BB Creams are the Balm

BB Cream Market Looks Promising and Poised for Growth

According to a brand new report by The NPD Group, Inc., a leading market research company, BB Creams* also referred to as ‘blemish balms’ or ‘beauty balms’ have grown significantly in sales in the past several months. The relatively new product is quickly catching the fancy of a small segment of U.S. women. In the 12 months ending March 2012, BB creams sold in U.S. department stores generated close to $9 million according to NPD BeautyTrends®.

Women tell NPD that while they expect BB Creams to provide skincare and makeup benefits, they want to understand more about the product and how it works. According to NPD, about 8 in 10 beauty shoppers like beauty products that offer multiple benefits, and that rises to just over 9 in 10 for BB Cream purchasers. The top five benefits expected from a BB Cream include: natural looking coverage (52%), moisturizes/hydrates skin (47%), nourishes/treats skin (42%), provides SPF sunscreen protection (42%), and improves skin texture (38%).

Although the incidence of purchasing BB Creams is currently very small (2% of total beauty shoppers) the majority of purchasers tell NPD they’re extremely or very satisfied with their last BB Cream purchase, and 77 percent express positive repurchase intent. According to the report, almost 4 in 10 beauty shoppers overall say that they would consider buying a BB Cream in the future.

“About half of all beauty shoppers are sitting on the fence, saying they may or may not buy BB Creams in the future. Why does that matter? Almost 7 in 10 BB Cream purchasers have replaced either a makeup or skincare product with a BB Cream. Even though usage is low right now, as more brands enter the market and the category grows, cannibalization could become a much larger challenge,” said Karen Grant, vice president and senior global industry analyst, The NPD Group.

“Messaging that clearly distinguishes the benefits of and usage occasions for BB Creams versus other facial products could help ensure the coexistence of various products in a women’s beauty regimen. Figuring that out could make the difference in whether BB Creams gain traction more broadly or not,” ended Grant.

*BB Creams also referred to as ‘Blemish Balms’ or ‘Beauty Balms,’ are multi-functional products that combine the functionality of primers, SPF and moisturizers, along with the anti-aging benefits of skin serums.

Nutritious + Beauticious + Delicious = BORBA

I am so excited to announce that BORBA skin care, supplements, water and crystalline will soon be available at Walgreens! Working closely with Scott-Vincent Borba (my amazingly talented colleague and ravishing friend), we've created absolutely ground-breaking products for health & beauty from the inside-out.

All BORBA products are loaded with powerful antioxidants from exotic superfruits, and they also contain a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals. I have been hooked on BORBA Gummi Bears for years, and now I get to snack on all sorts of new delicious skin care supplements like the Mighty Energy Gummi Mice (3 flavors of caffeinated yummi gummis), the Slimming Chocolate Chews (helps control appetite with satisfying chocolate chewiness) and the Smart & Sexy Omega-3 Bursts (I get my fish oil fatty acids with an 'I can't believe my tastebuds' starbursty citrus taste).

The topical skin care is a Walgreens exclusive, which means you won't be able to find these items anywhere else except select Walgreens & Duane Reade stores, Walgreens.com and BORBA.com. The focus is on Age Defying benefits, because I've never met a woman who doesn't want to look as young as she feels.

And since so many of us need a little extra TLC during 'the time of the month before that time of the month,' we developed a healthy inside-out regimen to address the stress of PMS (ever dreamed of saying good bye to cramping, bloating, swelling and skin care eruptions? Oh my!). The regimen consists of a 7 day topical skin care kit plus a delicious orange flavored drink mix loaded with healthy vitamins, minerals and botanicals.

Run, do not walk, to your local keyboard right now to pre-order BORBA products on Walgreens.com or BORBA.com. You're skin will thank you!

Green is in at H & M

Swedish high street clothing chain, H&M (Hennes & Mauritz) is launching its first skin care range made with Ecocert-certified organic ingredients at the beginning of March.

Products include shower gel, body lotion, body scrub, hand cream and lip balm, and are available in either a combination of raspberry and melon or lavender and mint. According to H&M’s head of design, Ann-Sofie Johansson, introducing an organic skincare range seemed logical to the company given its previous work with organic materials. “It felt like a natural step, since we’ve worked with organic cotton garments for a few seasons now,” she said, adding that decision was also in part driven by consumer demand for organic products.

Organic skincare at an affordable price
The Swedish company is famous for its budget friendly merchandise, and the organic skincare range is no exception, coming in at between €3.90 and €4.90. A spokesperson for H&M explained to CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com that the higher price tag associated with producing organic products was not a barrier to the creation of the line. “Organically certified products are slightly more expensive to produce. However, the prices are within H&M’s frameworks,” she said. Organic apple juice is a key ingredient in the range, featuring in the shower gel, body scrub, body lotion and hand cream. Other ingredients include organic almondand apricot seeds, and the lip balm contains jojoba and beeswax.