Hydroquinone-free products drive growth

Hydroquinone-free products were among the most dynamic performers in the US professional skincare market in 2014, according to a recently published report.

The Professional Skincare: U.S. Market Analysis and Opportunities from global market research and management consulting firm Kline & Company showed non-hydroquinone- based products are driving sales in the hyperpigmentation/sun damage skincare concern category. Whilehydroquinone(HQ)hasbeenthe gold standard ingredient in the physician dispense arena for the treatment of hyperpigmentation, this ingredient is surrounded with controversy due to some of its reported side effects.

Europe has banned HQ in concentrations greater than 1% and in the United States it has been banned from five states - New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Montana, and Texas. As a result, brightening products featuring alternatives to HQ are on the rise in 2014. Dr Zein Obagi’s ZO Skin Health range is leading the pack of HQ-free products with its C-Bright 10% Vitamin C Serum, BrightAlive Non-Retinol Skin Brightener, and most recently Brightamax– afullbodytreatment. Joining the HQ-free movement, SkinMedica’s Lytera Skin Brightening Complex is responsible for some of the impressive sales gains the brand saw this year. Other prominent non-HQ products are Eminence Organics’ Bright Skin line, Neocutis’ Nouvelle + Retinol correction cream, and Jan Marini’s Age Intervention line including Enlighten MD and Enlighten Plus.

According to Karen Doskow, Director, Consumer Products Practice at Kline, “Baby boomers are faced with hyperpigmentaion issues caused by a variety of factors. This is resulting in an increased demand for skin-lightening or brightening topical products, as well as in-office laser and intense pulsed light treatments.” According to Kline’s report, sales for products addressing hyperpigmentation account for nearly one quarter of total take-home product sales and grow faster than any other concern,includingacneandaging,among others. Medical care providers are the main channel for hyperpigmentation products, accounting for over 70% of thetotalsales.Thesamechannelalso shows the most promise and is poised to become the leading distribution channel of professional skincare products, overtaking the spas and salons channel by 2019.