• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, March 13, 2014

Wrinkles and lines aren’t desirable in any ZIP code, but it looks like zapping them matters most to women in New York, Philadelphia and Boston. A report from NPD Group says sales of prestige anti-aging creams -- the ones typically sold in department stores -- grew at a double-digit rate in those three markets last year, compared to the national average of 5%. And citizens of New York and Los Angeles are still the biggest buyers of these creams, accounting for 24% of all high-end age specialist facial skincare sales.

The Port Washington, N.Y.-based market research company also says women are paying more for these products than before, with the average price per product up 6%. In 8 of the top 10 markets, consumers are spending more than the $93 segment average, led by Miami (15% more), Los Angeles (9%), and San Francisco (8%.)

“The increase in attention being paid to anti-aging skincare between the coasts and beyond the largest markets speaks to the growing emphasis on flawless skin, and the power of anti-aging as a part of that movement,” writes Karen Grant, VP and senior global industry analyst with NPD. “Exposure to the sun and time cannot be avoided, making products that offer wrinkle repair and firming very attractive. But the crusade has been taken to the next level.”

Drugstore brands are also fighting harder for the wrinkle market. Procter & Gamble  is trumpeting its newly reformulated Regenerist line with new “Skin Energizing Technology,” a formula it promises will improve skin’s responsiveness to anti-aging ingredients and fight the look of skin fatigue. 

And Target is in the midst of an expansion of its beauty aisle with an emphasis on anti-aging, including the addition of some private label skincare brands, as well as lines previously sold only in department stores.

"Woman applying moisturizer" photo from Shutterstock.