Unilever beauty sales rise but flags slower growth ahead

On an underlying basis, which strips out one-off costs including foreign exchange movements, sales grew by 3.5% year-on-year, with the volume of sales rising and prices up by 2%.

It said this was achieved despite sales activity slowing across its markets towards the end of the year in the US and Europe.

In 2025, Unilever continued reshaping its portfolio towards higher-growth categories. Its beauty and wellbeing division saw underlying sales rise 4.3%, with 2.2% from volume and 2.1% from price.

Growth was supported by double-digit gains in wellbeing, Vaseline and Dove. Meanwhile, prestige beauty grew slightly overall, with "strong" performances from Hourglass and K18 offsetting declines in Dermalogica and Paula’s Choice, which returned to growth in the second half.

Personal care underlying sales increased 4.7%, with 1.1% from volume and 3.6% from price. Growth reflected price increases and premium product launches, particularly in Dove.

For 2026, Unilever expects underlying sales growth of 4-6%, with at least 2% volume growth, though performance is forecast to be at the lower end of the range due to "slower market conditions".

Fernando Fernandez, CEO of Unilever, said: "We are moving at speed to build a business that drives desire at scale in our brands, execution excellence across all channels and cost discipline.

"We have set clear priorities for growth - building a brand portfolio for the future, with more beauty, wellbeing and personal care, prioritising premium segments and digital commerce, and anchoring our growth in the US and India.

"Despite slowing markets, our sharper focus and disciplined execution underpin our confidence for 2026 and beyond."