Putting the ‘Ahh…’ In Spa Products

Pampering products such as peels, facials and plumpers have become affordable everyday luxuries, both in and out of the spa.

By Joanna Cosgrove, Contributing Editor

Exclusive spa treatments such as massages, peels and facials were once synonymous with celebrities and the well-to-do, but that’s not the case anymore. These days, spas are frequented by a broad cross section of consumers-both men and women-in need of a little pampering. According to The Dayspa Association, there’s an estimated 12,000 to 17,000 day spas/salons in the U.S. and the entire industry is valued at approximately $12 billion. Medical spas and day spas with an emphasis on medical treatments such as Botox injections, are the fastest growing segment.

Sold in CVS drug stores, the Skin Effects by Dr. Jeffrey Dover line positions professional-level treatment products at affordable price point, making them beautifully accessible for all consumers.

The interest in spas and spa treatments has grown thanks to the mounting number of time-strapped Americans seeking ways to escape the stress that comes from busy work weeks and overextended schedules. The allure of spa products has increasingly extended beyond the spa realm, with treatment products becoming commonplace on department store, mass and even drug store shelves. The Market for Cosmetics & Toiletries in the USA, 2005 report from Euromonitor International said this phenomena is largely linked to consumers who had partaken of spa services and want to replicate some of the spa rituals on a more regular basis, and others who had not visited a spa but still crave the chance to relax and pamper themselves.

Ingredients are obviously the most important barometer of a spa product, but package design is keenly important in conveying the beneficial qualities of the product. From a packaging perspective, spa product design generally follows one of two routes: clean ‘n clinical or lavishly well-appointed. In-spa products are generally packaged with clinician convenience in mind with simple, definitive labels; glass or PET bottles; and functional caps and dropper closures. Some take-home products, on the other hand, feature design embellishments that were carefully chosen to convey a sense of luxury and pampering.

Hannelore R. Leavy, executive director, The International Medical Spa Association and The Day Spa Association, Union City, NJ, said that when it comes to in-spa products, the goal is to “differentiate themselves from the department (store) cosmetic counter, by offering customized, personal treatments and products.”

Quality brushes and sponges provide an emphasis on luxury during treatments, pamper the client and increase satisfaction with services. Qosmedix’s four inch long, retractable powder brush has domed goat hair bristles designed for powder or blush application. Slide the brush protector up, and slip the cap over it to create a convenient, attractive portable matte aluminum case.

“Spa customers expect high quality products packaged accordingly,” she said. “Spa customers expect the products to be packaged upscale, and although the common person is now frequenting day spas and medical spas, they are prepared to pay more for take home treatment products that come with a personalized ‘prescription.'”

Whether in spa or at retail, packaging is the first thing a customer usually notices about a spa product.

“Natural products must convey a naturally clean, simple feel, while products containing more advanced active ingredients must convey a somewhat scientific, yet chic image,” commented Jennifer Calanni-Pignata, sales/marketing representative, Paramount Cosmetics, Clifton, NJ. “The product, its benefits and how it performs, are all about telling a story and the package starts that. It sets the tone for what to expect. The package should set the standard for who you are and what your product is about. A well-designed package can help get your message across.”

Calanni-Pignata added that most brands, including prestige and mass-market, are trending toward packaging that exudes a richer, cosmeceutical feel.

“High end is the wave most are currently pursuing,” concurred Christopher White, managing director, The Filling Station, Walpole, MA. “We are seeing some very expensive foil imprinted items as well as metallic sub straights. With the price going higher, consumers want something flashy to assure them that they just bought a great item.”

PETG bottles and droppers are ideal for the storage of essential oils, high potency antioxidants and serums. These bottles, from Qosmedix, are available in 15- and 30ml sizes and are an aesthetically pleasing alternative to a glass container and the colored bottles are excellent for light sensitive materials.

First Class in Mass

For consumers who prefer the treatments synonymous with medical spas, manufacturers launched numerous at-home versions of chemical peels and microdermabrasion treatments in 2004, most notably the at-home Microdermabrasion kit from Neutrogena. The kit is conveniently packaged in an all-in-one, silver and blue carton and features a jar of Advanced Solutions Micro-Oxide Crystallized Cream (the same aluminum oxide crystals used by dermatologists in professional microdermabrasion treatments), a two-speed applicator that controls the intensity of the treatment, and two soft foam sponge heads for the applicator.

According to the company, the system is “clinically proven to deliver professional-level skin-rejuvenating improvements after 11 uses in the comfort of your own home compared with two professional in-office microdermabrasion treatments.”

The kit is part of the company’s Advanced Solutions product family, which includes a Nightly Renewal Cream, Daily SPF 15 moisturizer and a one step facial peel formulated to be used twice a week.

Neutrogena isn’t the only company trying to gain a better foothold in the business of spa quality treatment products. In May, beauty giant L’Oréal strengthened its position in high-performance professional skin care when it announced it would acquire SkinCeuticals, a Dallas, Texas-based premium skin care company that sells to dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and high end spas. SkinCeuticals sales in 2004 amounted to $35 million.

This 1.5 ml PETG vial and aluminum cap features a flocked, natural Celcon, doe foot applicator perfect for sampling fragrances, lip gloss, gels, lotions and oils. The vial can be filled directly or the doe foot applicator can be loaded with product to give the customer a trial size dose of product.

“SkinCeuticals has already acquired an excellent reputation in the U.S. dermatological world,” commented Jean-Paul Agon, president and CEO of L’Oréal USA. “This acquisition will also allow L’Oréal to enter the strong and growing market of high end spas in the U.S.”

SkinCeuticals will become part of L’Oréal’s Active Cosmetics Division, enhancing a portfolio that already includes brands such as Ralph Lauren, Redken, Maybelline, SoftSheen-Carson, Matrix and Kiehl’s.

Skin Effects by Dr. Jeffrey Dover claims to be the first dermatologist-developed anti-aging line conveniently available to all women and is exclusively carried in CVS drug stores.

The nine-piece skin care collection is formulated to help women “reclaim a vibrant and young complexion without invasive procedures.”

Each Skin Effects formula was created with the understanding that women are searching for quick, effective anti-aging solutions-regardless of whether the women over-treat or under-care for their skin. “It’s never too late to change your skin destiny,” said Dr. Dover. “By modifying your skin care habits, you can improve overall skin health and help prevent the signs of pre-mature aging. Just like brushing your teeth, it’s essential to maintain daily, healthy skin care habits.”

CVS/pharmacy and Dr. Dover helped develop Skin Effects so women everywhere can access anti-aging treatments without making appointments for costly injections and procedures. “As a retailer with expertise in the mass beauty market, we saw the need for accessible anti-aging treatments-ones comparable to professional dermatologist services, but easy to use in the comfort of the home,” said Helena Foulkes, vice president of marketing for CVS/pharmacy. “Dr. Dover and his in-depth understanding of women’s skin care concerns provided us the perfect partner in this venture to develop the first ever dermatologist developed anti-aging line that women everywhere can enjoy.”

Upscale Elegance

The product line includes Cleansing Effects Gentle Foaming Cleanser, Purifying Effects Deep Cleaning Enzyme Scrub, Renewing Effects Daily Anti-Aging Cream with SPF 15, Eye Effects Intensive Eye Treatment, Flawless Effects Advanced Brightening Complex, Wrinkle Effects Relaxing Serum, Wrinkle Effects Relaxing Cream, Resurfacing Effects MicroDerma- brasion Kit and Lip Effects Lip Magnifier. With repeated use, Skin Effects improves overall skin tone and texture and leads to generally brighter looking skin.

The line may be found on a drugstore shelf, but its packaging design embodies upscale elegance. Topped with metallized closures, the line’s jars and bottles are evocative of cool, soothing ice cubes. Opaque tubes also feature silver accents, further tying the line together.

Women have always been mindful of their figures, but these days more women are relying on spa treatments ranging from liposuction to seaweed wraps to help shed those excess curves. Unilever’s launch of the Dove Body Nourishers product line, featuring an Intensive Firming Cream, Lotion and Body Wash, enabled this trend to go mainstream in the mass retail sector. Designed for intensive firming, this lotion makes skin noticeably firmer and smoother after two weeks of use. The lotion contains collagen, known to fortify skin’s underlying structure, and skin-firming seaweed extract. The cream contains high levels of glycerin, along with seaweed extract and elastin peptides, and promises that two weeks of regular use can firm problem areas on the skin and reduce the appearance of cellulite.

To help demonstrate the products’ effectiveness while tackling the topic of body image, Unilever devised a wildly successful advertising campaign featuring real women with “real bodies and real curves”-as opposed to rail-thin supermodels. The campaign, dubbed Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty, engage women with clever taglines provoking them to challenge beauty stereotypes: “Let’s face it, firming the thighs of a size 2 supermodel is no challenge,” and “New Dove Firming. As tested on real curves.”

Dove’s Intensive Firming range effectively combats cellulite and promotes moisturization using spa ingredients like seaweed extract, elastin peptides and collagen.

What is Beauty?

“Beauty is visual, but in most media images, it is the same visual-the eye popping features and stunning proportions of a few hand-picked beauty icons,” states Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D., a professor at Harvard University and director of the Program in Aesthetics and Well Being at the Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry. “When only a minority of women is satisfied with their body weight and shape in a society captivated by diet and makeover programs, it is time for a change.”

“By questioning the accepted definition of beauty, we hope to help women change the way they perceive their bodies and encourage them to feel beautiful every day,” said Silvia Lagnado, senior vice president, Dove.

Market Trends

In addition to carton construction trends, suppliers are also noticing trends within the secondary packaging marketplace. The most notable shift is the number of mass products that are housed in secondary cartons.

“There’s one pervasive trend and that is the mass marketers are using more secondary packaging. Products that were traditionally limited to the department store level, or the marketers that were traditionally going strictly to the department store level, are beginning to develop brands for the mass market themselves. Traditional mass marketers are also employing or encouraging higher value mass brands within their market. They tier their brands right at the store level,” said Kay.