Editor’s Note
This article highlights a significant shift in French cosmetics exports, marking the first decline in two decades due to new U.S. tariffs and currency fluctuations. The data underscores how trade policies can swiftly impact long-standing market trends.
According to Le Monde, in 2025, due to the impact of new tariff measures, the US saw a sharp decline in French cosmetics exports for the first time after 20 years of continuous growth.
France’s total exports of perfumes and cosmetics saw a slight decline in 2025, dropping by 0.1% to 22.4 billion euros. The main reason is the US market, where the US dollar weakened and the US government implemented new import duties starting August 2025. As a result, tariffs on French cosmetics were raised to 15%, and for products with aluminum or steel packaging, it reached up to 20%. Consequently, exports of French cosmetics to the US fell by approximately 18.5% to about 2.3 billion euros.
According to Emmanuel Guichard, Secretary-General of the French Cosmetics Business Federation, the entire decline in the industry over the past year is due to the US market. It is currently the largest export market for French cosmetics manufacturers. In the perfume sector, where one in five perfumes produced in France was sold to the US in 2024, by the end of 2025 this ratio had dropped to one in six.
In addition to tariff pressure, French manufacturers are also facing increasing competition from South Korean brands, especially in the skincare segment. On e-commerce platforms like Amazon and TikTok Shop, as well as in major cosmetic retail chains, brands such as Cosrx, Laneige, Beauty of Joseon, and Torriden are rapidly gaining market share in the US.
Furthermore, the French cosmetics industry is also concerned about a potential new wave of competition from China. Several Chinese cosmetics brands have already entered the French market, while the low-price sales strategies of e-commerce platforms like Shein, AliExpress, and Temu are expected to put significant pressure on traditional manufacturers, particularly in the low-cost cosmetics sector.