89 billion U.S. dollars and employing about 53,619 people in 2012.
The leading beauty cosmetic company in the United States in 2011 was Procter & Gamble, making up 14.2 percent of the market. Although dipping slightly, generating only 29.5 billion U.S. dollars in net sales as compared to 29.9 billion U.S. dollars the year before, the company continued to be the leading beauty cosmetic company during the 2012 fiscal year.
The cosmetic industry seems to be continuously developing, now more than ever with the evolution of internet based companies. About 7.2 billion U.S. dollars was generated by online shops and mail-order household sales in 2010. Cosmetic sales are estimated to continue to grow in both the United States and other global markets, as many consumers feel that beauty products help in achieving social and economic goals.