I know, I’ve been a bit slack on BBNs lately, and actually having a bit of a job catching up, so I’m just going briefly whizz through the main points of interest and add links for further reading if necessary.
La Roche Posay In Your Shower
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This sounds super interesting – the brand is reportedly teaming up with shower device brand Skinjay to allow users to stream La Roche Posay products through their shower water. If you saw my post on Vitaclean (HERE), it’s a similar thing, but Skinjay seem to use coffee-capsule like infusions rather than sticks. Since I reviewed Vitaclean, I’m now a happy customer and love the shower infusions, particularly the hair softening element.
L’Oreal Korea (Korean times)
L’Oreal is in bother in Korea – or I should say a L’Oreal Professional manager is. Workers took their complaints about a difficult and abusive manager in Seoul to the Korean worker’s union (LOK) and both employees and union officials have been on local TV complaining further. Wow.. could that happen here? Apparently, the manager has been sanctioned (but not fired?) but I think I like this worker uprising. Source: HERE.
Boots Profits
Boots has seen a profit fall (just as M&S announce their round of store closures – surely someone in accounts is going to look at M&S beauty soon) but we don’t need to feel too sad.. it’s a drop to £498 million from last year’s £523 million.
Rosie and Lady G
It’s rumoured that both Rosie Huntington Whitely and Lady Gaga are looking at bringing out beauty ranges. Are we ready for yet more celebrity beauty brands? If you say Fenty, I say yes, if you say Trinny, I say no.
Clean Beauty
Sephora announced recently that they’d provide more transparency around product contents. They’ve labelled this initiative as Clean at Sephora. This is something of a danger point for brands – it’s not going to be too long before anything not in the ‘clean’ category will be viewed as lesser, or even toxic and polluted. There is no beauty brand right now not looking to be ‘cleaner’ whether that’s via sustainability, reformulations, natural and organic ingredients or recyclable packaging.
Seventeen
Boots is to discontinue its Seventeen range of cosmetics. It just didn’t keep up with its same priced competitors in terms of quality or innovation. Maybe it’s a one-in, one-out policy as Boots acquired Sleek Make Up last year. Source: HERE
Estee Lauder Claims
Something popped up in Allure.com HERE recently suggesting that many products from the Estee Lauder company are to be re-tested for their claims. To cut a very long and blurry story (because EL are the PR masters at saying nothing in a long-winded way), it’s claimed that a group of employees intentionally altered product claim results which then allowed for advertising making claims which may not be quite right. Apparently, we don’t need to worry about SPF claims, or allergy testing claims. I’m guessing mascara because most mascara claims are nonsensical, but who knows!
Hut & Eyeko
The Hut Group has bought mascara brand, Eyeko. I don’t know what else to say because the owners of the brand were never terribly visible so I don’t know that it will make any difference to the consumer. Although the Hut Group did ruin Mio but have made a big success of other acquisitions, such as Glossybox.
Birchbox
Speaking of beauty boxes, Birchbox has sold its majority stake to hedge fund, Viking Global Investors who were early investors in the brand. I don’t like to see beauty brands go to private equity or hedge funds – they’re literally there to rinse as much money out them as possible with an attitude that’s as far away from caring owners as its possible to be. We should appreciate brand founders more when they’re passionate and driven about their brands. Oh, Milani has also sold to a private equity firm.
Playboy
Coty has relinquished the license for Playboy fragrances to Designer Perfumes. I didn’t even know it still existed and have no idea why anyone would want it.
Deciem
I know there’s so much Deciem news but to keep it on track and not to speculate on anything other than business news, the brand is rumoured to be pulling out of Sephora due to ‘payment’ issues and moving over to Douglas and Ulta stores instead. I think at this stage, this says more about Sephora than it does about Deciem and the stranglehold that large retailers can have on brands. It’s nigh on impossible to keep a cash flow going when you’re at the mercy of payment terms that only suit the retailer. This was reported on Allure.com HERE.
Other sources & resources: globalcosmeticnews.com, Happi.com, cosmeticsbusiness.com, Forbes.com
Transparency Disclosure
All products are sent to me as samples from brands and agencies unless otherwise stated. Affiliate links may be used. Posts are not affiliate driven.
4 comments
So sad about no 17, have fond memories of its glittery eyeshadows in my teens. Have noticed that my local Boots seems to be carrying less stock on its shelves and had been wondering if it was a sign of roaring trade or an attempt at better “just in time management”.
I do like a dollop of beauty news. If anyone is looking for some bank holiday reading, can recommend The Bettencourt Affair about the late L’oreal heiress and the guy who claims to have named the Opium and Poison perfumes. Just draw dropping in parts and the story is still rumbling on.
I’m gripped by Bettencourt – I’ve never reported on it in BBN because it’s SOOOOO complicated – I wouldn’t know where to start.
Very very sad to hear the ending of Seventeen Cosmetics. They’ve been around for years and I remember when they’d have the odd freebie gift when you spent just over a £5. Bargain! In fact I’ve got quite a few old gifts still in their boxes. It’s been a few years since Boots stopped doing those, so I guess the end was nigh.
I was hoping for a re-vamp when the stands began to look tired, messy and lacking in new products but to no avail.
Really sad it’s like losing something precious from childhood.
But hasn’t 17 just morphed into CYO? That’s what I was told by the assistant at Boots in Haywards Heath.