More than a quarter (27 per cent) of US consumers consider natural beauty products as a key element when buying makeup, research from NPD Group shows.

The issue of mineral-based or natural beauty ranks almost as highly as anti wrinkle properties and formulations that do not clog the pores.

Respondents cited those concerns in 30 and 32 per cent of cases respectively.

The chief features desired are sun protection (51 per cent) and moisturising properties (54 per cent).

Around three in five women are still using dedicated products to achieve these effects, in addition to selecting makeup with the characteristics incorporated into its formulation.

"From protective benefits to increasingly advanced anti-ageing ingredients ... more and more makeup manufacturers are offering consumers a wider variety of skincare options today," says Karen Grant, vice-president and global industry analyst at the NPD Group.

NPD Group's research into the makeup market covers developing trends in a number of countries in specific areas of the world.

These comprise the US, Italy, China, Spain and France.