Brazil’s personal care exports grew 10.9% to $776.5m last year, according to the Brazilian Association of the Personal Hygiene, Perfumery and Cosmetics Industry (ABIHPEC).

The three main items exported were hair products (23.7%), soaps (19.1%) and oral hygiene products (11.6%).

The top five destinations were Argentina (18.7%), Mexico (11.1%), Colombia (10.7%), Chile (10.1%) and Paraguay (6.6%).

ABIHPEC said the US, Portugal, the UAE and the Netherlands also stood out as countries with greatest growth in value and volume in exports in 2022, with hair products being the main export category in all cases.

Brazil’s imports were valued at $741m in 2022, which represents an increase of 7.6% in comparison with the previous year.

As a result, the 2022 trade balance was in surplus of $35.5m, an increase of 206% compared to the surplus balance recorded in 2021 ($11.6m).

“Even with the challenges of recent years, the sector has identified opportunities to maintain exports, demonstrating resilience in relation to internal and external impacts that reduce the competitiveness of personal care products in the international market,” said ABIHPEC chief executive João Carlos Basílio.