In the week before Christmas, pharmacy dermocosmetics sales accelerate. In 2023, according to IQVIA data, between 18 and 24 December the channel recorded 45 million euros in dermocosmetics sales, up 15.4% on the same week of the previous year.
But the request that reaches the counter during those days is different from all the others: the buyer is not the person who will use the product. This article sets out what changes in the advice, how to prepare as early as November and which products are least likely to be returned.
Cover image generated with the support of artificial intelligence.
[INDICE:h2]
Why gift advice is different
In everyday consultations, the skin is right in front of the pharmacist: it can be seen, questions can be asked and it can be assessed. With a gift, the skin is absent, and the person describing it knows it only from the outside. «My mother has dry skin», «my sister uses lots of creams»: true information, but second-hand.
The consequence is that the risk of getting it wrong shifts. It is no longer the risk of an ineffective product, but of a product that is not suitable: a texture that is too rich for combination skin, a fragrance for someone who cannot tolerate it, an exfoliating active for reactive skin. A wrong gift does not come back to the counter as a complaint, but neither does the customer.
Gift advice works when it reduces risk instead of chasing the element of surprise. The right product is the one the person will use to the end, not the most eye-catching one.
The four questions to ask the gift-giver
It takes less than two minutes and improves the quality of the sale.
- How old is she, roughly? Not to choose a cream «for 50-year-olds», but to understand whether the main need is hydration, evenness, firmness or protection.
- Does she already have a routine, or is she someone who uses nothing? Someone with six products already open will appreciate a targeted addition; someone who uses nothing needs a simple step.
- Has she ever had reactions, redness or products that sting? If the answer is yes, stick to gentle formulas and avoid exfoliating actives.
- Does she like fragrances? A simple question that prevents most unused gifts.
If the gift-giver cannot answer any of the four questions, that is useful information too: stick to the low-risk categories.
The low-risk categories
Some products suit almost all skin types and are unlikely to be left unused in a drawer. These are the ones to display most prominently in the gift area.
- Gentle cleansing: a cleansing mousse or makeup-removing oil is used every day, gets used up and bought again. Cleansing is the second-largest cosmetics category in pharmacies by value, after skincare.
- Hands and lips: in December, the need is real, and no one is offended by hand cream.
- Body: body creams, oils and scrubs have broad tolerance and high perceived value.
- Eye contour: it is the first area where signs appear, and it is a product many people would not buy for themselves.
Handle with greater care: serums with exfoliating actives or retinoids, heavily fragranced products, and treatments for specific needs such as dark spots or blemishes, which require seeing the skin.
The gift set that works: products that work together
The classic Christmas gift set combines several products with dedicated packaging. It works when the products share a common logic; it works less well when the packaging is the only thing holding them together.
The recommendation that works best is built around a need: two or three products used in sequence for the same goal. For the recipient, it is a ready-made routine; for the pharmacist, it is advice that can be explained in one sentence; for the gift-giver, it is a valuable purchase that seems thoughtfully chosen, because it is.
Our recommendation: the protocols
Our protocols are based on this logic and are the LeLang skincare gift set, available all year round, not just in December. Each protocol brings together products designed to work together for a specific need, with a discount of around 25% compared with buying the products individually. The most popular is the one for deep wrinkles.
Deep Wrinkles Protocol The protocol is suitable for all skin types. The products are applied from the lightest to the most structured to pro... Discover Deep Wrinkles Protocol
For partner pharmacies, the benefit is practical: a protocol can be recommended based on just one piece of information, the main need, and it is already a complete routine. The list is in the skincare protocols and gift sets collection.
Prepare in November, not December
The week before Christmas is when volumes peak, but gift-givers start making their decisions earlier. A gift area ready by mid-November reaches planners and is already up and running by December.
- Choose three price ranges and keep them clearly distinct: the small gesture, the gift, the special gift.
- Build the offer around needs, not brands: “for people with dry skin”, “for people who have everything”, “for him”.
- Prepare a phrase for each recommendation, to share with all counter staff, so the advice remains consistent even on the busiest days.
- Anticipate exchanges: knowing in advance what to do if the product is not suitable reduces hesitation for shoppers.
What not to say, even at Christmas
The festive gifting atmosphere encourages promises, but the limits remain those set by Regulation (EU) No. 655/2013. An anti-ageing gift set reduces the appearance of wrinkles; it does not erase them. A cream for dry skin helps restore skin comfort; it does not treat dermatitis. If the person giving the gift describes a problem that appears clinical, such as skin that flakes with intense itching or persistent lesions, the right advice is to see a doctor, not to choose a gift set.
Frequently asked questions
When is it best to set up the gift area in a pharmacy?
From mid-November. The week before Christmas concentrates sales volumes, but some customers plan their purchases weeks in advance.
Which dermocosmetic products are most suitable as gifts?
Gentle cleansing, hand and lip creams, body products, and eye contour products: categories with broad tolerance and everyday use. It is better to avoid exfoliating actives and treatments for specific needs if you do not know the recipient's skin.
What questions should you ask someone buying a skincare gift?
Approximate age, routine habits, any past reactions, and fragrance preferences. These are enough to rule out the products with the highest risk.
Are LeLang protocols only available at Christmas?
No, they are available all year round in partner pharmacies and parapharmacies and on the website, with a discount of around 25% compared with individual products.
Sources for this article
IQVIA, pharmacy channel sell-out data, 51st week of 2023 (December 18-24), published by Pharmacy Scanner. Cosmetica Italia, Pharmacy Cosmetics Group, 2025 data presented at Cosmofarma Exhibition, March 31, 2026. Commission Regulation (EU) No. 655/2013, common criteria for claims relating to cosmetic products.
On the website: the average discount in dermocosmetics · how to give skincare as a gift without getting it wrong · why LeLang chose pharmacies and parapharmacies
Working together on recommendations
Our products are distributed exclusively through our partner pharmacies and parapharmacies. We believe that functional dermocosmetics need a counter and a conversation, at Christmas as throughout the rest of the year.
Become a LeLang partner pharmacy
We formulate in the Langhe and distribute exclusively through pharmacies and parapharmacies, with protected margins and training on in-pharmacy consultation.
