Europe’s cosmetic and personal care industry is shaping the future. With sales of €96 billion in 2023, over 3 million jobs, and global influence with some of the most recognizable brands on earth, the industry is at the forefront of science and research, and part of the daily lives of billions of consumers. This complex, multifaceted industry has unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to innovation recruitment for personal care, which are worth a closer look.
What is the Personal Care Industry?
Personal care is a broad term that encompasses a wide range of businesses, products, and services. The personal care industry is large and complex, and is usually divided into five core segments:
- Skincare
- Haircare
- Makeup & Color Cosmetics
- Fragrances
- Toiletries
In addition to these core businesses, personal care brands are also deeply involved in related business segments like:
- Ingredient science and research
- Product packaging
- Market research
Finally, like all large industries, the cosmetics and personal care industry is deeply involved in regulatory and legislative affairs, environmental and energy policies, and supply chain and logistics. Bigger enterprises may handle more of these business segments in-house, while others may outsource and collaborate with service providers. In other words, the personal care industry has employees everywhere from the laboratory to the retail counter.
Innovation Recruitment Challenges in the Personal Care Industry
Personal care companies in Europe face many of the innovation recruitment challenges common to the whole continent. Demographic changes, stiff competition for talent in STEM, and a tight regulatory environment can make it more difficult for personal care brands to attract and retain the best candidates.
The personal care industry is also exceptionally volatile. Many personal care products, especially cosmetics and fragrances, are highly subject to trends and seasonal demand shifts. Companies must combine detailed and accurate forecasting with nimble and responsive supply chains to continually respond to these shifts in consumer behavior.
Another cause of volatility in the personal care industry is environmental and sustainability concerns. In Europe, regulators practice strict oversight of products, ingredients, packaging, labor practices, and other aspects of international business, and these rules and regulations are subject to change. In addition, consumers are increasingly concerned about the quality and sourcing of their personal care ingredients, and require greater transparency and more natural products. Finding effective, scalable, sustainable ingredients, products, and processes remains a source of constant evolution in the industry.
Innovation Recruitment Opportunities in the Personal Care Industry
Despite these challenges, the cosmetics and personal care industry have a unique value proposition that appeals to many candidates, and that can attract highly skilled and experienced employees. Some advantages to consider when recruiting for personal care include:
- Opportunities for the most advanced and innovative research. There are few industries more devoted to science and research than personal care. Europe’s cosmetic companies invest and astounding 5% of their annual turnover in R&D. In Europe, the cosmetics and personal care industry operates at least 77 scientific innovation facilities, and more research is carried out in partnerships with other institutes. In fact, in 2009, 10% of all patents in Europe were in the personal care industry. This enormous investment creates opportunities in everything from toxicology and microbiology to physics and genetics.
- Opportunities to improve lives and promote health. While cosmetics and fragrances may seem like trivial issues, the personal care industry is deeply involved in caring for people. From sunscreens and healing ointments to keeping our families healthy and clean, these products are intimately involved in consumers’ daily lives, with the power to help and heal. For candidates who want their work to help others, this aspect of the industry can be very important.
- Opportunities to shape the future. The personal care industry is not only innovative in their ingredients, products, and packaging. The industry is also deeply invested in being proactive and solving problems for the future. From investing in alternatives to animal testing, to developing groundbreaking eco-friendly packaging, and uncovering the underlying processes of problems like dandruff, the personal care industry is deeply involved in anticipating future trends, problems, and demands, and proactively finding solutions. In addition, the industry’s involvement in regulations and legislation helps shape the future for all of us. Candidates should know that work in the personal care industry can really make a difference.
- Prestige brands. While North America and North Asia lead the global market, each with 29% of annual sales, and Europe just behind at 24%, European companies dominate the industry, led by L’Oréal, with revenue nearly double that of their next closest competitor, Unilever. France, in particular, has numerous prestige personal care companies, including Estée Lauder, Lancôme, LVMH, and more. For candidates who aspire to work with the most exclusive brands on the highest quality products, European companies are in the lead.
- Gender equality in STEM. While personal care companies, like the rest of Europe’s industries, still lag behind in gender equality in the boardroom, personal care companies are a great environment for women in STEM. A surprising number of young women pursue science and chemistry in order to work in cosmetics, and nearly half the scientists in Europe’s cosmetic and ingredient laboratories are women. Because women are the majority users of these products, it makes sense that they would be more interested and invested in creating them, and the industry welcomes their contributions.
These unique opportunities can help to make the personal care industry more competitive when recruiting for top talent in R&D, logistics, and other challenging fields. At Grapefrute, our years of experience recruiting for these unique companies help us find the right talent, and meet tough staffing challenges. Contact us today to learn more.
