Show and Tell, Beauty Style

Victoria Gustafson of SymphonyIRI looks at how packaging can communicate product value with beauty tools.

By Victoria Gustafson

Innovation fueled the growth of beauty in 2010, as manufacturers sparked excitement with the launch of successful new products. For instance, we saw the revival of color cosmetics, with several blockbusters entering the market and shaking up a category that had a so-so year in 2009. Beauty’s momentum continues into 2011, but you have to admit, some beauty categories are easier to get excited about than others. It’s easy to look forward to purchasing a new eye shadow or a nail polish. But, when was the last time you looked forward to purchasing new nail clippers?

Of all beauty sub-categories, beauty implements are possibly the most confusing and intimidating. It has also been on decline since 2009, with some segments, like pedicure implements, down by double digits. No wonder. On the last trip to my neighborhood store’s beauty aisle, I counted 19 different varieties of tweezers alone, ranging in price from 97 cents to $24.99. I was not sure why I should prefer one product over another. Why exactly would I want hand-finished tips? What will diamond-coated tweezers do for my eyebrows that the ultimate tweezers will not? Why would I want to buy travel-sized tweezers that are less than one-half inch smaller than the regular ones? Confusion only grew as I looked at more involved segments, like pedicure implements or kits. This category was ripe for innovation; it was complicated to shop and intimidating to use.

During the recent recession, the do-it-yourself trend for new products was on the rise. Successful innovation capitalizing on this trend has been prevalent in all categories, but somehow it passed beauty implements last year. Sally Hansen has stepped up to the plate and came out with a line of implements that takes confusion out of shopping and intimidation out of using their beauty tools. This is a great example of a brand using packaging to communicate product value. Sally Hansen uses packaging with windows in front and back of the package, so you can see critical parts of the implements, such as tips on tweezers. Most packages have openings so you can touch the handles to see if you like the grip, and there are clearly marked body parts for which the tool or kit is intended. Packages also have clear step-by-step instructions on what do to with the implement to achieve best results, and each tool or kit has a name that tells you what the end game is of using the tool, like “Eazy Tweezy,” “Cuticle Tamer” and “Ingrown be Gone.” All tools and kits are affordably priced. Not surprisingly, the line has sold in excess of $4 million for the first four months of 2011, based on SymphonyIRI tracking data for food, drug and mass outlets, excluding Walmart.

I’m still not sure if diamond coating or hand-finished tweezers are better. But, when I see the product called “Brows that Wow,” I definitely want it!

AUTHOR BIO: Victoria Gustafson is the leader of the SymphonyIRI Beauty Vertical. During her 15-year career, she has held various key commercial and research roles across a number of industries, with the last three years focused exclusively on the beauty industry.