Mass Market Magic

Marketers launch products that offer color in soft, shimmery shades.

By Ellen Wuagneux Contributing Editor

Springtime is shimmering in mass, where marketers are bustling with new product launches offering an updated look of muted radiance. Many of the latest offerings also promise treatment benefits. Here’s a sampling of the latest innovations from trend setters in this growing retail segment.

Almay Launches Color/Treatment for Lips and Faces

Almay, New York, introduced several products in March. For lips, Pure Tints Pro­tective Lip Care promises a sol­ution that combines color and care in one tube. The lightweight tint pairs sheer color with SPF 25 and soothing con­ditioners that smooth and protect lips. Almay considers the new product “the ultimate lip innovation” and a first-of-its-kind lip treatment available in the mass market. Offered in eight shades, the new lip formula is hypo-allergenic and 100 percent fragrance free.

Also new from Almay is its Skin Smoothing foun­­­dation with Kin­etin. According to the company, the product is the first foundation formulated with Kinetin, a plant growth factor and anti-aging in­gre­dient found in green, leafy plants. The silky, cream-gel formula is designed to offer natural-looking, lightweight coverage while making skin tone more even and improving skin clar­ity. Available in nine shades, Skin Smooth­ing foundation with Kinetin features an easy-to-use, ball-tipped spatula designed to provide no-mess, precise application.

Almay has also launched Skin-Smoothing concealer with Kinetin, which is designed to reduce the appearance of puffiness, diminish dark circles and give skin a smooth, even look.

Avon Rolls Out Moisturizing Lip Color

New from Avon, New York, is a line of lip color under the Brilliant Moisture lipstick name. Avon describes the launch as the first moisturizing, full coverage slim-line lip color with a high shine finish. Featuring the soothing effects of lanolin, jojoba and cocoa butter, Brilliant Moisture is available in 20 cream and shimmer, textured shades. It is designed to glide on smoothly for a wet-look shine without bleeding or feathering.

CoverGirl Goes to the Prom

The Enchanted You 2002 Prom Collection from CoverGirl, Hunt Valley, MD, which hit retail shelves in March, will be available for about eight weeks. The limited edition line allows consumers to de­sign their own unique look with easy-to-apply, “goof-proof” products for eyes, lip, face and nails.

Included in the new collection are Sha­dowSlicks pressed powder eye shadow in four limited edition shades. Making a return to retail shelves is the CrystalEyes sheer shadow mechanical pencil, which is offered in three new shades. Also for eyes, CG Smoothers eyeliner pencil is being offered in two new shades while Triple mascara is available in a new Midnight color.

For lips, six new shades of Outlast All-Day lipcolor have been introduced as well as five new shades of Triple lipstick with vitamins A and E.

CoverGirl’s Enchanted You lineup also includes several shimmer products for face and body. Heading up the list is Simply Powder liquid foundation, which is being packaged with a free All Over Glow transparent shimmer gel.

When it comes to nails, CoverGirl suggests topping off the “princess look” with the perfect manicure. Three glittering shades of Nail­Slicks three-in-one formula have been added to the company’s existing lineup.

Max Factor Creates Subtle Radiance

Under its tag line, “the make-up of make-up artists,” Max Factor offers “Creating Subtle Radiance,” advice from Sarah Monzani, movie make-up artist, for getting the most out of its Spring/Summer 2002 lip and eye colors. Monzani tells how the pros do it with the new neutral eye colors in shades of pink and brown and sophisticated lip shades with a focus on mauve and rose tones.

“Neutral colors with a bit of sparkle highlight eyes so they look revivied and alert,” Monzani noted.

The new 2002 colors include five shades of Lipfinity and three shades each of Lasting Color eye shadow and Lasting Color lipstick. The shades are designed to help women create a variety of sleek, refined looks, from polished images for business to this Spring/Summer’s muted yet radiant looks.