On Top of Trends
Jean Coutu offers an array of makeup under the Personnelle line, including the eye shadow shown here with its signature "P" on the pot and a unique eyebrow palette.
Hair, eyes, skin.when it comes to beauty needs, private label has it covered.
Even when cutting back on spending women still want to look their best. Today’s consumer might turn to private label brands for savings, but they’re getting more than they bargained for. Store brands and exclusive lines today offer high-quality products and consumers are noticing.
“Women are looking for value in this economy, and private label beauty brands are delivering that value in a venue that’s familiar to her,” says Alisa Beyer, CEO and founder of The Benchmarking Company whose clients include everyone from first time beauty entrepreneurs to seasoned global brands. “Think Borghese for Costco. Women who are trying private label beauty for the first time in this economy may not switch back because they’re noticing the quality is there.”
Body Image
The image many private label products are projecting has become more chic and less generic over time. Store brand soaps and moisturizers are prime examples of this transformation to more up-to-the-minute products.
Target, Minneapolis, MN, is often on top of trends and when it comes to organic choices consumers need to look no further than Target’s exclusive Boots products, a U.K. skin care and cosmetic line.
“Natural and organic beauty products have certainly made a big splash in the past few years, yet women are still confused as to what constitutes a product labeled as ‘natural,’ ‘organic,’ or even ‘pure’ or ‘botanical’ for that matter,” says Beyer.
“In The Benchmarking Company’s 2008 Pink Report: Age of Naturals, nearly 2,000 US women were surveyed and the report found that U.S. cosmetic companies can use the terms natural, all-natural, botanical, and pure to promote a product despite the product’s actual ingredients,” says Beyer. “The majority of women, 61%, agree that it is difficult to tell which brands are natural or organic and which are not.”
The Boots Botanics Organic line elevates the standards of organic labels. The items in the line all carry a circle on the label that reads, “certified organic” with a percentage in the middle. For example, the Boots Botanics Organic Cleansing Body Wash is 77% certified organic and the Boots Botanic Organic Body Moisturizing Lotion is 83%, taking the guesswork out for consumers. The background of the Boots Botanic Organic product labels is white, while the non-organic Boots Botanic products have green labels.
The Boots Amazon Forest collection includes items like Brazil Nut and Vanilla Body Butter with organic vanilla, but exactly how organic the items are remains a mystery. Regardless, one reviewer on Target’s website said of the product, “I have never encountered a better smelling body lotion. It is sweet without being cloying. It has a great consistency–slathers on well and is not too thick/greasy. The moisturizing effect lasts. The price tag is reasonable, right in line with other body butters.”
Victoria’s Secret revealed its line of natural products recently. Known for premium private brand products, its newest bath and body collection, Naturally Victoria’s Secret, capitalizes on the current trend of natural products. The products come in five scents: Açai Berry & Magnolia; Grapefruit, Lime & Mint; Blackberry & Tonka Bean; Vanilla & Sandalwood Hydrating; and Honeysuckle & White Patchouli.
The front of the Blackberry & Tonka Bean Restorative Body Wash claims the product “revitalizes and renews with blackberry and tonka extracts and vitamins C and E.” The back reads, “Naturally Victoria’s Secret utilizes powerful pairings to unlock the potential in nature’s most beneficial ingredients.” The line also includes an Illuminating, Balancing, Energizing, Softening and Moisture-rich Body Wash in the remaining scents. Other products in the line include Hydrating Body Lotion, Body Polish, Body Cream and Fragrant Moisture Mist. Private Label saw the products being marketed in-store as: buy two get one free and online they were sold three for $30. A sign above the products reads, “Natural is the New Sexy.”
Naturally tan, however, is certainly the old sexy. Now that women’s skin cancer awareness and the damage sun can present to skin has been heightened by media coverage, women want their beauty products to include SPF and protect them from the sun. “15 is the bare minimum,” says Beyer, “but women want more.” Beyer says women are telling them they are looking for SPF 30 as a starting point now and they understand the sun and its involvement with premature aging.
Trader Joe’s, Monrovia, CA, sells store brand enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion SPF 15 for all skin types. The lotion is fragrance free, light and non greasy, PABA free and enriched with Vitamins A, E and C. It also clearly states on the Enrich bottle that its cruelty free.
Wal-Mart, Bentonville, AR, carries Equate Beauty Lotion with SPF 15, which it compares to Olay Complete with SPF 15. The Olay brand retails at $9.47, while the Equate brand costs four dollars less.
Everything Eye
Bright eyes can help any face appear more refreshed and there’s no lack of private label beauty care products to achieve a fresh, beautiful look. Wal-Mart carries Equate Eye Lifting Serum, which it compares to Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum. The Equate brand is packaged in the same size and shape package as the Olay product, except the colors are slightly different. The Olay product retails for $18.97 while the Equate brand provides consumers a huge savings at $11.42.
Target’s Boots No7 line includes Reviving Eye Gel, priced at $11.99. The Boots Botanics Ultimate-Lift Eye Gel is priced at $13.99 and one reviewer on Target’s website said it is “the only eye gel that actually de-puffs and smoothes the skin around my eyes!” Even Dollar Tree, Chesapeake, VA, is in tune with weary eyes with its April Eye Gel.
Once they’ve achieved wide-awake eyes, women can complete their look with the vast Personnelle makeup collection found exclusively at Jean Coutu, Longueil, QC. Personnelle has 35 shades of eye shadows in colors like Igloo, Confetti and Bamboo, as well as duo eye shadows, loose eyeshades, various mascaras and various styles of eyeliners. Personnelle even includes a unique private label eyebrow palette for just $12.99. The palette contains an eyebrow brush, angled brush, two shades and wax. As the Jean Coutu website says, “It’s never been easier to have beautiful eyes with Personnelle products.”
The Personnelle label also includes lip, nail, skin and base products, as well as brushes, accessories and men’s skin care products.
Hair Rivals
On a recent trip to a NJ area CVS Pharmacy, Woonsocket, RI, PL was approached upon entering the store by a friendly saleswoman asking if we’d like to try the new shampoos and conditioners. We were led to a display in the front of the store where the new Fruitopia and Viologie products were set up and packaged with bright 2/$5 stickers and the saleswomen said they were all buy one get one free. Additionally she handed us samples with save $1.00 coupons.
The sales women told us, “they compare to Pantene,” which was obvious when we saw them displayed in the aisle next to Pantene bottles. The Viologie products are packaged in the same color bottles as the Pantene products with a similar shiny band around the top. The Fruitopia shampoos and conditioners obviously mimic national brand Herbal Essences, packaged in bright colored bottles that curve and fit together similarly.
CVS’s aggressive marketing campaign also included practically giving the products away for free. The Viologie shampoo and conditioner are normally priced at $3.99 per bottle, but came to $1.50 each after the coupon and the deal. The same-sized Pantene bottle cost $4.99.
CVS’s website says to look for the new Viologie Naturals line coming soon and the sample of Naturals we were given says the products are “formulated with a blend of botanical extracts to hydrate and protect your hair naturally.”
Target also sells shampoos and conditioner to compare to Pantene. Target’s Up & Up brand Clean Shine shampoos and conditioners for $3.24 compare to the same size of Pantene Pro-V Ice Shine Conditioner, priced at $5.99. They also carry products to compare to Pantene Pro-V Color Revival and Daily Renewal.
With so many sophisticated private label choices available now, national brands have some competition. “Women are always going to buy skin care and cosmetics in any economy,” says Beyer. “She may be cutting back, but she’s continuing to buy. She is seeking value and multipurpose products, which allows some types of companies, private label especially, to thrive in an economy like this one.”
