Embrace beauty, but remember your core values
Katie Welch, vice-president of global communications, Bliss
T e average age at which women start using beauty products has gone down from 17 to 13.7
The beauty youth market is escalating and is here to stay
Ed Schack, owner, EES Cosmetic Solutions
With over 25 years in the cosmetic and personal care industry, I’ve seen multi- tudes of beauty trends come and go. One that’s gained momentum in recent years and even appears to be spiking upwards is the youth cosmetics industry. The NDP Group Inc reports that in 2005,
the average age a woman began using beauty products was 17; today it is 13.7. What’s more, 43 per cent of six- to nine- year-olds use lipstick or lip gloss, 38 per cent use hairstyling products and 12 per cent use other cosmetics, according to market research company Experian. This trend is driven, in part, by working
mums who want to spend more ‘girl time’ with their daughters and pass on products and behaviours that will foster greater self confi dence. This ‘princess movement’ has resulted in many girls focusing on their physical appearance, fuelled by a image- focused media and celebrity culture. New
The youth cosmetics industry will focus on natural products lines. The younger set are even more aware about what they put on their face and bodies
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beauty and self care product lines have hit the market for teens, tweens and even younger girls. Girls are throwing spa par- ties – with manicures, pedicures and facials – for their birthdays. Salons and spas today have service
menus and retail items tailored specifi cally for young girls. Yet with so much opportu- nity, companies will continue to invest in this profi table new demographic well into the future. The global spa industry could carve out considerable market share as mothers actively seek providers – whether at home or on vacation – that allow their daughters to take part in the same spa experiences they themselves enjoy. Offer- ing packages, parties and product lines at hotels, destination spas and even on cruise lines that are geared toward the youth market is an emerging and grow- ing strategy. The youth cosmetics industry will take a
similar path as the adult market – focusing on natural and organic product lines. The younger set are even more aware about what they put on their bodies and faces. Mothers, too, want to make sure that products used by their daughters – with delicate, young skin – are free of chemi- cals and potentially harmful ingredients. While no one is ever really too young to
learn about personal care, hygiene and the importance of maintaining one’s skin, the notion of beauty – and related prod- ucts – are now part of our youth culture … like it or not. And the manufacturing industry does.
I was interested to read The Race for Beauty feature in the last issue of Spa Business (see SB11/1 p20). I agree with the points made – that adding beauty serv- ices not only round outs your spa menu, but also has the potential to encourage greater loyalty from existing clientele. However, pitfalls and false starts abound. First, beauty services must be authentic to the brand. It is important that brand tradition and quality are not compro- mised in an effort to provide a ‘one-stop shop’. Ardent clientele at Bliss love the spa: its smell, touch, colour and space and new beauty treatments need to fi t seamlessly with this spa experience and ambiance – nothing jarring or bleak. Secondly, placement of new services
must give the clientele the confi dence of an educated choice, not an add-on or bait. Staff training is paramount, and commit- ment in any new beauty service must be evident at every turn. It’s important that our technicians are known as experts with unique talents and professionalism, not simply jack-of-all-trades. For Bliss, a foray into beauty treatments must be fl awless and authentic to our brand An example of bringing a beauty prod-
uct to market would be the recent launch of He-Wax (men’s waxing) in the US. We saw a gap in the market and created this service in response to what our clients were requesting. Technically, men are not new to Bliss, however, He-Wax was a clear opportunity to grow our client base. But the launch still presented a few challenges from staffi ng, training, and communica- tion. As we began to format our services, attention was given to perfecting proce- dures, client comfort level – especially important with waxing – and technician rapport. The name of the product also had to have fi t in with the Bliss ‘tongue-in-chic’ voice. The strategy was to make the cli- ent’s encounter quintessentially Bliss. To conclude, it’s important to be forward thinking in services offered to clients – and that includes embracing beauty. But you should never compromise on your core values or alter your brand.
Read Spa Business online
spabusiness.com / digital 15
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