The best-selling products in the West Africa cosmetics market (French-speaking countries) are, by value, skin care and makeup, perfumes, then deodorants and hygiene products. In 2025, Senegal imported $32.8 million of them and Côte d’Ivoire $51.4 million (UN Comtrade), with more than a third coming from France.
The key points at a glance
- Skin care and makeup lead: 34.6% of Senegal’s finished cosmetics imports and 24.8% of Côte d’Ivoire’s in 2025.
- A growing market: imports up 47% in Senegal and 30% in Côte d’Ivoire between 2023 and 2025.
- France dominates imported supply (44% in Senegal, 36% in Côte d’Ivoire), ahead of China. Morocco remains a marginal supplier.
- Hair care is accelerating: hair product imports up 62% in Senegal in one year.
- Regulation is tightening in both countries.
Our rankings of the best-selling cosmetic products in Morocco and the best-selling cosmetics in France describe two mature markets. French-speaking West Africa works differently: heavy imports, a large informal channel and demand centered on body care, hair care and perfume. Here is what the customs data of Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire say.
What are the best-selling cosmetic products in the West Africa cosmetics market?
By imported value, skin care comes first in both countries, followed by perfumes in Senegal and deodorants in Côte d’Ivoire. Imports show what distributors buy to resell, not exact retail sales.
The Harmonized System (HS) is the international customs nomenclature that classifies every good under a 4- or 6-digit code. Chapter 33 covers finished cosmetics, and heading 3401 covers soaps and skin cleansers.
| Category (HS code) | Senegal 2025 ($M) | Senegal share | Côte d’Ivoire 2025 ($M) | Côte d’Ivoire share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skin care, makeup, sun care (3304) | 11.35 | 34.6% | 12.75 | 24.8% |
| Perfumes and eaux de toilette (3303) | 7.38 | 22.5% | 8.67 | 16.9% |
| Deodorants, shaving, bath (3307) | 4.17 | 12.7% | 11.68 | 22.7% |
| Oral and dental hygiene (3306) | 4.07 | 12.4% | 9.18 | 17.8% |
| Hair products (3305) | 2.21 | 6.7% | 1.47 | 2.9% |
| Liquid skin cleansers (340130) | 2.16 | 6.6% | 2.81 | 5.5% |
| Bar toilet soaps (340111) | 1.50 | 4.6% | 4.88 | 9.5% |
| Total | 32.84 | 100% | 51.43 | 100% |
Two profiles emerge. Senegal buys mostly skin care, makeup and perfumes; Côte d’Ivoire buys more everyday hygiene, alongside an established local industry.
How much cosmetics do Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire import?
Imports of finished cosmetics grew 47% in Senegal and 30% in Côte d’Ivoire between 2023 and 2025, with steady growth every year.
| Country | 2023 ($M) | 2024 ($M) | 2025 ($M) | Change 2024-2025 | Change 2023-2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senegal | 22.38 | 27.16 | 32.84 | +21% | +47% |
| Côte d’Ivoire | 39.59 | 46.19 | 51.43 | +11% | +30% |
In Senegal, hair products rise from $1.36 million to $2.21 million between 2024 and 2025 (+62%) and perfumes from $5.76 million to $7.38 million (+28%). In Côte d’Ivoire, deodorants and bath products jump from $8.39 million to $11.68 million (+39%).
CIF value (cost, insurance, freight) is the value of a good delivered at the importing country’s border. The UN Comtrade figures, extracted on October 17, 2026, cover the formal channel only and may still be revised for 2025.
These amounts measure only part of the market. According to the Setalma study cited by the Senegalese Press Agency (in French) in September 2026, the formal beauty market reached about 2 billion euros in Senegal and 3.6 billion euros in Côte d’Ivoire in 2025, excluding the informal channel and skin-lightening products. The gap is explained by local production, distribution margins and this study’s own method.
Where do the cosmetics sold in Dakar and Abidjan come from?
France is the top supplier to both countries, with 44% of Senegalese imports and 36% of Ivorian imports in 2025. Côte d’Ivoire is Senegal’s third-largest supplier, a sign of real regional trade.
| Rank | Senegal’s suppliers | 2025 share | Côte d’Ivoire’s suppliers | 2025 share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 44.4% | France | 36.1% |
| 2 | China | 13.7% | Unspecified partners | 21.7% |
| 3 | Côte d’Ivoire | 8.0% | China | 8.4% |
| 4 | United Arab Emirates | 5.7% | Germany | 5.5% |
| 5 | Spain | 4.2% | Spain | 4.3% |
| 6 | United States | 4.0% | Italy | 3.3% |
| 7 | India | 4.0% | United Arab Emirates | 2.5% |
| 8 | Türkiye | 2.6% | Nigeria | 2.5% |
- France holds skin care and perfume: $6.0 million of skin care and makeup to Senegal, $6.6 million to Côte d’Ivoire.
- Regional trade matters: Côte d’Ivoire is Senegal’s top supplier of bar soaps.
- Morocco is almost absent: $235,000 to Senegal and $56,000 to Côte d’Ivoire in 2025, less than 1% of imports.
This last point contrasts with Morocco’s place in other markets. Our analysis of Morocco’s cosmetics exports to Europe shows structured flows; West Africa remains to be won. Cosmetics imports into Morocco follow a logic close to Dakar’s, heavily dependent on Europe.
What trends drive the cosmetics market in Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire?
The cosmetics market in Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire is driven by natural hair care, local brands and African ingredients such as shea butter.
Natural hair care, the most dynamic segment
The founder of Setalma describes natural hair products as the fastest-growing segment, according to APS. Customs data confirms it in Senegal (+62% in one year), driven by oils, masks and care for textured hair.
Shea butter, the reference local ingredient
Shea butter is the fat extracted from the kernels of the shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa), a tree of the African savanna. The “shea belt” stretches from Senegal to South Sudan, and about 16 million women collect and process the nuts in West Africa, according to The Conversation (January 2026).
Local brands moving upmarket
Setalma dates the rise of local brands to 2017-2018. The same source lists only two or three known laboratories in Senegal for hair care and skincare, and none for makeup: many brands therefore have their products made elsewhere.
Distribution: markets, shops, pharmacies and social media
Products circulate in markets, shops, pharmacies and on social media. APS notes that sellers of skin-lightening products have been “blurring” the market on TikTok for about two years: traceability is becoming a way to stand out.
What do the cosmetics regulations say in Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire?
Côte d’Ivoire has regulated cosmetics since 2015 through a dedicated decree, enforced by the AIRP. Senegal relies on its 2023 law on health products and is preparing a cosmetics decree. Lightening products containing certain substances are targeted first.
Product approval (homologation) is the prior administrative authorization that allows a product to be legally placed on a country’s market.
| Point | Côte d’Ivoire | Senegal |
|---|---|---|
| Main text | Decree No. 2015-288 of April 29, 2015 (in French) on cosmetic and personal hygiene products | Law No. 2023-06 of June 13, 2023 on medicines and other health products |
| Authority | AIRP (Ivorian pharmaceutical regulatory authority) | ARP (Senegalese pharmaceutical regulatory agency) |
| Dedicated cosmetics text | Yes, since 2015; a revision is under discussion | Draft decree written (in French), not yet adopted (October 2026) |
| Substances targeted | Hydroquinone above 2%, mercury, corticosteroids, vitamin A derivatives in lightening products | Advertising of lightening products banned (2017 Press Code) |
In Côte d’Ivoire, Article 7 of the decree targets the manufacture of these lightening products, a ban that Franceinfo judged poorly respected. The AIRP ran a declaration campaign from October 2024 to March 2025: 11,849 products declared by 1,142 operators. According to Fratmat, 2,639 products were classified as high risk, 75% of them lightening products.
In Senegal, the Minister of Health stated on October 2, 2026 that the draft decree on the manufacture, approval, import and distribution of cosmetics had been sent to the General Secretariat of the Government (APS). The ban on advertising lightening products was reiterated by the CNRA in 2019.
Finally, the Parties to the Minamata Convention set a 2025 phase-out of cosmetics with added mercury in 2023, on a proposal that notably came from the Africa region (Environmental Investigation Agency). No formula should contain these substances, and lightening claims expose a brand to regulatory risk.
How do you launch a cosmetics range for West Africa?
Launching a range for Dakar or Abidjan means choosing a category backed by demand, securing local compliance and adapting the formula to the climate:
- Choose the category: skin care, natural hair care and perfumes are the most dynamic.
- Define the promise with cosmetic verbs (nourish, moisturize, protect, enhance), with no therapeutic or lightening claim.
- Select the ingredients: shea, plant oils, and a clear exclusion list (hydroquinone, mercury, corticosteroids).
- Test stability under heat and humidity.
- Build the technical file (formula, raw material sheets, test results) for local approval.
- Adapt the labeling in French (INCI, batch, expiry).
- Choose the channels: pharmacies and shops for positioning, social media for awareness.
Our comparison on where to manufacture your cosmetics in 2026 details the options, and our article on Moroccan laboratories compliant with European standards explains how to vet a manufacturer.
The manufacturer’s point of view
At Carmel Cosmetics Labs, an Agadir-based laboratory certified ISO 22716 and ISO 9001, we have supported more than 500 brands in more than 35 countries. For a West African project, we advise starting from a formula that complies with Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: a demanding baseline that is easier to adapt afterwards to local rules.
Moroccan actives (argan oil, prickly pear seed oil, rhassoul (ghassoul) clay) complement shea well. Our white label cosmetics offer lets you start from proven formulas, with an accessible MOQ, then customize them. Two mistakes come up often: copying a formula designed for Europe without testing it in heat, and reusing lightening claims seen online.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most imported cosmetic in Senegal?
The most imported category in Senegal is beauty and skin care products, which also includes makeup and sun care (HS code 3304). It represents $11.35 million in 2025, or 34.6% of finished cosmetics imports. France supplies more than half of it.
How big is the cosmetics market in Côte d’Ivoire?
Côte d’Ivoire’s imports of finished cosmetics reach $51.4 million in 2025, up 30% since 2023. The formal beauty market is estimated much higher, at about 3.6 billion euros in 2025 according to the Setalma study, because it includes local production and distribution.
Are skin-lightening creams banned in Côte d’Ivoire?
Yes, in part. Since Decree No. 2015-288, Côte d’Ivoire bans the manufacture, advertising and sale of lightening cosmetics containing hydroquinone above 2%, mercury, corticosteroids or vitamin A derivatives. The AIRP has tightened its checks since 2024.
Do you need an authorization to sell cosmetics in Senegal?
The framework is still being built. Products covered by Law No. 2023-06 on health products fall under the ARP, and a cosmetics-specific decree, which will cover approval and import, was still awaiting adoption in October 2026. Check the rule in force at the time of launch.
Why is shea butter so common in West African ranges?
Shea grows across the whole savanna zone from Senegal to South Sudan, and its processing provides a living for millions of women in West Africa. Familiar to consumers and long used to nourish skin and hair, it also showcases a regional origin.
Conclusion
The best-selling cosmetics in French-speaking West Africa remain skin care, perfumes and hygiene, with hair care accelerating sharply. France dominates imported supply, and regulation is getting stricter.
Preparing a range for Dakar or Abidjan? Book a free consultation for your white label range: we work through the formula, tests and technical file with you.