New Beauty Apps Let You Try Before You Buy

Makeup enthusiasts are now finding that they can use their iPhones to help create custom make up looks and test out colors before they buy.  Citing data his company has collected, Sunil Verma of Mobclix, a mobile ad exchange network , said “Seven to 10 million iPhone or iTouch users have already downloaded a beauty-related app or indicated they are very interested in doing so. And we’re just starting to see big brands get involved, which will be huge.”


MAKEUP - released in early November for 99 cents; offers users nearly 100 blush and lipstick colors to try on downloaded images, in addition to various shades of eyeliner, eye shadow, mascara and foundation. Also, users can compare before and after photos side by side.

IMIRROR - released in late October for 99 cents; provides a frame around a photo-capture image of a user, allowing one to check makeup, make a hair adjustment or reapply lipstick.

VANITY - released in July for $2.99; provides a definitive answer for that age-old burning question: How attractive am I? With two sets of matrices, one for men and one for women, this app allows a user to download a photo, evaluate and score the image on a scale of 1 to 10.


To read more, visit http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/26/fashion/26skin.html?th&emc=th

Ulta Gains Altitude With Prestige Brands

A decade ago, Lyn Kirby boldly wrote prestige cosmetics into her business plan for the mass market emporium, Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc.


At the time, the incoming president and chief executive officer was so certain she’d be able to attract the department store elite that in 2000, she began building Ulta stores bigger to accommodate them.

Ulta’s initial public offering two years ago, followed by the unraveling of the global economy, has prompted upper-crust beauty firms to take notice of the superstore-turned-specialty concept, which houses salon, mass market and upscale brands under one roof.

“We always were building the store bigger than what we needed,” said Kirby. “When we began the journey 10 years ago, a 7,500-square-foot store — the size of our original store — was not going to be big enough to house this strategy.”

The Romeoville, Ill.-based retailer began building 10,000-square-foot stores with the unwavering belief that eventually it would need the space to accommodate prestige brands.

As Ulta began upgrading stores across the 333-unit chain — placing the cash register in the center to distinguish itself from drugstores — Kirby began what would prove to be an ongoing effort to sell upscale brands on the hybrid retail concept.


Ulta Gains Altitude With Prestige Brands - WWD.com

Urban Decay's New Owners Position for Growth Abroad

With the encouragement of its new ownership, Urban Decay has brought on board a chief financial officer, geared up for aggressive international expansion and positioned itself to build its complexion products business.

Larry Thompson, formerly cfo and executive vice president of Pert Plus owner Innovative Brands and controller at The Dial Corp., has joined the Newport Beach, Calif.-based cosmetics brand in the cfo role. The hire is the first major executive move since private equity firm Castanea Partners purchased a controlling stake in Urban Decay, previously owned by the duty free operator Falic Group. The purchase took place earlier this year for an undisclosed amount.

Urban Decay's New Owners Position for Growth Abroad - WWD.com

 

Skin Care Gets a Player for Teens

The beauty industry thrives on meeting every kind of skin care need. And that’s exactly what Snezna Kerekovic did after she couldn’t find skin care products for her daughter that didn’t contain harsh drying agents.


“Being a little beauty obsessed, I started to look at what was on offer in stores and could only find all these products based on harsh chemicals such as sodium lauryl sulphate and benzoyl peroxide. I couldn’t find anything that was pure and natural and that also ‘got’ that young consumer,” recalled Kerekovic, who then created her own line called Bellaboo.

Bellaboo is a collection of skin care products that are not tested on animals, have minimal and recyclable packaging and are marketed to teens.

Skin Care Gets a Player for Teens: Bellaboo - WWD.com

M&A Companies Hunt for Beauty Targets

As the beauty sector begins to shrug off the effects of the recession, it is emerging flush with dealmaking activity.

“Companies are back working on acquisitions,” said Ariel Ohana, partner at Paris-based Ohana & Co. investment bank. “There’s been a real change in the atmosphere in the last few weeks. There’s probably a feeling that in terms of consumer spend, the worst is behind us. So people are positioning themselves now to make acquisitions.”

While merger-and-acquisition activity percolates, strategic buyers are coming to the fore. Beauty brands strong in alternative channels, such as television shopping or specialty retailing, are considered to be among prime candidates for takeover, as are natural or eco-friendly brands, experts agree. What’s more, fragrance licenses are being signed and changing hands at an ever-faster rate.

To read the full article, visit http://www.wwd.com/business-news/m-a-companies-hunt-for-beauty-targets-2363930?src=nl/wkBeauty/20091106&browsets=700808942527

Happy Times at the Beauty Counter

Oh the joys of spending a lazy Saturday afternoon somewhat aimlessly wandering the beauty counters of your favorite prestige deparment store. The excitement felt when testing a skin creme. And the shear euphoria at finding that perfect lipstick color!  The Times Online Beauty section is featuring a fun article written by India Knight about the simple pleasures and transformative powers of a day spent shopping the beauty counters.

To read the full article, visit http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/beauty/article6892283.ece

Bare Escentuals shares peak on strong 3Q earnings

Shares of Bare Escentuals Inc. jumped to a new year high Friday, a day after the mineral cosmetics company reported higher sales pushed earnings beyond analyst estimates in the third quarter.

Stifel Nicolaus & Co. analyst Mark Astrachan said sales in the third quarter were boosted by new product launches, inventory restocking at retailers and organic growth.  "Going forward, we believe the company remains well positioned to continue gaining share of the U.S. cosmetics market as consumers generally regard the product portfolio favorably compared to other mineral-based product offerings," Astrachan told investors in a research report.

To read the full article, visit http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/10/30/business-materials-us-bare-escentuals-mover_7068333.html

Nvey Eco Enters Turkish Market

Nvey Eco, an Australian organic cosmetics company, announced its decision to enter the Turkish derma-cosmetics market.

Click below to read the full article:

New cosmetic brand arrives in Turkey - Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review