South Africa¡¯s $4 billion beauty market is fast becoming a key battleground for retailers grappling with a sluggish economy, weak consumer confidence and intensifying competition.

Once relegated to drugstores and niche outlets, beauty and personal-care products are now front and center. High-end department stores, value clothing chains and even supermarkets are dedicating more shelf space for makeup, skin and hair care, and fragrances.

The shift reflects a broader push by retailers to launch private labels, expand international brand offerings and capture a category that promises growth when others stall.