The best in cosmetics — according to the experts

By Samantha Critchell
Associated Press Fashion Writer

NEW YORK — Beauty products are personal: What works for one oily-skinned woman with brown eyes and thin hair might not work for her dry-skinned friend with blue eyes and thick, color-processed hair.

But some products have better batting averages than others.

The editorial staffs of many magazines, their readers and an industry group called Cosmetic Executive Women try to navigate through the slew of new beauty products with awards and best-of lists.

Many of CEW's winning products this year are multitasking, says the group's president, Carlotta Jacobson.

"Moisturizers have gone beyond being a moisturizer. You just can't be a moisturizer, it also has to correct skin tone or have total protection from the sun," she says.

The other undeniable movement in the beauty industry is all things green, Jacobson says, although no one wants to compromise on effectiveness.

Women's Health magazine editor in chief Tina Johnson and beauty editor Liesa Goins say readers ask about the environment along with sensitive skin and acne. Goins notes that many of the products Women's Health highlighted, with help from a panel of experts that included salon owners, makeup artists and dermatologists, were inexpensive standbys.

"I'm always surprised how many products you can find at the drug store. We're conditioned to think you have to spend a lot of money to get effective products," she says.

Count Johnson as one of those drugstore fans: She has been a longtime user of Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser and also is a fan of Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 45 and RoC Retinol Correction Deep Wrinkle Night Cream.

CEW's Jacobson, meanwhile, is interested in the "buzz" products DiorShow Blackout Mascara and two-sided L'Oreal Infallible Lips. A potential breakout product with consumers is Clinique's men's concealer, she says.

"It's taking the first step that says men can have their own products — they have been using women's products," she says. "Like everyone else, men can have blemishes and dark circles, plus they can have shaving nicks."

Taking A Look At Cosmetics Resources Online

BeautiControl Mini Gift Sets available online

By: blogger

Cosmetics come in many different types. When people think of the word cosmetic, they more than likely think only of makeup. However, the cosmetic industry deals not only with makeup but also with hair products, lotions, perfumes, and many other items to enhance one’s beauty. With so many different brands of natural beauty products on the market a person may feel overwhelmed. In order to find out what is best for one and their body an individual must do research.

One of the top companies in the world of cosmetics that offers a variety of items is Proctor and Gamble. This company is one that most people do not associate with natural beauty products or any type of makeup. However, both Max Factor and Cover Girl are part of the family of the Proctor and Gamble line of products. They also offer shaving items, body washes, and hair care that anyone can use. According to Fortune 500 magazine, this is the top cosmetic company in the United States. In order to learn more about this fascinating company and what it offers to its customers, one can visit www.pg.com to review all of the products and specs.

Another top company in the world of cosmetic items is Avon. Many people think that this company is dedicated to only women. The truth is this company was built by a man. Avon offers a variety of products that can be used by men, women and children. As well, gone are the days when purchasing Avon products from a sales lady was the only option. Now, thanks to the internet, a person can purchase Avon beauty products online at www.avon.com. If an individual still wishes to have a salesperson help them choose their items and get great free samples, then the website can assist one in finding a representative.

The world of Cosmetics is so varied that one may feel overwhelmed. If a person is not sure which company offers the best variety of items for the whole family, and not just makeup for a woman, then research is going to be needed. No matter which company is chosen, they can learn a ton of vital information on everyday items and how they can make one’s life a little easier. The internet can prove to be an invaluable tool in the world of research and understanding the cosmetic arena.

China gets stricter on cosmetics ads

By Katie Bird

Global cosmetics companies operating in China should be aware of increasingly strict enforcement of the country's advertising standards, according to a consumer goods lawyer.

Although the country's advertising legislation has been in place since 1994 it has not been strictly enforced. However, this may be about to change, according to Jonathan Selvadoray a lawyer with Cameron Mckenna, who says a growing number of international companies are being picked up for their discrepancies.

"The view that 'this is china and you can do what you want' is no longer the case" Selvadoray told CosmeticsDesign. Although the issue is not directly linked product safety Selvadoray suggested that tightening regulation may be related to the increased attention that the Chinese cosmetics market has received in recent months.

Regulation prohibit exaggeration. The regulations prohibit falsehood and the exaggeration of a product's components, efficacy or function as well as the use of absolute expressions such as 'the latest invention' and 'absolutely no adverse affects'. In addition, Selvadoray warns that the term 'patented product' should not be used in advertisements until formal certification has been obtained from the Chinese Patent bureau even if a foreign patent has already been obtained.

Penalties for non compliance can include financial fines of up to €20,000, however more importantly a company may be asked to suspend a product's launch until the case has been dealt with by the Chinese authorities. A ban on a product launch could be significant for the global personal care giants many of whom count China as an increasingly important market.

China is a key market for global players. Germany-based Beiersdorf is one of the international players which has identified China as key to the company's growth strategy. Supported by high sales of Nivea Visage and Nivea for Men, the company's sales in China increased 45.1 per cent last year contributing to a 7.6 per cent rise in the company's turnover to €5.5bn.

Luxury firms in particular are looking to the emerging markets of China, India and Russia to drive sales in an otherwise uncertain economic environment. According to Estee Lauder group president Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne speaking at a retail congress earlier this year, they are the only markets experiencing a boom at present. "I believe that it is very likely that for all of us in the branding world it [emerging markets] will be a big share of earnings in the coming years," he said. In its second quarter results publicised early February, Estee Lauder highlighted the Asia Pacific region and China where sales reached $347.4m.

Innovation vs. Imitation

by Gary Jones, BeautiControl Product Development

If you are a frequent reader of my blog, you know that every now and again, I have these moments where I feel like I have to purge…this is one of those topics. Although it doesn’t directly relate to a specific topic, I thought it was something that I would share.

I had a great “AH-HA!” moment last week. For the 16 years that I have worked at BeautiControl, I have seen so many changes…changes, not only in the product line, but in the fundamental philosophy of our business.

BeautiControl was established in the 80’s as a color cosmetic company, with a strong focus on color cosmetics and image. Our original founders, Jinger and Dick Heath, established this company and had the unique ability to take an overwhelming category of products and develop a unique form of customization that allowed every-day women to find the best beauty and image solutions available, and streamline them to fit their unique coloring and image personalities. Based on that level of customization, Image Consultants were created and we saw significant growth as a result of this philosophy.

In the 90’s, as the consumer’s focus shifted away from color cosmetics and toward the need for high powered skin care solutions, the corporate focus shifted toward customized skin care solutions based on the individual needs of a person’s skin type…dry, combination and oily. Based on this shift in consumer demands, a new strategy of product development was established to best fit the needs of a new breed of customers. Our selling situation, once called an “Image Party” was now called a “Clinic”, as the focus of the party shifted toward skin care, vs. image consultations.

This was when I joined the company. My mission was to take this new philosophy of product development and excel it into the future with a new kind of product that offered real solutions for our consumers skin care problems. As we re-vamped our R&D and manufacturing capabilities, BeautiControl was now prepared to tackle this industry head-on with products that met and exceeded this widely saturated industry and create a point of difference that caused consumers to see us as their skin care resource. Since then, skin care science has become the driving force that has propelled us into the future and has established us as a force to be reckoned with in the cosmetic skin care industry.

Although our “party” is now being referred to as a “Spa Escape”, the focus on skin care solutions has never been stronger. The Spa positioning offers today’s consumer a venue in which they can learn about their skin care solutions in a relaxing and pampering selling situation.

Several years ago, we took a hard look at our skin care category and made another shift in our developmental strategy to focus on the concept of skin age, rather than treating the conditions of dry, combination and oily skin types. Not only was this unique in the skin care industry, it became quite clear that it was the most logical solution for solving the skin care needs of all consumers. I had to ask myself the question, “why do people use skin care products?”. The answer being…to delay or reverse the signs of aging! SIMPLE! With that being understood, it became clear that we needed to make a shift again in the way that we developed our skin care products. We needed to invest serious time and research into creating skin care solutions from the ground up, based on what we needed the end result to be. Since our focus was to create age specific skin care solutions, we needed to research the physiological changes that occur to our bodies as we age. The skin and the human body is a very complex machine. As we age, our needs change so dramatically with each decade. I firmly believe that the only way to effectively fight the signs of aging is to treat your skin with the specific things that it needs as we get older. Its no longer about whether my skin is dry, combination or oily…now it is about how we are going to reverse and delay the significant changes that occur to our skin with each passing year. This is not only one of the things that sets us apart in this enormously competitive market, it is the thing that makes strengthens our reputation as skin care pioneers and leaders in the skin solution market.

Ok, so now you know the history of our product development philosophy in a nutshell; however that really doesn’t have much to do with my “AH-HA!” moment (sorry, I get a little side-tracked sometimes…thanks for joining me on a little trip through Gary Land). My “AH-HA!” moment came this past week as I attended a conference with many people from companies around the world. We were talking about the process of product development. This gave me the opportunity to ask a lot of questions and view the developmental cycle of many other skin care and cosmetic companies. The more I listened, the more I realized how different we are when it comes to product development. Where our product development process is a very dynamic and ever changing process (which in reality makes everyone inside the company crazy), it was obvious that these other companies had a very simple product development philosophy….find a competitive product, duplicate it, set your cost objective and meet it every time. EASY! Products were never late. Products always fell within the cost requirement. Everyone was happy! As a result, most competitive companies sacrifice or compromise innovation in order to make the process of development more simple, less expensive and “good enough” to meet the needs of their customer.

At that point, after years of feeling like I could never fully get our process to be an easy, perfect process, instead of feeling bad about it, I started realizing that this is something that I am very proud of. We are a product driven, technology based company. We don’t duplicate products on the market. We don’t mimic our competitors with our version of a similar formula and then put our own “spin” on it. We create innovation. We create solutions. We create problem solving products that are simply better than what we see on the market. As a company who develops skin care innovation from the ground up, it may never be an easy, perfect process. As a leader, rather than a follower, we are going to find ourselves wandering into sometimes uncharted territory and that is never “easy”. There will always be new technology that is emerging that will change the course of a product. There will always be new ingredients that as company that is quick to market, we will have long before other companies have even heard about them, or have had time to get them to market. We won’t use the cheapest ingredients….we will always use the best ingredients.

So, in all of that, I realized that I would rather be part of a chaotic and ever changing product development cycle (my apologies to anyone inside the company who may be reading this), than a company whose primary mission is to imitate the competition. I’ll take innovation over imitation any day!

Ok, enough of my rambling. Be sure to check back in on Friday…there is a new product coming this week that I know you are all anxiously looking forward to. I’ll tell you all about it in Friday’s blog.

Have a fantastic week!

Myths and Magic Of Cosmetics

from Embracing Health for Life

When it comes to the cosmetic advertisement, the roles of vanity, misinformations and deception play a greater part than providing informations about the products. You may wonder why the models of cosmetic products for anti-aging or anti-wrinkles cosmetics are always young and beautiful. The message is for you to become or aty young and beautiful if you use these products and it is much easier to demonstrate a product using a model who does not have wrinkles.

The truth is, make-up can enhance your appearance or help hide unwanted blemishes, wrinkles or shadows, but the effect only lasts while the make-up is on and can cause an unwarranted psychological dependency on it. Suitable conditiones may be effective in many ways but they cannot magically repair damage hair or make it more healthy by adding protein, vitamins, amino acids or whatever the manufacturer have included on it. Face creams may help hide the fine lines on your face or may help your skin to tempoparily look and feel amoother and softer, but they cannot magically remove or reduce fine lines and wrinkles, nor can they reverse or prevent the effects of aging.

Our Town: Tahoe business owner helps women gain 'BeautiControl'

Nancy Oliver Hayden
Tahoe Tribune


Linda LaFavor-Coyle's world revolves around image, self-esteem and helping women feel good about themselves. She does this as a consultant, executive director and senior trainer with BeautiControl, a skin care, spa and image company. The Minneapolis, Minn., native, who says she is 50ish, has been a resident of South Lake Tahoe since 1985. She came to visit friends, and as so many people do, fell in love with Tahoe and moved here.

She was working as a clerk at the post office in 1988 when she saw an advertisement for BeautiControl in the Tahoe Daily Tribune. The company was looking for people to be beauty consultants in the area, and she became the first one at Tahoe. It was a perfect fit, since LaFavor-Coyle has a background as a make-up artist. She started attending cosmetology school while she was still in high school. Upon graduation at age 18, she received her cosmetology license and worked as a hair stylist in a neighborhood beauty salon for 10 years.

She went to Hollywood in 1979, where she attended the Joe Blasco Make-up School and was a make-up artist for TV and film for a few years. She then returned to Minneapolis and worked for Target as a make-up artist for the company's TV commercials for several more years.

LaFavor-Coyle started her business at Tahoe by inviting friends to a party and teaching them about skin care, the importance of sunscreen and how to "do" their make-up in five minutes. She is now a manager and leads a team of 480 women all over the U.S. She travels to meetings and training sessions to motivate and support them and stays in touch via e-mail, telephone and personal contact. Her business has grown to include a mobile spa program, where she goes to clients' homes and offices. She provides mini-spa treatments and teaches women to relax and pamper themselves.

Another facet of LaFavor-Coyle's business is "Tahoe Weddings A Go Go," where she provides in-room hair and make-up service for brides. She said this is the easiest, most fun thing she does - and it's all girl time.

Her success with BeautiControl has earned her several trips. She was one of 100 consultants out of 150,000 in the company who earned a seven-day trip to Monte Carlo in 2006. And because of her company car allowance, she hasn't made a car payment in 15 years.

She and her husband of 10 years, John Coyle, enjoy riding road bikes and competing in century road rides. They have two furry, feline "children," Lucky and Smoky, who are 15 years old. LaFavor-Coyle is a member of Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe and Barton Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. She is also certified for the American Cancer Society "Look Good, Feel Good" program for women with cancer. She teaches them how to take care of their skin and hair, including tips on applying make-up and using wigs.

Here are LaFavor-Coyle's answers to the Tribune's questions:

1. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED WHEN YOU DIE?
"As a woman who helped other women build their self-esteem on the inside and out. I love to be their cheerleader and say 'yes, you can do it.'"


2. WHAT IS SOUTH LAKE TAHOE'S MOST PRESSING ISSUE TODAY?
"I would say the housing market. When I see a for sale sign, I want to say, 'Don't leave Tahoe. Do whatever it takes to stay in this beautiful place.'"


3. IF YOU COULD CHOOSE ANY AMERICAN CITIZEN TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, WHO WOULD IT BE?
"My world revolves around supporting and encouraging women, so maybe it's time for a woman president?"


4. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT?
"John and I just bought a fifth-wheel travel trailer and enjoy traveling with friends and meeting new people. I intend to 'spa' the RV parks. We enjoy being outdoors, riding bikes and wine tasting. We plan to travel in the RV when we retire."


5. IF YOU COULD CHOOSE ONE THING TO DO OVER IN YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
"Oh, my gosh! I'm happy with my life. I feel like I've accomplished more than I ever dreamed I would, and there is nothing I would do over."


6. WHAT LIVING PERSON DO YOU MOST ADMIRE?
"My youngest sister, Brenda Montgomery. She has a gift of bringing out the best in people with her fabulous management and life skills and making everyone feel special. She is my mentor."


7. WHAT HISTORICAL FIGURE DO YOU MOST ADMIRE?
"I would say Mother Teresa. For her to be able to do something so important, especially as she advanced in age, is remarkable."


8. IF YOU COULD SPEND AN HOUR WITH ANYONE IN THE WORLD, WHO WOULD IT BE?
"That's easy, it would be Lance Armstrong. He could teach me everything he knows about road biking. I'd like to learn his discipline of how to just keep going on those hard hills."


9. WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE: WIN AN INDIVIDUAL OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL OR A PULITZER PRIZE?
"I can't choose, so how about both. To be able to push yourself athletically as far as you can to win a gold medal would be such an adrenaline rush. And I'd love to be so talented with words and be able to share that with the world that I would win a Pulitzer Prize."


10. IF YOU COULD BE IN ANY PROFESSION OTHER THAN YOUR OWN, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
"Don't laugh, but at one time I thought of being a police officer. I think I would be good at handling situations and helping get the bad guys off the street."

Could you last a day without make-up?

From The Times on March 27, 2008
It's National No Make-up Day today - a command best not obeyed
by Sarah Vine

Today, apparently, is National No Make-up Day. Not in my house it isn't. Aside from the fact that my colleagues have done nothing to deserve the sight of me without my under-eye concealer, it is a ludicrous concept. You may as well have a National No Shoe-Wearing Day, or a National No Shouting on the Today Programme Day. Inconceivable, not to say inadvisable.

According to the organisers, we need it because we women are too dependent on make-up. Damn right we are - just as we're dependent on breathing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with giving Mother Nature's work a little touch-up now and then.

But no, it's for our own good, see. Time to throw off the mask, to let our skins breathe (not true, by the way: today's modern formulations don't clog up the skin), to be “more courageous in baring all”. Hmm. I've seen where this “baring all” gets us, and it's not pretty. How To Look Good Naked may make great TV, but in truth most people don't (look good naked, that is). There's a reason clothes were invented, and it wasn't just to keep the cold air out. Let's not apply the same misjudgment to our faces.

The British have always had an oddly puritanical attitude to make-up. Many women I know consider it somehow at odds with their feminist principles. Personally, I don't see it that way. Make-up gives me confidence, and confidence is good. Besides, many men claim that they prefer their partners without make-up - so you could argue that the wearing of it actually constitutes a small act of feminist rebellion.

Ultimately, however, it's all about how you wear it. A tacky gash of scarlet and Ashes to Ashes-style blue eyeshadow isn't going to fool anyone. Modern make-up, properly applied, looks neither tarty nor obvious. It's about looking yourself, only slightly less frazzled. And there's nothing wrong with that.

Wearing no make-up for once, HANNAH BETTS fails to get attention

My name is Hannah and I am a cosmetics addict. I have worn make-up every day since I was jailbait young, a not so fresh-faced 11. It started with Lolita lipgloss and continues, at just short of 37, with a routine that encompasses foundation, concealer, powder, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, rouge and lip balm. Women tend to have a thing. Make-up is my thing. I don't do hair, nails, or particularly compelling outfits. However, I do reserve my right to go about with emerald eyelids.

We slap sporters are accused of vanity. Yet surely it is greater vanity to inflict one's unedited features upon the world? It is assumed that we are man-motivated. Yet chaps profess to despise cosmetics and are never happier than when informing me that I look more desirable without them. More- over, many's the time I have been chastised by weekend feminists who believe that I am letting down the sisterhood.

To all dissenting voices, I say: “This isn't about you.” Make-up is my public face and my private pleasure.

My day sans slap has an inauspicious start. The spectacle that confronts me in the mirror at 7am on Monday confirms my impression that not wearing make-up is for those who spend their weekends in the lotus position. I spent the weekend carousing, hitting the sack at 3am in the wake of a teary argument. My skin is greenish chalk, while my eyes have gone beyond the proverbial hole in the snow and are suggestive of domestic violence. And did I mention that I have my period? Cosmetics are the means by which I would wrest back control, only today all control is abandoned. I knock back three Nurofen, apply teabags to my lids, slather on my bodyweight in eye cream, and - that's it - unfinished face finished.

Four hours writing at my desk, and my features are becoming vaguely less Hammer House of Horror, but, still, as I prepare to leave the house, my virginal face propels me into crisis. Everything is thrown out by it: my clothes - too ballsy; my scent - too provocative; the rest of me - too bedraggled without a “done” focus as anchor. I look nondescript, characterless, bland. I am also ghoulish pale, reminiscent of those painful years before I discovered rouge, when schoolboys would follow me about humming The Addams Family theme. A neighbour mouths: “Poor you,” assuming lurgy.

I go for a working lunch at London's hottest venue, the Connaught, with three of the capital's most glamorous and imposing PRs. The consensus is that I look young, but not good young. “Kind of Dickensian, laudanum-addict young,” as Kate puts it. Curiously, the lower half of my hitherto blemish-free face is breaking out in boils. “It's the detox,” notes Paula. “Your skin can't have been exposed to the air for years.”

I sidle off to purchase a new phone. The pubescent who couldn't wait to get his clutches on my contract when I accosted him with full maquillage rebuffs me. But, then, I have the sweaty-palmed demeanour of a shoplifter, skulking about, refusing to meet anyone's gaze.

I pride myself on my ability to flirt with man, woman and child, but, by supper, all charm has escaped me. I fail to secure anyone's attention: the waiter's, fellow diners', even my own. My 25-year-old ally tells me that I look cooler, edgier than usual. A trip to the nightspot Bungalow 8 is aborted after I suffer an attack of the vapours.

Next morning, I have a power breakfast with a prominent editor, restored to my beloved ladyboy mode. I ask my date what she would have thought had I turned up naked faced. “But, why would anyone do that?” she demands. Why, indeed?

I can cheat and get away with it, says make-up novice CAMILLA CAVENDISH

When my commissioning editor asked me to do this piece, I was surprised. “But I do wear make-up,” I protested. “I wear mascara!” She raised one carefully crafted eyebrow. And I realised that my involvement in this project might be her friendly way of telling me that the look I have worn since my teens - a flick of the comb and a 30-second whirl with Lancôme Black/Brown - may no longer be as appealing and carefree as I like to think.

It's partly indolence, not wanting to spend time pondering the cosmetics racks in Boots. It's also that these racks are largely indecipherable to me. I missed out on the stage when other girls were learning about concealer and lip-liner. I was playing the piano seriously when I was 16, and my piano teacher used to brandish her scissors at the slightest hint of a fingernail, so I never made it into the world of nail polish and manicures either. I usually end up rubbing most of it off because it looks so vampish.

I do care how I look. It's just that I have always regarded make-up as cheating, somehow. It is only recently that I have begun to realise that many of the women I have admired as effortless beauties are actually dab hands with the bronzer. My own recent experiments with bronzer came to an end when a male colleague became concerned that I had a rash, because of the line where I had forgotten to blend it in.

So when the lovely Paul from Bobbi Brown rang my doorbell, I was determined to memorise every brushstroke. And boy, were there a lot. There was concealer and corrector and blusher, all in delectable little black pots. It took a long time. But it felt fabulous, being adored and adorned. As Danny positioned the lights and flashed the camera, and Nicky expertly tweaked my hair, I felt like a B-list goddess.

The first person to see me was my husband. He glanced in, laughed, tried to stifle the laugh and went off to an important meeting. The next was my three-year old. “Why have you painted your hair?” he asked, frowning. After several repetitions of this toddler non-sequitur, I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. But of course I couldn't cry. I felt I couldn't even blow my nose, in case I erased my face.

I liked the flushed cheeks and startling blue eyes of the creature in the mirror. But she did look as if she was trying a bit too hard. Everyone said how “natural” I looked. But my cheeks felt as though they were wearing stage make-up. My skin felt tickly.

On the other hand, it was a face that clearly deserved to be dressed up for. I found myself pulling on a much smarter jacket than normal, and some kitten heels that I hardly ever wear. Leaving the house, I braced myself for pitying stares. But apart from a few vaguely appreciative looks from builders, there was no reaction. Entering a smart restaurant in the West End, a waiter rushed to open the door for me. I was lunching with a business contact I see about twice a year. He said: “You look different, somehow. Is it your hair?”

It gradually dawned on me that what I thought of as war-paint was expertly subtle. At Broadcasting House, where I was doing an interview for a programme I am presenting on Radio 4, no one gave me a second glance. Ingrid, my producer, who has known me for two years, didn't bat an eyelid.

Later that day, I gave a talk to some people in the City. One financier came up to me afterwards. “You're a great-looking woman,” he said. “Did you ever think about TV? Your looks won't last for ever, you know. You should get on with it.” So thank you, Paul, for creating the delusion. It still feels like cheating. But if I can cheat and get away with it, why not?

______________________

BeautiContol Online available at guaranteed lowest prices. Everyday is a BeautiControl Day!

Kiss off recession talk

REBECCA TAY
Special to The Globe and Mail

No matter what George W. Bush says, we - or, ahem, our neighbours to the south - have entered a recession. And yet, as Leonard Lauder, chairman of the Estée Lauder Companies Inc., knows well, this foul economic environment may have a positive effect on cosmetics companies. At least when it comes to their lipstick sales.

After the events of Sept. 11, 2001, Lauder stated that when a country faces fiscal stress, lipstick sales increase as women purchase small, comforting items rather than splurging on larger luxury goods. Dubbed the Leading Lipstick Indicator (or less formally, the lipstick index), it makes sense: After all, the cost of a high-end lipstick averages $30, while a designer skirt or pair of shoes can easily set a woman back $300 or more.

Sharon Collier, president and chief executive officer of Laura Mercier Cosmetics, agrees. "Lipstick is an affordable indulgence for women," she says. "A tube of lipstick is a small luxury that can be bought to fill the void of the more expensive purchases."

Also significant is the fact that lipstick is a symbolic icon, representing the dynamism of the female mystique: bolder colours represent sex, power and confidence, while lighter pinks and nudes show off a woman's softer, gentler side. "The vast array of colours acts as a quick and easy way to change a woman's look and mood," Collier notes. And in a volatile economic environment, perhaps this flexibility is another key way in which women can showcase their strength and adaptability.

Lauder showed that, historically, the lipstick index could reliably explain spikes in lipstick sales during major world events such as the Depression and the Second World War. But what about now?

"Lipstick is recession-proof," says Poppy King, who spent three years at Estée Lauder before launching Lipstick Queen in January, 2007. (Her products are now sold at select Holt Renfrew stores nationwide.) King attributes the success of her company in part to a "renewed interest in lipstick - it's a great way for women to perk themselves up, especially when many other cosmetics products are getting so expensive."

The question is, who - or what - is behind the trend? "Cosmetics companies have definitely been pushing lipstick for at least two seasons," says Marc Brunet, owner of Vancouver's Beauty Mark boutique.

Coincidence? All Brunet knows is that "lipstick sales now are the strongest they've been since we opened the store in 2000."

Despite the numbers, Anny Kazanjian, executive director of public relations and fashion promotion at Chanel, disagrees with the lipstick index. "We're not using the R word here in Canada, and we're not seeing a particular spike in sales because of the state of the economy. Our strong sales are simply part of a regular, seasonal change as consumers are excited about our spring collection and it flies out the door.

"Lipstick isn't such a splurge any more," she continues. "There's a stronger sense of entitlement these days - women work hard, so spending 25 to 30 dollars on a lipstick is not prohibitive like it was maybe 20 years ago. I think women would spend money on lipstick regardless of the economy."

However, over at Giorgio Armani Cosmetics, marketing assistant Joëlle Barakat reveals that lipstick sales alone increased a whopping 14.8 per cent in January year-over-year, 0.3 per cent in February (reflecting a common dip in the retail industry) and 9.1 per cent in March. She attributes the strong numbers to both the company's increasing profile in the cosmetics industry and, like Collier, King and Brunet, a movement toward lipstick in general over the past few seasons.

What does this all mean? Clearly, that lipstick is having another heyday - whether we believe in the recession or not.

Worth the splurge

Sisley in L30 $48

A lively orange, perfect with this year's painterly florals.

Yves Saint Laurent's Rouge Pur #138 $35

Also called Pink Orchid, this shade is cute and playful, but not so junior it belongs in high school.

Giorgio Armani Cosmetics' Armani Silk 001 $34

The highest-end lipstick from the company, Armani Silk offers rich colour and a creamy, luxurious texture.

Laura Mercier's Crème Lip Colour in Roman Moon $26

The ultimate colour for spring: peachy, pink and pretty.Bobbi Brown's Sandwash Pink Lipstick $27

"A neutral pink tone that's perfect on all skin tones," says Krista Hynes, Holt Renfrew's associate buyer of cosmetics.

Lipstick Queen's Red Sinner $23

Choose this rich carmine shade for special night out.

Beauty doesn't need to have a moral price tag

By Belinda Higgins
Independent.ie

The huge swing towards ethical products is impacting on far more than just the grocery sector. Concerned consumers are also now increasingly choosing organic and natural cosmetics and skincare products. New research from Mintel shows that over 2,260 ethical cosmetics and skincare products* were launched in Europe in 2007 -- a five-fold increase on 2006 figures.

And 2008 looks set to be another bumper year for the market, with more than 420 new ethical beauty products already having hit shelves in Europe in the first few months. "Beauty manufacturers are innovating by making their products more compatible with the emerging lifestyle trends of ethical shopping and eco-consciousness," says Nica Lewis, Head Consultant of Mintel Beauty and Personal Care. "They're clearly looking at ways to cut down the amount of packaging they use and are trying to reduce the negative impact production can have on the environment."

Animal welfare issues, environmental concerns and health are the motivations behind consumers' growing tendency to think before they buy skincare and beauty products. The Irish market for personal care and cosmetics products is estimated to be worth €112.2m per annum. COLIPA (the European Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association) recently tipped Ireland as one of the countries with the most potential for future growth.

Cruelty-free products that have not been tested on animals make up the largest group of new ethical beauty products on the European market. Around half of women in France (49pc) and the UK (51pc) say that they look out for this label when buying beauty products. The EU is implementing a ban on animal testing for cosmetics, and a near-total ban on the sale of animal-tested cosmetics, from 2009.

The survey also revealed that 'all natural products' were another major consideration when choosing cosmetics and skincare items. Many cosmetics on the market are still loaded with toxins, artificial fragrances and preservatives. However, consumer demand has ensured that more and more companies are now offering natural and botanical alternatives. For example, British pharmaceutical giant Boots recently announced a new project to develop algae for use in its personal care ranges. Following on from the trend in the food markets, there is now heightened interest in eco-friendly and Fair Trade beauty products.

"We have already seen the no-animal-testing claim go from niche to mainstream over the past two decades," explains Lewis. "Although organic has proved popular in the beauty industry, the current trend for ethical claims centres around the use of Fair Trade ingredients and products having recycled and recyclable packaging. All natural (products) will also continue to appeal."

*This includes products that are fair trade, not tested on animals, that support a charity and that are environmentally friendly or have environmentally friendly packaging.

- Belinda Higgins

Cosmetics firms fighting for foothold in China

Tomoki Matsubara / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

Major Japanese cosmetics companies have stepped up efforts to increase their presence in China, where foreign cosmetics firms, including L'Oreal of France, have been striving to gain a bigger share of the huge Chinese market.

With domestic sales of cosmetics leveling off, securing a large share of the Chinese cosmetics market, which could become as big as Japan's, is seen by cosmetics firms as indispensable for future expansion.

At a press conference held Thursday to announce its three-year business plan starting fiscal 2008, Shiseido Co. President Shinzo Maeda said China's cosmetics market has grown by 10 percent a year, but Shiseido is aiming for annual growth of 20 percent there.

Shiseido this month revamped its Aupres range, which features skin care products designed for Chinese consumers, for the first time in 14 years, and raised the prices of products in the range by 20 percent to 30 percent.

Aupres products, which are on sale at about 700 outlets of department stores across China, were approved by Beijing as Chinese athletes' official cosmetics at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

As Aupres has established itself as a recognized brand in China, Shiseido believes it can further increase its sales.

Shiseido, L'Oreal, and Procter and Gamble of the United States each has a large market share in China, but unlike Europe and the United States where perfume is popular, most Chinese women prefer skin care and makeup products, a trend also found in Japan, which benefits Shiseido.

Major foreign cosmetics firms began making advances into China between the late 1980s and the 1990s, but Shiseido started exporting its products to be sold at China's state-run department stores in 1981, becoming the first to find a foothold in the Chinese market.

With sales in China amounting to about 60 billion yen, the nation has become Shiseido's largest overseas market, surpassing the United States.

Sales of two other leading Japanese cosmetics firms--Kose Corp. and Kanebo Cosmetics Inc.--amounted to about 8 billion yen and less than 3 billion yen, respectively.

Kose will put on sale in June cosmetics made by the Rimmel brand that are favored by Chinese women, a British firm with which Kose has a license contract.

An Inside Look at China's Most Beautiful Industry

BeautiControl Cosmetics

from CBN News

Most people are probably not very aware of the subtleties involved in the marketing of their favorite make-up or cosmetics cream. But many women don't just buy a tube of lipstick or mascara; they're buying a feeling of confidence that they can get after finding "just what they need" that will make them look and feel more beautiful.

Tiffany Ding understands the way that creating the right atmosphere for cosmetics can make all the difference. When she studied at Cornell and the London School of Economics, she noticed a huge gap between cosmetics stores in the U.S. and Europe versus those in China.

She said that stores like Harrod's and Selfridge's in London were, "a really, really good shopping environment, nice music. You can stay in this shop for one day, and you don't feel that it's enough." In contrast, she says Chinese stores at the time, "just give you the products, and no more service, and no more envionment. I thought, why? I thought I should change a little bit. When I came back, I found out cosmetics companies in China really need these kinds of change."

In order to change the cosmetics shopping atmosphere, Ms. Ding launched her own company, RetailLook, where she serves as a liasion between American and European luxury designers and Chinese department stores. She designs and builds cosmetics displays for brands like Chanel, Clinique, Estee Lauder, and many others in a way that allows these brands to showcase their products in a way that's visually appealing to Chinese culture.

In just three years, Ding's company has grown 150 percent, and she's launching her own factory soon. She expects to grow her business alongside China's booming cosmetics industry, and plans to produce about 60 percent of cosmetics displays in China's department stores in her factory.

She's been impressed by the huge change of China's cosmetics industry over the past few years, and looks forward to growing alongside it. Today, she has seen a drastic change in China's cosmetic sector, and says "in the U.S., the department store environment is not as good as China now. In terms of the store and visual merchandising China is much, much better than the U.S."

It's also much more expensive than the U.S. Many luxury brands cost more in China than the U.S., even though they're often selling the same products. Some women can save for three or four years to buy even one new product. In the 1990s, China's beauty industry had an average growth rate of over 40 percent each year, and even though things have slowed down, most analysts expect China's cosmetics industry growth to exceed that of China's overall economic growth.

The emphasis on beauty and appearance reflects a completely different China than that of 40 years ago, when androgynous Mao suits were the only fashion option available.

Today, many women, old and young, are eager to try the latest, most fashionable beauty products. Ding says that some women will even pay for upcoming creams before they're in stock, just so they can have the most up-to-date look. For many women worldwide, the beauty marketing doesn't just represent an artificial perception, but goes deeper.

"Cosmetics companies deliver the message, don't just look beautiful, but do more," says Ding. While most people don't really think that a new lipstick or the right shade of eyeshadow can change your life, if people feel great about their appearance, that confidence can spill over into other areas of their life.

There can definitely be a beauty trap, with harmful plastic surgeries or low self-esteem. Generally speaking, most women don't feel better about themselves or their apperances after reading the latest fashion magazine or comparing themselves to unrealistic supermodels.

On the other hand, Ding's business is a clear example of how viewing a strategic niche in China's markets can produce gorgeous results.

A closer look at high-definition makeup

By Melissa Magsaysay, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

It's not just for TV: We try out the new HD cosmetics from Christian Dior, Smashbox and Cargo in the bright sun and under fluorescent lights.

GET ready for your close-up. A new category of cosmetics hitting stores now is designed to achieve a flawless-looking face under the microscope of pore-magnifying, fine line-focusing, high-definition television.

The products are already popular with Hollywood makeup artists, but now brands such as Cargo and Christian Dior are being marketed to the everywoman who wants to look like a perfectly porcelain-skinned Nicole Kidman, whether she's under the harsh florescent lights of the office or in the soft focus of an outdoor patio.

Times are tough, so women are shopping — for lipstick

Beauty therapist Julie Edwards applies lipstick to Yenni at the Crimson Phoenix in South Melbourne.
Photo: Ken Irwin

by Rachel Wells

from The Age


INTEREST rates might be rising and food and fuel prices soaring, but it is going to take much more than that to wrest a woman away from her favourite lipstick. Industry experts, including Steve Ogden-Barnes of the Australian Centre for Retail Studies at Monash University, say cosmetics is one category that is "recession-proof". "When things get tight, people might put off buying the new plasma or the new sofa, but there is no way a woman is going to leave the house without her make-up on," he says.

In fact, there is a widely held belief that when times get tough cosmetic sales not only survive but thrive. They call it the "lipstick indicator". Originated by Leonard Lauder, chairman of the Estee Lauder Group, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks when lipstick sales in the US doubled, the theory goes that when things get tough women seek comfort in feel-good items. And while they may not be able to afford a $3000 handbag, they will fork out up to $30 for a lipstick.

Amy McCartney, 28, was in Myer yesterday surveying a "show-stopper copper" eyeshadow on a ground-floor discount stand. Eyeshadow and foundation are her weaknesses, she says. "I like the way they make me feel — I need it. "We have a mortgage, but interest rates going up will not stop me buying make-up."

For those who believe in the "lipstick indicator", things don't augur well for the Australian economy. Jo-Anne Mason, director of leading beauty industry analyst BU Australasia, says that despite the latest interest rate rises, cosmetics sales are strong. Recent sales figures showed strong growth, with some key brands rising 30% to 40% compared with last year.

Last year, the Australian cosmetics market was valued at $2.7 billion, with sales up 5.8% on the previous year, according to Ms Mason. And more growth, about 4%, was expected this year. "Despite the downturn, there is a commonly held belief that cosmetics do well in tough times because if we can't afford the big things then we'll spoil ourselves with little luxuries," Ms Mason says. "So you may not go out and splurge on a new outfit, but a new Christian Dior lipstick will make you feel great."

Mr Ogden-Barnes says cosmetics have such brand loyalty that most women do not "trade down" when things get tight. This was true for Ava Gordon, 22, of Berwick, who was shopping in the Bourke Street mall yesterday. "No way would I stop buying make-up," she says. "I don't need to wear it for work but I do. I would rather stop buying lunch than go without my make-up and perfume." Ms Gordon said she buys new products once a month and spends between $100 and $200 at a time: "I really like perfume and that tends to be expensive. If I want a pick-me-up I might buy a lipstick."

David Jones chief executive Mark McInnes says he believes the store's cosmetics category will "continue to grow", despite predicting a slowdown in other departments. He says cosmetics are the only category that is "completely downturn-proof". Inside David Jones' Bourke Street store, Elizabeth, 60, of Geelong, had bought some eyeliner and mascara before meeting her daughter at the football. "Make-up makes me feel good and I am old, don't forget," she says with a laugh. "I need it".

Natasha Iskander, of South Melbourne fashion and beauty boutique Crimson Phoenix, agrees. She says that while fashion sales have slowed sales of cosmetics have surged. "Clothing has been pretty slow the last few months with people really beginning to pinch their pennies both ways … but we've found there has been a real spurt in make-up sales, particularly those little items that don't cost much but can make you feel a bit special."

Cosmetics company will open distribution center in Utah, creating 500 jobs

The Associated Press

Sephora , a cosmetics company, will open a distribution center here, creating at least 500 jobs. By late summer, the company will use 312,000 square feet of a building on the west side of Salt Lake City. "They've been trying to find a place in the western United States to build their center," said Jeff Edwards, president of Economic Development Corp. of Utah, which helps bring businesses to Utah.

"They were interested in Reno, too, but they ended up choosing Salt Lake City for geographical reasons and also because of work-force availability," he said Monday. Sephora, based in San Francisco, said the distribution center will serve customers west of the Mississippi River. "Now that fuel costs have risen, it makes sense to have smaller distribution centers nationwide to help reduce shipping costs," Edwards said. "Utah is within a one-day trucking distance from California, Seattle and Portland."

Sephora operates inside J.C. Penney stores and sells cosmetics over the Internet. "Distribution jobs aren't typically high-paying jobs, but there are a lot of those at the center," Edwards said. "Plus, Sephora has an excellent reputation as an employer. Hopefully, they'll consider opening more retail stores in Utah."

Saving time in the morning - organizing your bathroom and cosmetics

By Organized Mom


When I get a few moments to myself I often enjoy strolling through the cosmetics counters at our local pharmacy. Then I get my purchases home and out of the package. Try to find that same mascara three weeks later…

I recently purchases a beautiful antique linen cabinet with glass doors to keep my bathroom times organized, finding a way to utilize all the available shelf space and still enjoy looking at the cabinet (since you can see through the doors ;) has been an adventure.

I have made a few purchases and am now awaiting the arrival of them to my doorstep. Check these out - this acrylic organizer can be easily washed, has 9 cosmetics, and the removable lipstick holder holds up to 12 tubes. I learned long ago that keeping my desk organized at work would save me time searching for things. I am applying this theory to the craziest part of my day, mornings. I have always wanted a towel holder like the ones you see in your hotel room - I actually found them.

Permanent makeup: The tattoo that saves time

By Christine Morente
Contra Costa Times

MILLBRAE, Calif. — No one said looking good is supposed to be painless. That maxim rang especially true as Julie Wallace leaned over to tattoo the outline of Nancy Wallace's lips with ink the color of Jamaican Rum. For the most part, it was quiet inside A Perfect Line Academy of Permanent Cosmetics, except for the soft hum of Wallace's permanent makeup pen.

Wallace, 29, used one gloved hand to steady the lip, while the other lowered the tool's needle to blend the color in. Then she pulled back. "You've got color!" Wallace said to the patient — who happened to be her mother. Cathy Klemz peered in for a closer look.

"It doesn't look clowny at all," said Klemz, a permanent makeup technician and trainer. "It looks nice and very natural." The process of getting one's lips outlined typically takes as long as two hours and plenty of topical cream to numb the pain. On a recent morning, the younger Wallace went in for a refresher course, while in the next room, Deborah Ann (who doesn't use her last name) practiced different types of brows on a pig's ear.

Both Wallace and Deborah Ann studied under Klemz, who has practiced micro-pigmentation or cosmetic tattooing for the past 15 years. Usually, women go to her to get their eyebrows, eyelids and lips enhanced. Klemz also offers reconstructive areola work for breast-cancer patients and puts on facial beauty marks for younger women. The demand for permanent cosmetics has risen over the past 12 years. Typical clients are older women who want to look more "refreshed," Deborah Ann said. The brow tends to fade as people age, leading some older women to want to have their brows filled in. Women also like the convenience that permanent makeup brings, allowing them to use less time to get ready in the morning.

The tattoo will fade over time and needs to get touched up every couple of years, because the ink doesn't go deep into the skin. For clients, procedures range from $400 to $700. At the academy, Klemz's students first practice on mannequin heads and pig ears before moving on to their models. For certification, Klemz requires 35 hours of home study and 50 hours in the office.Julie Wallace has been certified since September. Wallace understands her clients' pain. She's had her eyelids done and experienced the discomfort of the healing process. But she still wants to get her lips done. Wallace admitted to being nervous the first time she worked on a model.

"Once I started, I saw how it went in the skin and the outcome of a couple of dots," she said. "It kind of settled (me). It was like starting to ride a bike." In the end, Nancy Wallace approved of her daughter's work. By Friday, her lips were no longer swollen. "They're pretty normal and a little tender," Wallace said. "I'm really happy with my lips."

Shakira all set to launch her cosmetics range

from Entertainment one India

Washington (ANI): Shakira is the latest to join the list of celebrities with their own cosmetics lines. The Columbian popstar will be soon launching her own beauty line and will be teaming up with Puig bosses for the same. The 31-year-old singer will be conceptualising a cosmetics range including a new fragrance and beauty products collection.

The Hips Don"t Lie insisted that she was really excited to reflect herself through another creative medium. "I'm very excited to be able to express myself through another creative medium. My feeling is that personal care and beauty should be effortless and accessible for everyone," Contactmusic quoted her, as stating in a statement.

How to look good

The power of cosmetics. Befor & After Photos

from News AU

MIRANDA Bond believes her organic make-up company, which has been operating for just over a year, will soon be the biggest of its kind in the world. These are not modest aims but she's confident she's on track. After all, she says the company is doubling its sales every three months and is adding one or two people a month to the staff.

The growth has been phenomenal, something most companies can only dream of. But contrary to popular wisdom, Ms Bond and her partner Jenni Williams are now pulling the reins in on their growth, slowing things down so they're only taking baby steps. It's a strategy they believe will eventually make their company formidable.

Inika, headquartered in Thirroul south of Sydney, makes cosmetics, but it stands out from mainstream cosmetic companies by making them out of Australian minerals, 100 per cent certified vegan and 100 per cent organic.

The products were born out of the website Ms Bond established with Ms Williams, called www.thrivinghealthywomen.com.au. The women had come together because of health issues both had experienced. Ms Bond had been diagnosed with endometriosis and was told she couldn't have any children. When she was also told hormone levels can affect fertility and that chemicals in some cosmetics can affect a body's hormone balance, she got some progesterone cream, threw out all her cosmetics and changed her diet. Three months later she was pregnant.

Ms William's son is allergic to dairy, nuts, fish, eggs and is chronically sensitive to chemicals, so much so that if she touched his skin while she was wearing certain cosmetics he would have a drastic reaction. As both women embarked on their toxic-free lifestyle, they set up the website as a database of articles that related to women's health.

Soon they were fielding emails from women around the world looking for organic make-up, many because they had sensitive skins or allergies. After doing some research into organic make-up suppliers, they decided to have a go at making it themselves.

"Within two weeks we'd found the best natural formulators in Australia,'' Ms Ward said. Inika, which means "small earth'' in Hindi, was formed in March 2006 and by the middle of the year they had products in shops. As factories in Western Australia and South Australia churned out their foundations, lipsticks, mascaras and eye-shadows, the pace at which the company moved was extraordinary.

Their big break, Ms Ward said, was exhibiting at the 2006 Organic Expo in Sydney. "We signed up so many accounts with shops and salons. And within three to four months we were in 21 David Jones stores around the country. "We had no strategy really. Everything just fell into place. The strategy came later.''

Part of that was to make the move overseas, a bold step considering the products weren't very established in Australia. The main reason, Ms Bond said, was that the population in Australia wasn't big enough for their company to be sustainable. And the need for a wider market was because of perceptions, Ms Bond said. "A lot of people think that because a product is 'natural' it's not as good, but our products are up there with the global make-up houses,'' she said.

With the help of Austrade, the products are now being sold in New Zealand, Slovenia, Thailand, the UK and Canada, and are considered good enough to take on more established global natural cosmetics companies such as Jane Iredale and Dr Hauschka. It's in the UK that Inika is achieving great success, so much so the company has opened offices in London and a UK website. And this is where their new growth strategy comes in. Europe promises to be a huge market, but at the moment the products are sold only in Slovenia.

Likewise Asia, but at the moment they're sold only in Thailand. North America will also be lucrative, but they're sold at the moment only in Canada. "The product is sought after in China and Japan, but Austrade said don't do it, you'll implode,'' Ms Bond said. Likewise with North America. The company is leaving the US push until last. "Now that we've got a team in the UK, it's easier to manage growth,'' she said. "Now we can continue to build in the UK and Europe.

"Our strategy is to keep a handle on things, to not lose control.'' And one of the challenges of growth is maintaining the company's independence. "We'd like to keep the autonomy we have now, and keep the intimacy,'' Ms Bond said.

1860s Cosmetics

from something victorian blog

Although no respectable woman of the 1860s would be seen wearing "face paints", they did use some form of cosmetics. Creams and lotions were used to soften skin as well as bleaching lotions to give the desired lily white appearance. Moisturizers also were used to combat the effects of lye soap and cleaning chemicals, as well as other abrasives.

They used oil to dress their hair and keep it in place in the confined styles popular in that time period. Herbal rinses softened and brightened hair and henna and dyes were used for coloring. Cologne and perfume in scents of Lavender, Rose, Orange Blossom and Gardenia were used lavishly.

They used powder beneath the clothing for comfort and to keep them dry and also used it on their face and hands to keep their skin pale, especially for evening events. Rouge was the only color they applied and was used sparingly. Just a small circle beneath the outer corner of the eyes and a touch to the center of the lips. Full lips were not considered fashionable.

Male Beauty Products a Booming Business

Actor Cho In-seong, modeling for men’s toiletry brand Miraepa.

from English Chosun

More and more Korean men are willing to do everything they can to make themselves look good. This trend has prompted the fashion and beauty industry to focus on the emerging men's grooming market, as the women's beauty market has reached saturation point. Beauty product makers have recently released a number of shampoos for men. Elastine has introduced Elastine Homme, a scalp-care product exclusively for men, and CJ has released CJ Lion shampoo, also formulated for men. Even men's hair styling devices are appearing. Unix's X1 Sports Style and World Electronics' CNS men's hair styling kits are designed to help men with short hair to easily style their looks.

Body-shaping underwear is no longer considered just for women. Body Shapers has begun marketing Nipper for men, which makes the belly and waist look slimmer. In the men's body care product department, L'Oreal's Biotherm Homme has released Abdosculpt body gel and slimming patch. "We released them last year, and have received a good response from male consumers," Biotherm Homme said.

The Face, Korea's no. 3 cosmetics company, last year saw men's products account for over 10 percent of its total sales. The proportion of male shoppers in online shopping malls has gradually increased to more than 30 percent.

"As looks are being considered an element of competitiveness in society, basic cosmetics like whitening and anti-aging items are getting more popular among men. Some men who like to style themselves even use light make-up products," an industry insider said.