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.

I'm Feeling Conde Nasty...

     

Dear Fabulous Friends at Conde Nast, 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for recognizing jnolicious as a hub for beauty, fashion & all things fabulous! I am honored to be inducted into the ever-glamourous Conde Nast Style Society! 

Air kiss! Wink! Hair flip!

Jenn

xoxo

Our Emotional Bond(age) to Beauty

The Beauty Co.'s (TBC) new survey of U.S. beauty consumers found women form deeply emotional bonds to their beauty products that inform all purchasing decisions.

“All brands think they know beauty consumers, but we thought it would be fun to take a deeper dive into what women really think about beauty, their beauty habits, their beauty addictions and their beauty passions," said Alisa Marie Beyer, founding partner and CEO.

The research, conducted in-house by TBC highlights more than 25 data points about American women and their beauty routines, brand preferences and purchasing behavior. “We found women would rather be well-liked than admired (61 percent), hear from a knowledgeable sales consultant over a lively one (78 percent), and are heeding the warnings of sun damage: 69 percent use a daily moisturizer with an SPF," Beyer said. "It’s exciting to hear first-hand what messages are working with consumers and how they are impacting her behavior in-market."

Further interesting facts about American women and their beauty routines revealed in the study include:

• Moisturizer is on the way up: 19 percent are using moisturizer more often than they were a year ago, but eye shadow is on the way down: 8 percent are using it less than they were a year ago
• 67 percent of American women consider their shopping style deliberate, and 56 percent are more comfortable relying on logic rather than intuition
• Seniority still counts: 72 percent of women would rather invest in an established brand over a cutting-edge brand
• Nearly equal amounts of women would like to have personal wealth (53 percent) versus personal beauty (47 percent)
• A majority of women would prefer purity of ingredients (65 percent) more than potency of ingredients (35 percent)
• 57 percent of women think the latest scientific advancements in beauty are amazing, but 34 percent think they are nothing new.
• More than a third of beauty consumers consider perfume a staple and won’t leave home without it
• Nearly equal percentages of women want to stand out (51 percent) versus blending in (49 percent)

“One of the most important facts to emerge from the research is beauty consumers find immense fun and happiness in their beauty products and routines," Beyer said."They are thoughtful in their choices, they are seeking knowledge and education from the industry and they overwhelmingly feel their investment in beauty is worthwhile and well spent."

“It’s always very exciting for us to hear from consumers, which is why we love to conduct this kind of research," observed vice president Kate Helfrich, “More than just typical demographics or statistics, we get down to consumer’s deepest thoughts and feelings on beauty at an emotional level, as well as a statistical level. By mining for this kind of information, we are able to capture immediately relevant consumer information that informs all aspects of brand development, distribution and marketing. Plus, it’s just fun! How else would we find out that when given the choice, 54 percent of women would rather have chocolate than beauty products, and the color most beauty consumers relate to is blue (23 percent)?"

Source: Inside Cosmeceuticals

L'Oreal USA Buys PBL, Maker of Clarisonic

With electronic skin care device sales soaring, L’Oréal USA has jumped into the market, announcing the completed acquisition of Pacific Bioscience Laboratories Inc. (PBL). PBL’s Clarisonic is a market leader in the rapidly growing areas of sonic skin care devices, topicals and technology. Established in 2001, PBL developed its patented technology, enabling a series of popular products under the Clarisonic brand that redefined consumers’ approach to skin care. The move gives L’Oréal access to patented sonic skin care technology and with it, the ability to acquire strategic positions in the quickly emerging skin care devices category.


Source: Beauty Packaging

Nail Polish Without The Noxious Fumes, Oh Yeah

Check out Scotch Naturals nail polish -- the line of 30 “intoxicating” colors is eco-friendly and free of the chemicals that cause that 'I’m-getting-an-unwanted-high' nail polish smell. 

Colors like Velvet Kilt, Highland Mist, and Macbeth’s Dream (yes, Scotch really is Scotch) will cost you $14.99 — a small price to pay for the brain cells you’ll save by not inhaling chemical craziness.

Scotch also makes nail polish remover for $11.99, which can be an even worse culprit than the polish itself.

Prestige Beauty Up Double Digits in 2011

At its annual “Hot off the Press” event, held January 30 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City, The NPD Group revealed 2011 year-end results for skin care, makeup, and fragrance. According to NPD, the total U.S. prestige beauty industry (products sold mainly in U.S. department stores) increased double digits—11%—in dollar sales in 2011 over 2010.


Globally, by country, sales were strongest in Argentina (up 33%), followed by China (22%), Mexico (15%) and the UK (9%).
In 2011, skincare and fragrance sold in U.S. department stores both posted double-digit dollar growths of 14 and 11 percent respectively, while makeup grew a healthy nine percent, compared to 2010.


“In the U.S., UK, and China, prestige beauty is enjoying one of the most robust sales periods ever,” said Karen Grant, vice president and senior global industry analyst, The NPD Group—and a member of Beauty Packaging’s Board of Advisors. “In the U.S., for example, beauty sales in both the mass and prestige channels were positive month after month in 2011. And while both channels were positive, prestige beauty reigned supreme. From the stellar increases in prestige skincare to the continued gains in makeup, to the double-digit rebound of fragrance, prestige beauty is experiencing a time of unprecedented growth.”


“In continental Europe,” Grant continued, “where the prestige market is more mature, growth is more tempered, and performance among the categories has not been as dynamic as in the U.S. or U.K., but nonetheless, prestige beauty managed to flourish thanks to brand media investment, bigger in-store animation, and price promotions.”


In addition, the U.S. Food/Drug/Mass channel experienced a 4% increase in sales for total beauty in 2011, versus 2010. Makeup sales posted the biggest increase at 8%, followed by skin care at 3%, while fragrance sales declined 5% in dollar sales, compared to 2010. In National Chain stores, fragrance sales grew 5%.


Source: Beauty Packaging

What's Beautiful Now

Allure Magazine polled 2,000 men and women from across the country to find out what's beautiful now. The findings will surprise you...

WOMEN ARE CONFLICTED ABOUT CURVES

Seventy-three percent of women say that a curvier body type is more appealing now than it has been in the past ten years. Still, when asked if they wanted to change their hips, 85 percent of women wanted them to be narrower.

AGING ISN'T ACCEPTABLE

Ninety-three percent of women say the pressure to look young today is greater than it's ever been.

AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN HAVE KILLER CONFIDENCE

When asked about their personal attractiveness, African-American women were three times as likely as Caucasian women to rate themselves at the hot end of the spectrum.

MEN DIG 28-YEAR-OLDS

Men said that women are their most beautiful at age 28. In a similar study conducted by Allure in 1991, men voted 31 to be the hottest age.

THE MOST STRESSED-ABOUT BODY PART: ONE GUESS

Thirty-five percent of men and women said that, if there is one part of their bodies they'd like to change the most, it's their stomachs.

EVEN GUYS WORRY ABOUT WEIGHT

Eighty-six percent of men said that they wanted to weigh less—as did 97 percent of women.

MEN LIKE BIGGER BUTTS...ON THEMSELVES?

Twenty-two percent of men (compared to 11 percent of women) said that if they could change their butts, they would want it to be larger.

COUGARS ARE HOT!

Only 3 percent of women defined themselves as cougars. But maybe more of them should: Turns out, 26 percent of men say that cougars are hot.

HAIR COLORS HAVE SURPRISING STEREOTYPES

When asked to pick out adjectives that best describe blonde and brown hair, both men and women said that brunettes and blondes are considered to be beautiful, sexy and classy. However, brunettes were also found to be intelligent and trustworthy. And while blondes are seen as confident, they were also voted most bitchy.

MEN LOVE BOOBS AND BUTTS? SHOCKING!

When it comes to sexual attraction, women list their top five favorite male attributes as a guy's face, body type, smile, eyes, and height. And men's answers, in order? Face, body type, breasts, smile, and butt.

EVERYONE LOVES ANGELINA

Men want to be with her, and apparently women love her, too. Twelve percent of women and 9 percent of men agreed that Angelina Jolie is the celebrity that most represents the physical ideal.

Avril Lavigne Inks Deal With Sally Hansen

While Avril Lavigne is perhaps best known as a singer and songwriter, she is quickly building brands in both the fashion and beauty worlds. The latest: a deal with Coty division Sally Hansen, which had the 27-year-old create a nail collection for its Salon Effects brand.

Launching globally in April, the limited edition collection includes 12 designs of nail polish strips — including tiny skulls and leopard prints, Lavigne’s favorites — which are inspired by Lavigne’s style and music. Each $9.99 kit includes 16 nail-polish strips, a cuticle stick, a mini-file and buffer and instructions for at-home application. 

“This is pretty much the coolest thing, because I also do clothing — I love clothing, nails and fragrance, hair, makeup, all that stuff,” said Lavigne during an exclusive phone interview with WWD Wednesday afternoon. “I was really excited about the Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips — especially since they’re superquick. You clean your nails, peel the strips and apply them, file and go. I’m superfast at it, so it takes me like five minutes to do my nails. And it’s supercool because the designs that I came up with are my personal style and vibe — they’re rock ’n’ roll and fun and bright and colorful. You have sparkles and little stars — they are cute. For me, I’ll be flying on a plane and be like, ‘Sh--, I need to do my nails.’ I can do these on a plane; I’ve done them in the car.

“I’m a really visual person; I like creating, and I love to have fun with colors,” she continued. “I think this offers self-expression, and it’s a really smart, versatile way to show your style. I think my fans will really like it, because it’s easy and simple and fun.”

“Avril is a pop music icon, but she has also become a fashion inspiration, known worldwide for her edgy, yet feminine style,” said Steve Mormoris, senior vice president of global marketing for Coty Beauty. “We believe this new collection will appeal to Avril fans and trendsetters alike.” Added Annette Devita, vice president of marketing for Sally Hansen: “She appeals to a younger generation of girls, which makes her a perfect fit for Salon Effects.”

While Devita declined to comment on the collection’s projected sales, industry sources estimated that the limited edition collection would do about $7 million at retail in its time on counter. In the U.S., it will be available in about 25,000 mass market doors. Print advertising will launch in May fashion, beauty and lifestyle magazines, and the lineup will also be promoted via social media, including Lavigne’s Facebook fan page, which has 28.5 million fans, and her Twitter feed, which boasts nearly 3.7 million followers. “I love to use social media to talk about the things I’m doing and connect with the fans,” Lavigne said. “I want to let them all know about this, and tell them to check it out.”

Lavigne isn’t new to the beauty game: She has also created three women’s fragrances with Procter & Gamble Prestige Products: Black Star, Forbidden Rose and Wild Rose. All are sold globally; in the U.S., they are available at Kohl’s. 

In fact, Lavigne said she enjoys the beauty category so much that she could see entering additional categories — although she noted no deals are imminent. “I think it would be cool to do hair color,” said Lavigne, who enjoys adding bright-hued streaks to her blonde hair.

Lavigne’s Abbey Dawn fashion line, founded in 2008, is also growing — both in the U.S., where it is sold at Kohl’s, and globally. “Spring 2012 is a full lifestyle collection — we have footwear, eyewear, swimwear, bags and men’s clothing [as well as women’s clothing],” said Lavigne. “Having the nails is great because it kind of completes it all.”

She acknowledged that there’s a lot on her plate, but said she believes that each project ties into her larger message of encouraging others to express themselves. “Obviously I’m here because of my music, and obviously I’m designing clothing, but fashion is a really big part of what I do,” she said. “So to be doing nails, visually, it totally goes in with everything — my personal style. It all is related.”

The entertainer also now runs the Avril Lavigne Foundation, which does work with sick and disabled children. This past year, Lavigne worked with Easter Seals to create the Avril Lavigne Rockstar Club at Easter Seals, a program to inspire, create and support recreation programs for kids with disabilities. Lavigne noted that her foundation’s mission is summed up in the acronym ROCKS — respect, opportunity, choices, knowledge and strength. “I’ve had the chance to do a lot of charity work over the years, and I wanted to take [my involvement] to the next level with my own foundation,” she noted. “Getting involved with kids that are sick and disabled was close to my heart. I look forward to doing more to help people out.”

As far as her primary career — music — goes, Lavigne is wrapping up her Black Star tour supporting her “Goodbye Lullaby” album with an Asian leg in early February. She then will turn her full attention to her new studio album. Lavigne kept mum about the song topics, but noted that she’s “pretty far into” the recording process. “It’s turning out to be a fun record,” she said. 

She turned animated, however, when she discussed working again with Antonio “L.A.” Reid, who signed Lavigne to her first record contract, at Arista. She has just moved labels to Epic Records, which Reid now heads up.

“L.A. Reid is the man,” she said with emphasis. “My experience was he signed me, he believed in me, he got me. He always gave me my freedom to be who I was, to make the type of record I wanted to. On my first album, I was so young — I was 16 when I was making it. Everyone figured that people would write songs for me, and I was like, ‘No, I want to write my own music.’ It was so different from anything that was out there. L.A. was like, ‘She’s onto something. Just let her do her thing.’ So it was great. Later on down the road we got separated when he moved to another record company, and other people came in and took over. It was difficult for me, especially on my last record, working with all these random people that really didn’t even understand me at the record company. And now I get to be back with him, and it’s exciting again. I’m totally reinspired. When you’re writing and creating, you can’t have these businesspeople come in and try to be all business. [L.A.] finds a balance between business and creative, and he’s really good at not making it weird or interfering in the creative process.”

All in all, said Lavigne, she’s excited to face the future. “There are a lot of major changes going on in my career. There’s a lot of fresh energy around me,” she said.


From WWD, by Julie Naughton