SKIN CARE'S NEXT COVERUP
Skin care lately has been a category where "anti-aging" is the marketing touchstone. Technological innovation, from alpha-hydroxy acids to the use of vitamins, has been touted as the key to keeping faces looking young.
While products that claim to diminish wrinkles are still producing sales, a new subsegment of the treatment category is emerging -- one that deals with a weightier task than simply smoothing out fine lines and creases.
A number of major retailers, including Wal-Mart and Eckerd, have started stocking products designed to improve the appearance of scars.
Although most retailers are positioning the scar management products in first aid or at the pharmacy, the items are gaining a place in the cosmetics aisles.
Cosmetics departments already feature products to mask scars or skin aberrations, such as Physicians Formula or coverup sticks, but the new breed of scar treatments aims to partially dispel the scar, rather than just hide it.
The two major brands are Mederma, marketed by Merz Skin Care of Greensboro, N.C., and ReJuveness, from RichMark International Corp. in Ballston Spa, N.Y.
"Many women want to prepare their face to be the best it can before applying makeup," explained Dave Delle Donne, product director for Merz. He said cosmeticians can be trained to explain to women how Mederma works.
Mederma, a greaseless gel, is sold in a 1.76-oz. tube with a retail tag between $25 and $30. The product, when used daily for two to six months, is formulated to make a scar gradually appear softer and smoother, Delle Donne said.
ReJuveness is a silicone sheet that is meant to be applied over a fresh scar and used during the healing process. It is also sold in many mass market beauty departments.
According to some industry experts, within a few years scar therapy could become a $150 million subcategory of skin care.
While scar management can hide the effects of surgery, another promising new item flying out of cosmetics departments is designed to provide the effect for which many young women have gone under the knife.
Several retailers report one of the hottest cosmetics items right now is not a mascara or nail color but Original Looks Breast Enhancer System from Emson, filled plastic inserts that can be used inside bras to create cleavage.
Original Looks Breast Enhancers are being merchandised by chains such as Drug Emporium and Walgreens alongside other beauty aids such as hair removal products. The items were introduced in an infomercial a year ago and then taken into a retail distribution last year. Available in two colors, cream and caramel, the products retail from $30 to $50.
According to Jeff Mishan, vice president of sales and marketing for Emson, the items are especially popular with teenage girls. "For Sweet 16 parties and proms, they all want that look," he said.
Information Resources Inc., Chicago, has published its yearend results for the fragrance category. For the 13 weeks ended Dec. 28, women's fragrance sales declined 9.5 percent to $286.6 million. Men's fragrances dropped 3.3 percent to $218.5 million. This represents the third year in a row of declining sales.
Seventy-five percent of men's scent sales were mass market brands, 22 percent were prestige products available in mass doors and 4 percent were alternative designer fragrances.
On the women's side, 68 percent were mass brands, 24 percent prestige and 8 percent ADFs.
Retailers and manufacturers, however, said the increase in sales of nontraditional fragrances actually offset the decreases.
"These numbers don't reflect gains in the total fragrance experience," pointed out Jean-Andre Rougeot, president of Coty Group Worldwide. Retailers agreed that when bath products, aromatherapy and other forms of fragrance are put into the mix, sales actually increased at least 6 percent last holiday season.
Although they haven't caught on yet, fragrances could still become a factor on the Internet, according to two sources who predict a bright future for cyber retailing.
Speaking at a Fragrance Foundation seminar Jan. 21, Kathy Yohalem, chief executive officer of C-Source Communications LLC, a Coopers & Lybrand company, painted a promising picture for electronic commerce.
She said there are 82 million people with access to the Internet, and projections for 268 million users by 2001.
"Christmas sales totaled $200 million on the net," she added.
The catalyst for boosting fragrance sales in cyberspace, she said, will be developing sampling efforts in the form of CDs that spritz a scent, and more direct-mail sampling.
At another Fragrance Foundation event Tuesday night (see story, page 8), Diana Temple said sales on the Internet may have totaled $1.1 billion in 1997.
"Currently, 20 percent of the population is working at home," she said. "That could grow to 40 percent in five years. The question is, how to motivate these at-home workers to buy fragrance."
Research presented at the National Retail Federation's meeting Jan. 19 added another view. Stephanie Shern, vice chairman of industry services at Ernst & Young, said many retailers and manufacturers are overlooking the power of the Web to drive shoppers into stores.
The firm's study found that nearly one-third of consumers with on-line access have purchased products or services on the Internet. Yet only four percent make more than 10 purchases a year.
Sixty-four percent of those with Internet access research products on-line and then buy through traditional channels.
"Retailers and manufacturers must understand this to unlock the incredible value of the Internet," she said.
While products that claim to diminish wrinkles are still producing sales, a new subsegment of the treatment category is emerging -- one that deals with a weightier task than simply smoothing out fine lines and creases.
A number of major retailers, including Wal-Mart and Eckerd, have started stocking products designed to improve the appearance of scars.
Although most retailers are positioning the scar management products in first aid or at the pharmacy, the items are gaining a place in the cosmetics aisles.
Cosmetics departments already feature products to mask scars or skin aberrations, such as Physicians Formula or coverup sticks, but the new breed of scar treatments aims to partially dispel the scar, rather than just hide it.
The two major brands are Mederma, marketed by Merz Skin Care of Greensboro, N.C., and ReJuveness, from RichMark International Corp. in Ballston Spa, N.Y.
"Many women want to prepare their face to be the best it can before applying makeup," explained Dave Delle Donne, product director for Merz. He said cosmeticians can be trained to explain to women how Mederma works.
Mederma, a greaseless gel, is sold in a 1.76-oz. tube with a retail tag between $25 and $30. The product, when used daily for two to six months, is formulated to make a scar gradually appear softer and smoother, Delle Donne said.
ReJuveness is a silicone sheet that is meant to be applied over a fresh scar and used during the healing process. It is also sold in many mass market beauty departments.
According to some industry experts, within a few years scar therapy could become a $150 million subcategory of skin care.
While scar management can hide the effects of surgery, another promising new item flying out of cosmetics departments is designed to provide the effect for which many young women have gone under the knife.
Several retailers report one of the hottest cosmetics items right now is not a mascara or nail color but Original Looks Breast Enhancer System from Emson, filled plastic inserts that can be used inside bras to create cleavage.
Original Looks Breast Enhancers are being merchandised by chains such as Drug Emporium and Walgreens alongside other beauty aids such as hair removal products. The items were introduced in an infomercial a year ago and then taken into a retail distribution last year. Available in two colors, cream and caramel, the products retail from $30 to $50.
According to Jeff Mishan, vice president of sales and marketing for Emson, the items are especially popular with teenage girls. "For Sweet 16 parties and proms, they all want that look," he said.
Information Resources Inc., Chicago, has published its yearend results for the fragrance category. For the 13 weeks ended Dec. 28, women's fragrance sales declined 9.5 percent to $286.6 million. Men's fragrances dropped 3.3 percent to $218.5 million. This represents the third year in a row of declining sales.
Seventy-five percent of men's scent sales were mass market brands, 22 percent were prestige products available in mass doors and 4 percent were alternative designer fragrances.
On the women's side, 68 percent were mass brands, 24 percent prestige and 8 percent ADFs.
Retailers and manufacturers, however, said the increase in sales of nontraditional fragrances actually offset the decreases.
"These numbers don't reflect gains in the total fragrance experience," pointed out Jean-Andre Rougeot, president of Coty Group Worldwide. Retailers agreed that when bath products, aromatherapy and other forms of fragrance are put into the mix, sales actually increased at least 6 percent last holiday season.
Although they haven't caught on yet, fragrances could still become a factor on the Internet, according to two sources who predict a bright future for cyber retailing.
Speaking at a Fragrance Foundation seminar Jan. 21, Kathy Yohalem, chief executive officer of C-Source Communications LLC, a Coopers & Lybrand company, painted a promising picture for electronic commerce.
She said there are 82 million people with access to the Internet, and projections for 268 million users by 2001.
"Christmas sales totaled $200 million on the net," she added.
The catalyst for boosting fragrance sales in cyberspace, she said, will be developing sampling efforts in the form of CDs that spritz a scent, and more direct-mail sampling.
At another Fragrance Foundation event Tuesday night (see story, page 8), Diana Temple said sales on the Internet may have totaled $1.1 billion in 1997.
"Currently, 20 percent of the population is working at home," she said. "That could grow to 40 percent in five years. The question is, how to motivate these at-home workers to buy fragrance."
Research presented at the National Retail Federation's meeting Jan. 19 added another view. Stephanie Shern, vice chairman of industry services at Ernst & Young, said many retailers and manufacturers are overlooking the power of the Web to drive shoppers into stores.
The firm's study found that nearly one-third of consumers with on-line access have purchased products or services on the Internet. Yet only four percent make more than 10 purchases a year.
Sixty-four percent of those with Internet access research products on-line and then buy through traditional channels.
"Retailers and manufacturers must understand this to unlock the incredible value of the Internet," she said.