the brief

A proprietary blend of branding, creative and new media.

Best of Cosmoprof 2011

August 11, 2011 | By Julie Ashkenazi

Cosmoprof 2011 had 750 booths of serums, moisturizers and shampoos and I had exactly 8 hours to see them all. So, I decided to powerwalk the room the way most women powershop their way through Target.

I’ve long argued that presentation can make or break a beauty brand. Often the purchase catalyst, packaging is typically one of first interactions consumers have with your brand. So, I made my way through the tradeshow like your average consumer with 10 minutes to stock up on essentials in between work, playdates and soccer matches. In doing so, I found Cosmoprof to be the perfect metaphor for the beauty category as a whole—crowded, overwhelming and often confusing. These were the brands that got it right.

1. Tay
Sarah Tay’s new, natural and organic skincare line belongs in every modernist’s bathroom (and on every glossy’s pages). Her 100% sustainable, tree-free bamboo packaging redefines shelf presence and her eco-friendly refill pouches minimize waste reduction. Free of parabens, fragrance and synthetics, TAY uses sustainable and fair-trade ingredients when possible.

2. Fix Malibu
A doctor brand that isn’t gray. Or silver. Or black. Founder and Dermatologist, Rebecca Giles, M.D., didn’t set out to launch a product line, but after mixing her own formulas for years, she started bringing them into the office and soon enough her celebrity clients were begging to take them home. Pretty yet powerful, Fix Malibu shakes up the clinical category with its bold, green identity, complete with graffitiesque floral illustrations. The brand’s high-tech skin solutions are formulated with antioxidants and growth factors to “trick” your skin into behaving younger. 

3. Barista Bath and Body
A healthy habit you’ll never want to kick. Formulated with organic coffee, essential oils and herbal extracts, b3’s rich, aromatic products maximize the therapeutic benefits of coffee. Their modern, unisex packaging proves once and for all that what’s hers is his—and his is hers. In addition to being a CEW 2011 Indie Beauty Award Finalist, the b3 gals are some of the best in the biz.

4. Love and Toast
Without a doubt, Love and Toast was one of the most creative booths at Cosmoprof. Youthful and energetic, the brand is a stand out in the natural category. Their bold palette, free-spirited illustrations, die cut hearts and cassette tape UPC codes lend modern whimsy to an otherwise serious category. And with products retailing around $10, they make it pretty easy to feel good about looking good.

5. Slice
Form meets function in Slice’s new line of beauty tools designed by award-winning architect and designer, Michael Graves. The brand’s modern, graphic identity and bold typography caught my eye instantly. Created for both professionals and consumers, these innovative designs bring style to everyday grooming.

Julie Ashkenazi

Julie Ashkenazi

Natural Selection

May 26, 2011 | By Julie Ashkenazi
Green might just be the biggest trend to hit the cosmetics industry since blue—ergh, eyeshadow. No longer hiding among the almond milk and aloe vera juice, natural beauty products are taking the industry by storm and expanding into the beauty aisles of leading retailers, such as Target, Sephora and CVS. Bringing high-powered cosmetics experience from Barneys New York, Saks Fifth Avenue, L’Oreal and Avon, Wendy Cockayne Lucas bridges the worlds of traditional and natural beauty marketing in her role as General Manager at Country Life, where she oversees the natural beauty brand, Desert Essence. In our conversation, she shares her insights and predictions for the natural beauty business.
 
What is the natural beauty consumer looking for?
The natural consumer is looking for products free of synthetic chemicals that really work. They want products that make them feel good about themselves and give them radiant skin and shiny, manageable hair. They have a vested interest in supporting companies that support the future of the planet and all living things on the planet.
Aside from ingredient preferences, what have you found to be the most unique difference between natural beauty consumers and traditional beauty consumers?
Natural consumers read the full product label and are extremely educated about ingredients. They have to be as many natural consumers come into the channel because they have allergies and want to use the most natural products possible to prevent a reaction.
Recent findings from comScore show that brand loyalty is on the decline for many consumer goods. Do you feel a natural beauty consumer has more brand loyalty than a traditional beauty consumer?
The highly allergic customer is most likely to be brand loyal once they’ve found a product that works for them. In general, the natural consumer is likely to switch between brands for items like body lotion and shower gels, while still remaining loyal to natural brands as a whole, however I do think there are specific segments where customers are likely to be more brand loyal, including skin care and dental care.
Recently more beauty companies—including clinical, doctor brands—have begun to include natural messaging in their marketing campaigns. Does this trend illustrate a shift in consumer preference?
Yes, more and more people are realizing that synthetic ingredients just can’t be good for you. I also think that consumers are looking to companies that really care about the environment and give back to communities. The truly natural companies have always been about this. You are either a believer in natural, sustainable and recyclable products across everything you do—or you aren’t. As a cosmetics company, you have to take a stand and launching a few natural products or brands is a bit of greenwashing, in my opinion. You can’t launch 90% of your products with chemicals and non-sustainable practices and expect the true natural consumer to buy your 10% natural products.
According to a report from Datamonitor, consumers consider personal care products formulated with natural ingredients as being better for them, however there are still concerns over the efficacy of natural ingredients. Can natural cosmetics really offer the same product claims found in traditional beauty products?
Yes, natural products are just as good, if not better than traditional beauty products. The days
of sacrificing performance in order to use natural products are coming to an end. When I started working in natural, articles would say that you have to give up lather in a shampoo to have a truly natural product, but now, a few short years later, there are natural ingredients that give a beautiful lather.
If you had 5 minutes to convince a traditional beauty consumer to give up her favorite products in exchange for natural beauty alternatives, what would you say?
Natural products are not only better for you, they also help protect the earth. Natural science is getting better and better each day. If you haven’t tried a natural product in a few years, you will be pleasantly surprised with how far the industry has come. Give up your synthetic products in favor of natural products for just 30 days and you will see a noticeable difference in your skin, hair and teeth.
What's next for natural beauty?
As natural sales continue to climb, more scientists and developers will continue to work on natural innovation. I think we are going to see a lot of interesting technology coming out of plants, minerals and other natural sources in the near future.
Wendy Cockayne Lucas is General Manager of Country Life. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Julie Ashkenazi

Julie Ashkenazi