Clinique Reinvents Department Store Shopping

Clinique announced yesterday that it will reveal a new global flagship counter at Selfridges London. This new shopping destination will re-vamp the prestige beauty brand’s shopping model to offer multiple levels of service, providing consumers with a one-of-a-kind, custom-fit experience.

Breaking down all barriers, the counter invites consumers to interact with the brand in an open-sell environment. New features will include Clinique’s ‘diagnostic’ consultation areas which feature Clinique’s diagnostic two way mirrors, makeup “bars” that encourage consumers to test and select products on their own and stand-alone makeup and skin care browsing areas. The 880 square foot space has been entirely remodeled, utilising modern design and technology to enable multiple levels of shopping and customer service.

“We looked to our consumers to tell us what type of shopping experience they wanted from Clinique,” said Lynne Greene, Global President of Clinique. “These insights coupled with Clinique’s dermatological heritage and signature clean white aesthetic guided every detail at our new global flagship counter. The result is a multi-layered shopping environment that empowers the consumer, enhances their overall shopping experience and visually communicates the brand’s identity and expertise.”

Beaute Prestige Intl Signs 10 Year Contract with Elie Saab

Elie Saab has signed a ten-year fragrance and cosmetics deal with Beauté Prestige International, the core fragrance subsidiary of the Shiseido Group.  The agreement reflects “the shared business and creative values between the two houses who have consistently demonstrated through time their sense of style and excellence in their respective domains,” said BPI in a statement.

BPI President Rémy Gomez commented "after more than 27 years of an existence in couture and fashion, Elie Saab has chosen BPI to create his first fragrance.  BPI has, for more than 15 years, successfully brought to the market the vision that creators such as Issey Miyake, Jean Paul Gaultier and Narciso Rodriguez have on the world of fragrance."

Elie Saab, the Lebanese fashion designer behind the label, said "creating a fragrance has become an essential step of the development of our couture house. We have chosen BPI as a partner who is able to actualise our ambitions. We will create together a signature fragrance and an image that embodies the DNA of our brand.”

 

Dew Gibbons Rebrands Spanish Cosmetics Firm

Dew Gibbons, a London-based consultancy, was awarded the contract to rebrand Maymo, a Spanish cosmetics manufacturer in April 2009, ahead of several Spanish rivals. Under the slogan "House of Color," Dew Gibbons hopes to update the family run company’s global image.

Dew Gibbons rebrands Spanish cosmetics firm | News | Design Week

Indian Companies Focus in on Organic Cosmetics Market

The Indian division of global certification body Ecocert says that an increasing number of Indian companies are looking to get involved in the organic cosmetic market.

“The mind-blowing growth in the global organic cosmetic industry continues with the number of product launches increasing from 615 products in 2002 to about 2,000 products last year,” said Dr. Selvam Daniel, managing director of Ecocert India.

To read more about the trend, visit the link below:

Indian companies focus in on global organic cosmetics market

MAC Opens 4 New Locations Across Middle East

M.A.C. Cosmetics, which already has 10 retail locations throughout the UAE, recently opened 4 new stores in Dubai and Al-Ain.  The 3 Dubai locations are the Dubai Mall, the Arabian Centre in Mirdiff and the Dubai Marina Mall. The fourth store opened at Al Bawadi Mall in Al Ain, which is the second location for M·A·C in the city.  "We have opened these new stores in response to rising consumer demand resulting from the developing economy of the country. The stores are conveniently located in flagship centers of key areas, reflecting the M·A·C philosophy of talking to all consumers or, more specifically, catering to all ages, all sexes and all races" said Laurent Cathala, Brand Manager M.A.C, Middle East & India.

In related news, Perfumes Y Diseno, a European cosmetics and perfumes distributor, has set up its regional office at Dubai Airport Freezone to tap the UAE and Gulf markets. PYD Middle East Distribution, which is launching with an initial investment of $2.9m, represents three high end perfume brands: J. Del Pozo, Roberto Verino, and Tous.  The company plans to establish relationships with retail chains in the UAE and across the Gulf.

Louis Vuitton, the French fashion brand, announced it is in the final stages of an expansion into Lebanon.  "The next market where there are opportunities is clearly Lebanon, which has been resilient to the crisis and has already shown to be a strong market for luxury," Damien Vernet, the company's general manager for Middle East and India operations, told Reuters.  He added that Louis Vuitton is also looking to expand into Egypt, Jordan and Syria.

The Decline of Japanese Luxury

The Japanese customer has long been known for their whimsical tastes and being one of the major buyers of luxury goods in the world. With a population less than half that of the US and an area about the size of Montana, the Japanese have typically consumed about 40% of the world's luxury goods. 

The bad news is the Japanese luxury market, estimated between $15 billion to $20 billion, has been among the hardest hit by the global economic crisis, according to a report by the consulting firm McKinsey & Company.  The worse news is retail analysts, economists, and consumers are saying the change could be a permanent one.  A new generation of Japanese fashionistas does not even aspire to luxury brands; they are happy to mix and match treasures found in a flurry of secondhand clothing stores that have sprung up across Japan.

To read more, visit http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/03/japan-luxury-marketing-leadership-managing-mckinsey.html and http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/21/business/global/21yen.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Organic Monitor Launches Sustainable Cosmetics Summit

The Organic Monitor is launching a new series of international summits that focus on sustainability in the beauty industry. The aim of the new Sustainable Cosmetics Summit is to cover the major issues the beauty industry faces concerning sustainability, natural, organic, fair trade and ecological products.  The launch of the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit follows the success of Organic Monitor's various seminars, workshops and summits.


The inaugural Summit will be held in Frankfurt on November 16-17th, 2009.  The major themes are market & industry developments, sustainability & CSR best-practices, and developing green formulations. The Summit aims to bring together some of the leading and most influential organisations involved in sustainability in the beauty industry.

George Korres, founder and CEO of Korres Natural Products, will kick off the summit with an opening address titled ‘Building a sustainable future through natural cosmetics.’ Other speakers will be from leading natural cosmetic firms such as Weleda and Laverana.  A key focus of the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit is to give case studies of companies who have successfully met the ethical and ecological challenges.

For more information or to register, visit http://www.sustainablecosmeticssummit.com/

Health Canada Revises Cosmetics "Hotlist"

Health Canada, the federal office for Canadian healthcare, revised its hotlist of substances that are prohibited in cosmetics products sold throughout Canada. The following five ingredients were added to the list for 2009:


Cyanoacrylate-based adhesives
Diethylene glycol (DEG) (111-46-6)
Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) (117-81-7)
Glycerin (56-81-5)
1-Naphthol (90-15-3), and its salts

To read the full list, visit http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/person/cosmet/info-ind-prof/_hot-list-critique/prohibited-eng.php

Beauty Products Lose Their Appeal During Recession

An article appeared in the New York Times on September 19th talking about how the recent recession has caused sales of cosmetics and beauty products to fall.  Consumers appear to be spending less on cosmetics as they try to reign in their overall spending during these tough times.

According to the NPD Group, a market research firm, total sales of department-store beauty products in the first half of 2009 were down 7% compared with the same period last year.  This number includes skin care, makeup, and fragrances for both men and women.

However, Karen Grant, vice president and global industry analyst for NPD stated that one reason for the drop could be that people are replacing their high end, high priced department store products with lower end, lower priced drugstore products.

To read the full article, visit http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/business/economy/20count.html?_r=1

YouTube Star's New Makeup Line

Lauren Luke (you may know her better as panacea81, the 27 year old single mom and YouTube phenom turned international makeup guru) will launch her new makeup line aptly named "By Lauren Luke" at Sephora on Monday.  She has also been named among Time Magazine's Top Twelve Innovative Entrepreneurs among Women in Fashion.  The new makeup line will be sold at Sephora in the US, UK, Australia, China, and India.

To learn more about Lauren's amazing story, visit http://www.bylaurenluke.com/

Estee Lauder closes the Prescriptives brand

Estee Lauder's newly appointed CEO, Fabrizio Freda, announced on Friday that the company would be closing its classic Prescriptives brand.  Prescriptives has been a department store staple for the past 30 years and was best known for its skin care line and custom blend makeup range. 

Freda told WWD, 'We believe that the difficult decision relating to Prescriptives will allow us to redirect our resources to key strategic imperatives where we see the highest growth potential.'  The company believes that the brand's long term business model is no longer viable.  The Prescriptives brand is not profitable and represents only 1% of total sales.  Analysts anticipate further announcements as the Estee Lauder performs a review of all underperforming brands in its portfolio.

Consumers will be able to purchase Prescriptives products online at http://www.prescriptives.com/ while inventory lasts.

e.l.f Cosmetics Launches a Nationwide Casting for the "Face of e.l.f. 2010"

e.l.f Cosmetics Launches a Nationwide Casting for the "Face of e.l.f. 2010"

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HBA Expo in NYC this week

The HBA Global Expo and Conference is being held in NYC from Sept 15th - 17th at the Jacob Javitz Center.  It is the largest Product Development Event & Educational Conference for the Personal Care, Fragrance, Wellness and Cosmetic Industries.  Attendee registration is $75, which allows access for three days and opportunities to network, develop business contacts, and evaluate international products and suppliers.


To learn more or register, visit http://www.hbaexpo.com/attend_why

Urban Decay introduces new primers for lashes, lips, and complexion

Building on the success of its wildly popular Eyeshadow Primer Potion, Urban Decay has launched a new line of primers for lashes, lips, and face.  Eyelash primer adds volume to lashes, Lip primer helps lipcolor last longer, and Complexion Primer helps foundation go on smoother and last longer.

Review: Urban Decay introduces awesome new makeup primers for lashes, lips, and complexion

L'Oreal survey reveals recession beauty habits

L'Oreal survey reveals recession beauty habits

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Lipstick Index vs. Foundation Factor

The term "Lipstick Index," coined by Leonard Lauder (son of Estee and chairman of the board of Estee Lauder), was used to describe a phenomenon that lipstick sales jumped during economic downturns.  That lipstick sales can be used as an economic indicator has since been discredited, but the catchy name stuck and is still thrown around.  L'Oreal recently coined another term, the "Foundation Factor," after the company noticed a 15% jump in foundation sales as women were apparently seeking perfect skin tone over a perfect pout.

Nevertheless, cosmetics remain an affordable indulgence during tough times. When a woman feels as though she must be conservative with her purchases and spending, a $10 lipstick provides a safe and particularly guiltless release, especially when compared to a $800 pair of pumps. "A recession does not change people's insecurities about the way they look," says Alexandra Richmond, a beauty analyst at Mintel. "They may have given up their long-haul holiday this year but the reality is make-up is a small indulgence in the scheme of things."

At the end of August, L'Oreal reported higher than expected profits for the first half of the year, and shares jumped 6.2% on the news.  Although sales of cosmetics are up, sales of premium or luxury brands are down. Consumers have traded down in some categories to less-expensive drug store brands.  In related news, the company has also signed Cheryl Cole as the new face of its brand.

Anitra Marsh, P&G, named PR Week's top 40 under 40

Anitra Marsh , External relations manager, Global CoverGirl Cosmetics, Procter & Gamble, Age 32

For a decade, Anitra Marsh has delivered record and barrier breaking results for Procter & Gamble's beauty brands. Under her lead, the 2008 Lash Blast Mascara launch was P&G's most successful cosmetics launch ever – in sales and media.

In 2006, Marsh led the launch of Pantene Beautiful Lengths, a cause program that encourages women to donate their hair to make wigs for female cancer patients.

Marsh has notably enhanced ethnic marketing practices, resulting in market growth and distribution expansion. She also created a new celebrity talent- management approach; developed and refined new PR measurement tools; and pioneered P&G's current influencer marketing model for hair and skincare.

To read the full article, visit http://www.prweekus.com/40-under-40--2009/article/140777/

What Makes Women Buy Less Makeup?

A Ph.D. candidate at the University of South Wales does a study of why women tend to buy less makeup.

What Makes Women Buy Less Makeup?:allure.com

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New face of Thevi Cosmetics

Kavi Ladnier, an Indian-American television and screen actress, has been announced as the fresh new face of Thevi Cosmetics makeup and will begin to venture into projects, demonstrating support and endorsement for the brand. Ladnier has starred in the award-winning feature Karma Calling, Heroes and CSI:NY, and has embraced her new role as spokeswoman for Thevi Cosmetics. "I have always sought to create opportunities and connect with those projects and people that will add something positive to our world," says Ladnier, "I seek always to create with love, with value and with integrity."

Thevi Cosmetics was created by Thevi Thambirajah, a woman born of Sri Lankan parents in New York State. She grew up in an environment of strong family bonds, a love of color, a respect for traditions and a celebration of women as leaders, mothers, sensual beings. However, she could never find cosmetics that suited her coloring. She felt a keen need for a prestige makeup brand with colors that were rich and vibrant without being harsh. A collection of colorful, contemporary, no-gimmick makeup was born. She caters to the women to whom ‘natural’ means ‘colorful.’

To learn more, visit http://www.thevicosmetics.com

Cosmetics magazine goes digital

Cosmetics magazine, a bimonthly publication out of Canada, launched its website this week. The site offers the latest news, product launches, and training information for the Canadian beauty industry. The print edition of the magazine currently reaches about 12,900 professionals.

Visit http://cosmeticsmag.com/ to view the site.

137 years of marketing magic

A new Web essay entitled “Selling Shiseido: Cosmetics Advertising & Design in Early 20th Century Japan,” and written by Gennifer Weisenfeld, associate professor of art, art history, and visual studies at Duke University, explores how Japanese cosmetics company Shiseido creatively produced and conveyed meaning through the visual and material aspects of its marketing since 1872. “There is no Japanese company whose advertising design better represents the aesthetic of cosmopolitan chic seen through the visual sphere in the early 20th century than Shiseido,” Weisenfeld says.

Weisenfeld analyzed elements of Shiseido’s advertising and marketing to illustrate how the company’s products and promotional strategies tell a distinctive story about Japan’s experience of modernity, including the impact of mass-market consumerism, urbanization and changing gender roles on national culture.

To read the full essay, visit http://bit.ly/yF7eR

Creative in Paris

Creative, a European exhibition of beauty suppliers, will be held from September 14th through 16th at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. Creative is one of the three components of Beyond Beauty Paris, a huge European cosmetics and beauty exhibition. The other two components are Cosmeeting, an exhibition of beauty brands, and European Spa, an exhbition of key European spa players.

At the show, Cosmetochem, a Swiss producer of plant extracts, is launching a range of 100% organic plant extracts, containing no preservatives, made up of 6 plant references from organic channels (raspberry, lavender, linden, elderberry, vanilla, green tea). Similarly, the Solabia group, a designer and manufacturer of molecules and active ingredients for the cosmetics, pharmaceutical and neutraceutical industries, is announcing the increase of its raw materials, actives and extracts offer, in compliance with Ecocert and/or other organic standards. Malian women producing Kaloje, a shea-butter based range, will also be exhibiting and expect the organic certification they recently obtained to help confirm the success they met last year.

Market analyses made by Organic Monitor, reveal that sales of organic and natural cosmetics in Europe have for the first time exceeded $2 billion in 2008. The growth continues in 2009 at a sustained pace even though it has slowed compared to 2008.

To read the full story, visit http://www.premiumbeautynews.com/Beauty-and-sustainability-at,1175

To learn more about the exhibition, visit http://www.beyondbeautyparis.com/en/index.asp

The Body Shop Launches Fall Makeup Collection

Click the below link to read about the new makeup collections from the Body Shop and watch a tutorial from makeup artist Chase Aston.

The Body Shop(R) Launches New Lip Collection and Autumn Make-up Collection - With Video

Elizabeth Arden expands in China

Elizabeth Arden, Inc. is expanding its makeup and skin care counters to China's second tier cities. People in second tier cities lack the disposable income of consumers in first tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai, but the company hopes the new counters will help expose people to Elizabeth Arden's brand and let them try out the products. Elizabeth Arden first entered the Chinese market in 2005.

A report entitled "Cosmetics and Toiletries Market in China" produced by RNCOS, stated that China's skin care market it expected to grow 12.5% annually from 2008 through 2012.

To read the full story, visit http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-09/07/content_12008636.htm

Bella Floria expands eco-conscious brands

Bella Floria expands eco-conscious brands in exclusive partnership with Kahina-Giving Beauty OBSNews: Breaking Business and Politics News

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Eau Naturale

When you think organic perfume, patchouli and sandalwood are usually the first scents that come to mind. This is because most organic floral or citrus blends fade quickly and patchouli and sandalwood help to give the fragrances more body. As a result, however, all too often, organic perfumes smell alike. Perfume makers turn to synthetic ingredients to differentiate the smells and of course, because synthetics generally cost less to produce. However, a new generation of perfumers are rising to the organic challenge and creating scents without the use of synthetic chemicals.

Leading the charge is Olivia Giacobetti with her 100% organic five-fragrance collection Honore des Pres. Approved by Ecocert, which recognizes standards in organic and natural beauty, her website states they want to unleash sincere feelings by connecting with nature's essential elements. Sexy Angelic is a warm, sweet mix of almond, angelica seed, and hemlock flower. NuGreen is a clean fresh scent with notes of mint, tarragon, and tree musk.

To check out all five scents, visit http://www.honoredespres.com/. They are also available at Bergdorf Goodman in NYC.

More Lead in Lipstick

A study by the Food and Drug Administration found lead in lipstick at much higher levels than those detected by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics in a 2007 study that received international attention. The FDA used a new method to analyze lipstick and concluded that earlier methods likely underestimated lead levels.

The FDA has no standard for lead in lipstick. "Pregnant women using lipstick are unknowingly exposing their fetuses to unknown and unregulated levels of lead. FDA should immediately set standards to require manufacturers to reduce lead in lipstick to the lowest achievable levels," said Lisa Archer, national coordinator for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics at the Breast Cancer Fund.

The FDA found an average lead level in lipstick more than 10 times higher than its own standard for lead in candy. The standard for candy is based on the lowest lead level that can be achieved.

Lipstick can become contaminated with lead in two ways: raw materials used in the lipstick may be contaminated with lead, or the pigments used in the lipstick can contain lead.

For more info, visit www.safecosmetics.org

Neutrogena in India

Bollywood actress Prachi Desai is the new face of international cosmetics brand Neutrogena in India. The US-based pharmaceuticals company Johnson & Johnson launched Neutrogena in the Indian market on Thursday, September 3rd, offering around 25 beauty items ranging from face cleansing lotions, to sun protection creams, to skin care products. The range was developed especially for the Indian skin type and the company has been testing the product for the past two years. The company is mainly targeting women living in large cities.



According to a survey, the skin care market in India is worth around $67 billion. 'People want to look good and are concerned about fairness, aging, blemishes - in short they want to look beautiful. We have products that not only give complete solutions but also complete satisfaction as well,' explained Tina Mistry, vice president of Johnson & Johnson. 'The Indian skin care market is still in a nascent stage because there was a time when women were very indifferent about the way they looked. Things have changed today and young women want products that give them results,' she added.



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