Coming Soon: Gucci Cosmetics

WWD reports that Gucci will work with Proctor & Gamble Prestige on a line of Gucci Cosmetics.
Judging by the success of Burberry's cosmetics line and the increase in beauty sales for 2010 ( by 4% via WWD), the addition of cosmetics is a great move for Gucci. I wonder if Pat McGrath will take the line under her wing as the global creative-designer director of P&G?
Rumor also has it that Stella McCartney may be in talks to have a color cosmetic line in the near future too. Probably headed by YSL? That would be a another dream come true ( first dream is Christian Lacroix cosmetic collab). I loved Stella's skincare line and the RTW runway looks are always fresh clean and simple. So keeping my fingers crossed.
Now that I think of all these fashion houses churning out their own beauty lines. I remember back in college seeing Prada's lip tints in Allure and in Neiman Marcus. They really pioneered the trend as when you purchased a $40 box of 24 liptints, you received a headband as well. We all love a two-fer when it comes to our cosmetic purchases.

Beauty Ambassadors: Who represents you now?

From the Supermodel representation of the 90’s to the vast variety of beauty ambassadors of today, what does your favorite beauty brand say about you?

After the announcement late last year of Taylor Swift joining CoverGirl’s 2011 roster, I started thinking about how Nicki Taylor and Tyra Banks represented the brand when I was a tween and how the beauty market is so far removed from the “ad slogan only Supermodel” (Easy, Breezy, Beautiful Cover Girl) to the beauty representative that has lyrics in her back pocket and a credible movie career (for some).

My research started with a few my favorite beauty ads from the 90’s and the models who represented them to the now beauty ambassadors who get you to buy that lipstick or fragrance. I took 8 beauty brands (4 mass and 4 luxury) and started looking into who represented the brand 20 years ago and who represents it now. Are you a “true-to-you” personality? Or are you one of the “ Glam Squad”? Let’s explore!

Brand: CoverGirl

90’s representation: Supermodels- Tyra Banks, Helena Christensen, Nicki Taylor, Katherine Heigl and Lana Oglvie. Singers- Brandy and Faith Hill

Current Beauty ambassadors: Singers- Rhianna, Taylor Swift; Personalities- Drew Barrymore, Ellen Degeneris, Queen Latifah

What it says about you: I’m wholesome, classic, “True-to-you” beauty. CG has done an excellent job in covering almost all age and shade range (don’t know how well they do with east and pacific asian clients). CG appeals to the: I’m 15, love lip stains, glosses and mascara – mom and dad is ok with this. The 50 year old who can comfortably and confidently say so (“you really think I look 40?”, reply-“ yes hot mama”). The “I’m looking for a great foundation or powder but don’t want to risk $20 + if I’m sorely disappointed”.

Strategy: The brand strategy is enviable to those who are trying to crack such a broad and direct market. Who can sell anti-aging and still appeal to the tween market with lipgloss? Only a company well-versed in diversity across all spectrums, that’s who.

Brand: L’Oreal Paris

90’s representation: International Supermodels- Laetitia Casta, Janine Green, Noemi Lenoir, Shalom Harlow, Milla Jovavich Actresses- Jessica Alba and Jennifer Lopez

Current Beauty ambassadors: Actresses (a few with two or more slashes in their careers) - Eva Longoria, Penelope Cruz, Kerry Washington, Beyoncé, Scarlet Johannson, Freida Pinto, Gwen Stefani

What it says about you: Fiercely Glamorous International Jet-setting Beauty. “I’m jet-setting to Cannes in the morn, see you at 7pm for dinner”. All L’Oreal’s beauty campaigns exude the 3 g’s, Glamour, Glitz and Gloss- plus it served the brand well as they are #1. Bonus: Color of Hope- no other mass brand has cosmetics that go to Breast Cancer research, that’s just food for thought.

Strategy: While the new Colour Riche campaign is brilliant. I have a soft spot for their seasonal campaigns that used to be in fashion mags. I loved the Pink Tranquilo campaign in the ‘90’s and the other lip, nail and blush campaigns that I used to run out to Rite Aid and buy. Now, I hardly see these in the store because they are tucked away, cluttered with designer impostor perfumes. Another note is the lack of deeper color ranges, sorry but Nut Brown is not rich enough. A few years ago HIP foundations were a brilliant concept, but now a mere blip on the cosmetic radar. But, who knows what the future will hold in regards to pigment and skin matching- they are #1, so beauty is their playground, right?

Brand: Maybelline

90’s representation: Supermodels- Christy Turlington, Tomiko and Josie Maran Actress-Sarah Michelle Gellar to name a few

Current Beauty ambassadors: Supermodels- Christy Turlington, Erin Wasson, Jessica White, Adriana Lima, Charlotte Kemp Muhl, Shu Pei

What it says about you: The Maybelline roster is a combination platter of Victoria’s Secret and Sports Illustrated, a true “ only for the sexy people” clause as they are all about lips and lashes…for now.

Strategy: Good, as Maybelline is the head sponsor of NYFW with ads all over the city and great beauty ambassador representation at Fashion’s Night Out. I can honestly say that they represent! Dream Matte Mouse range is great and I’m patiently awaiting for Fit Me to come to Duane Reade. As with L’Oreal- the seasonal campaign are a bit of a mess on shelves Maybelline does do a great job at advertising in magazines, albeit gossip rags, but hey, at least I can see new colors and figure out what one of the Jolie kids is up to all in the same 15 minutes.

Brand: Revlon

90’s representation: Supermodels- Cindy Crawford, Veronica Webb, among other Supers.

Current Beauty ambassadors: Actresses- Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Jessica Alba, Eva Mendes, Kate Bosworth

What it says about you: In the 90’s the brand reflected beauty and power, today Revlon beauties are classic and sophisticated. You, your mother and grandmother can indulge in convo about Charlie and Fire and Ice.. or maybe you can just text each other about picking up items at the grocery store.

Ah memories! There was a time when I was in college where both my grandmother and I wore Vixen and the Colorstay lipstick to accompany. I thought it was cool! My granny isn’t boring, she is a sophisticate and classy and if Revlon can do that- more power to the brand!

Strategy: In my mind, I always thought it would be fab to see Cindy and Veronica represent the brand again for those of us nostalgic of the powerful early nineties and I’ve always thought that Revlon could do it! But until that happens, I do give them points for revamping past nail and lipcolor collections like Fire & Ice with Biel.

As far as their ambassadors go, I think they need to switch it up. With who? you may not ask, how about personalities like Dita Von Teese or singers like Jennifer Hudson.

Additionally, I’m curious to see what Gucci Westman has in-store for the brand since transitioning to mass from a luxury beauty brand.

Brand: Lancome

90’s representation: Supermodels- Isabella Rosellini

Current Beauty ambassadors: Models - Elletra Weidman, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, Supermodels- Daria Werbowy, Arlenis Sosa ; Vlogger- Michelle Phan

What it says about you: You are an international “diamond in the rough”, whether it be by heredity, a discovery or YouTube. You channel the relating factor that you aren’t just a pretty face by popular comparison, in fact Werbowy designed a collection for Lancome that sold out immediately after its launch.

Strategy: The Pout –a- porter series was utterly brilliant. Teaming up with up and coming designers for exclusive lipstick caused a firestorm and introduced a waitlist for lipstick. Their strategy is great as far as marketing to a new generation after years of having Isabella Rossellini at the helm, though you do not want to deter the 40+ crowd either. Tough call.

A strength is having a vlogger, Michelle Phan ( ricebunny) is reeling it in with tips and tricks that get millions of hits and helps Lancome break the asian market. Not bad at all, other brands- take note.

Brand: Dior

90’s representation: Supermodels- Carmen Kass

Current Beauty ambassadors: Actresses- Monica Belluci, Charlize Theron, Sharon Stone and Natalie Portman

What it says about you: Sophisticated, intelligent, sexy. Every one of these ladies embodies Christian Dior ‘s sophisticated New Look. Dior also says that Diorshow is your #1 bare minimum look item to grab before heading out for the evening.

Strategy: DiorShow is a hands down all around fave from print to web, but what else can Dior do? And how can Dior tap into a “younger” market? The Diordiva program is great, but the perks are a bit unreachable for a 16 or 17-year-old high schooler to get a $50 eye palette by redeeming receipts for $200 worth of product. No bueno. Additionally, the promotional advertisements in magazines seem a bit “pushy”. Maybe you should go the blogger/vlogger route and find a sophisticated real lady to represent, or bring another actress on board- my suggestion, Zoe Saldana.

Brand: Chanel

90’s representation: Supermodel- Shalom Harlow

Current Beauty ambassadors: Supermodels- Monika Jac Jagaciak, Malgosia Bela; Actresses-Kiera Knightly, Vanessa Paradis; It-Girls- Jen Brill, Leigh Leizark, Vanessa Traina, Caroline Seiber, Poppy Delevinge

What it says about you: You are a classic who loves the surprising edge of unconventional color. You wait patiently for the next nail polish color confection regardless of the $25 price tag and look forward to seeing the Chanel embossed face powders and tweed print blushes.

Strategy: Lets start with the favorites- The in international city exclusive collections (Rodeo Drive , London, Tokyo and Soho) are a fan favorite success. The exclusives each season are worth the wait, especially the nail polishes ( or nail vernis) and certainly worth the price tag if you treasure shopping for beauty seasonally.

Vamp Nail polish! Did you know that Vamp has its own Wikipedia page?

Now for the weaknesses- the closing of the only free-standing beauty boutique in Asia is a set-back if you want to establish yourself above the rest in the East.

Another under-accomplishment are the It Girl ambassadors, I don’t know what they do other than go to shows. That’s great and all but, do they sell Chanel beauty products? No. The products are the ambassadors, with the exception of Vanessa Paradis.

Brand: Estee Lauder

90’s representation: Supermodels and Actresses- Carolyn Murphy, Elizabeth Hurley

Current Beauty ambassadors: Supermodels, Actresses and Moguls- Gwenyth Paltrow, Liya Kebede, Hilary Rhoda, Joan Small, Erin Lauder

What it says about you: Heritage and loyalty. Both you and your mother can appreciate the skincare and makeup.

Strategy: The Tom Ford’s collections were a stellar success and I commend the brand for their generational and global diversity. The limited edition compact encasings are fun and memorable. But, I do firmly believe that Estee Lauder’s skincare outshines them all and keeps them on top, but does the skincare appeal to the youth as much as it appears to the boomers?

There you have it for 2011’s beauty brands and their ambassadors. We will be on the look-out for new developments and movements in representation.

So who do you represent?

photos:visitforinfo.com,nitrolicious.com,beautyestdiversity.com,portfoli.com,faboverforty.com,beautyisdiversity.com

josibi.com,mimifroufrou.com,gorgeousblackwomen.com,sexyfashiongirl.blogspot.com

Allure and Barneys Present: Red Lipstick Panel

On a chilly day last week, I attended the Allure+Barney's " What is the meaning of Lipstick?" panel that featured Poppy King, Founder and CEO of Lipstick Queen, Sue Devitt, Founder and President of Sue Devitt, Carisa Janes, Founder and CEO of Hourglass and Terry De Gunzburg, Owner and Creator of By Terry. The panel was moderated by Allure's Editor in Chief, Linda Wells and the subject was nothing short of AMAZING!

So What is the meaning of lipstick? The subject brought out so many different contexts that aligned from how women felt in different eras in the US, the powerful 80's, statement lips of the 40's to the global social impact of women wearing red, in Asia at one time, it was forbidden.

The panel took us through why there has been a boom in the nude or natural lip color and also why we women have a hard time finding the right red.

Overall, the panel was great- hearing Linda Wells speak was fantastic. The highlight for me was hearing the passion of Poppy King! She is the red lipstick guru and she has this unsurmountable knowledge of lipsticks and their social implications. Terry De Gunzberg spoke about the technology of products, why some brands ( her's included ) are luxury- the technology put into the product! Afterall, this is coming from the women who helped invent YSL's Touche Eclat after working for YSL beaute for over 30 years! Sue Devitt spoke to how different markets appeal to different consumers and how the US is a huge color cosmetic market but Asia is focused on skincare.

I was blown away by all the knowledge and will have a special surprise for you all this week stemming from this event so stay tuned!

Top Performing Beauty Brands of 2009

WWD Beauty Biz ranked up the Beauty's Top 100 largest beauty movers and shakers of 2009, which is also a glimps into how brands are performing in 2010, seeing as the year is not over yet. Overall, sales in 2009 declined but generated $140.78 Billion in total. That's a whole lot of products (defined in categories of Fragrance, Makeup, Haircare, Deoderant, Suncare, Cellulite and Shaving ).

Mass market certainly dominates the beauty market share as luxury brands have been on a decline, but not as much of a decline to stop future sales- standout products, re-formulations and re-newed consumer focus has helped luxe brands stay a float in a time of limited spending and skincare has rapidly increased in sales while makeup has had slow gains.

So who are the top performing beauty brands that we love, covet and spend our hard earned money engaging Makeup Artists on new products, searching forums, blogs and YouTube for reviews, swatches and support?

#1 L'Oreal ( $24.36 Billion) - Brands:L'Oreal Paris, Lancome, YSL Beauty, Maybelline, Shu Uemura

In 2009, L'Oreal's sales declined for the first time in seven years, however the brand is number one in beauty with consumer products such as L'Oreal Paris, Maybelline and Garnier. With $10.8 billion in strong sales, key performing brands are Maybelline and Garnier. Maybelline has garnered quite the mascara collection in the past few years and Garnier's skincare.

Western Europe is L'Oreal's leading market while sales in North America have declined.

#2 Proctor & Gamble Co.( $18.6 Billion)- Brands: Covergirl, Pantene, Dolce & Gabbana, Olay, Old Spice

When I think "Blue Chip" Beauty, I think of P&G. Pantene for haircare, CG for makeup and Old Spice for men's grooming. Sales fell for P&G but Covergir; and Olay's simply ageless succeeded in generating $1 billion in sales. Pantene products were introduced to new packaging and new ingredients this year and Cover Girl has a heavy roster of diverse spokeswomen ( Ellen DeGeneres, Queen Latifah, Drew Berrymore) , consumer favorites- Lash Blast series and Cover Girl Queen Collection and Pat McGrath at the helm as Executive Design director for the brand.

#4 Estee Lauder ( $7.8 Billion)- Brands: Estee Lauder, MAC, Bobbi Brown, Clinique, Bumble Bumble, Aveda

Skincare accounted for 40% of Estee Lauder brand's sales with 39% in makeup and 15% in fragrance, respectively. Estee also acquired the Smashbox studios which is key for photo shoots and LA fashion week. Clinique up'ed their anti aging game with Even Better, Tom Ford Beauty held strong and MAC teamed with Lady Gaga and Cyndi Lauper for a campaign. Estee Lauder currently has Tom Pecheux is the Creative Makeup Director for the brand.

#6 Shiseido ( $6.83 Billion)- Brands: Shisedo, NARS, Cle´ de Peau Beaute´

Shiseido's key markets are Japan, China and Europe. While sales in North America took a dive, the brand strategically snapped up Bare Essentual which positions Shiseido for expansion in the US. Unfortunately, sales information for NARS cosmetics was not available at the time of the WWD Beauty Biz report.

#10 Chanel ( $3.95 Billion)

Chanel's makeup revenues declined 10% due to the economies of the brands major markets- the US and Japan. The US is Chanel's largest beauty market with France and Japan following. Women's fragrance is number one worldwide with Chanel Beauty at number four and skincare is in ninth place. Key product launches this year include Rouge Coco Hydrating Creme Lipstick, Chanel Bleu Fragrance for men and Asia exclusives- Vitalumiere Eclat Compact powder foundation and Mascara Sublime WP.

#11 LVMH Moet Hennessey Louis Vuitton ( $3.82 Billion)- Christian Dior Parfumes, Givenchy, Guerlain.

Strong performers under LVMH were Givenchy's fragrances and Christian Dior's mascarsa. Cosmetics generated 28%, unchanges since last year while fragrances were strong with 53% of sales. Key products include Givenchy Play with Justin Timberlake as the brand's face and Diorshow mascara with Monica Bellucci as the spokes woman.

Photos: Google Images

Brand revenue and sales information was gathered from WWD Beauty Biz.

Beauty Dept Lays-off at Saks Flagship in 2010

The New York Post reported today that 100 sales associates in the beauty department will be let go come January 2010. The reasoning behind the move? Many counters are supplied with company appointed beauty reps from companies such as Dior, Chanel, Lancome etc. who specifically cater to customer needs and are trained to know product lines thoroughly enough to recommend items and create regimens.
Will this company appointed make-up artists bring a less “salesy” approach to high-end department stores ? After all, the brand reputation is associated with the quality of their products, strategy in advertising and how well it moves off the shelf.
I have all of 2 examples of how this strategy may work for high-end department stores. Over the summer, I needed new skincare, after reading a magazine and doing my research with fellow bloggers, I journeyed over to Saks and visited a high-end luxury brand counter. With what was initially a stop for x ended up with product recommendations, a regimen, and the purchase of x and y. Upon payment entered the sales associate who informed me of a special promotion for Saks but when I had specific product questions- she forwarded me to the company brand rep. I found it frustrating, why couldn’t they answer my question about x but want my credit card? I understand the deal, they are in sales, but had I gone to another counter who didn’t have a brand rep- I would have high-tailed it to the door.
On another note, without the brand reps with their specialized product knowledge, I am pushed to buy products that clearly do not work for me. For example, the foundation or lipstick shade will not look drastically different once I walk outside. The ashiness will not go away or blend with my skin as the day wears on- no excuses, it just doesn’t work. Additionally, on another visit, same Saks on 5th Ave, different counter- at an event, where there were company reps , the product recommendations where spot-on and if they ran out of the product used on my face? I was given a chart or card with the recommended products and asked to call back or stop in to follow-up and inquire, plus that same rep rang me up and completed the process. Personally, that keeps me coming back for more.

I’ve never known the full extent to “counter culture”. My only idea was brand reps (National Artists) who came to events like the Nordstrom’s Trend Show and then the reps who worked at counters and then the sales associates. For me the structure began to blur with the counters and who I asked- etc. A counter vs. a flagship or boutique is clearly obvious. But moseying in to see a product that a friend or colleague recommended- I didn’t know who I was dealing with unless I knew them. My knowledge of sales associates were from the phone calls I received about the collections and launch dates.
Can this Saks renovation turn it around and increase the quality of being specialty niched focus? Will this lead to individualized attention which could turn into overall customer satisfaction and? I guess we have a whole new year to look at this in scope…

photo: googleimages