The beauty industry came together at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas last week for the annual Cosmoprof North America show. A highlight of the event was the first-ever Beauty Pitch, which allowed dozens of beauty entrepreneurs to present their brand to a expert panel of judges, including famed billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban and industry icon, CEO, and Co-Founder of John Paul Mitchell Systems, John Paul DeJoria. Beauty Pitch was such a success that it has already been added as a permanent fixture to future shows. Congratulations to this year’s winner, 100% Pure, which is a natural cosmetics brand.
At Cosmoprof, Kline’s own Carrie Mellage had the pleasure of taking part in a panel discussion on omni-channel retailing, where she got to share highlights from Kline’s hot-off-the-press Beauty Retailing USA report. Faye Brookman of WWD expertly led the panel, which also included Kohl’s Jeff Askenas and Ulta’s Julie Tomasi and Prama Bhatt. Carrie gave an overview of how consumers, brands, and retailers have all become channel agnostic, while Jeff, Julie, and Prama explained how they are better coordinating their online and offline practices for a more cohesive shopper experience. For example, Kohl’s has armed beauty advisors in its newly revamped beauty department with tablets and a new social platform, while Ulta’s new app allows shoppers to shop, find a store, and scan products in-store to see reviews and ratings. All panelists agreed that soon the integration of in-store and digital will be so seamless that we will drop the “omni” and once again just call it “retailing.”
On the show floor, nearly 1,000 exhibitors displayed their best and brightest products. One theme that caught the Kline team’s eyes was a next generation of edibles. For example:
- Biotop Professional’s new line of hair products features super grain quinoa.
- The packaging of 18.21 Man Made (a Beauty Pitch finalist) resembles a whiskey bottle.
- Mastey’s new Healthy Beautiful Hair Care System features grape seed extract.
- Olivella’s line of hair and skin care products is made with 100% Italian virgin olive oil.
- Taiwan-based O’right introduced RECOFFEE, a shampoo made from 16 cups of ground coffee.
There were a few brands featuring products for thinning hair, including Zenagen, which was also a Beauty Pitch finalist. This segment shows promise, as the growth of scalp care products in the United States has been about 10% per year, according to the latest edition of Kline’s Salon Hair Care Global Series.
The professional nail care scene was as vibrant as ever. OPI featured new Swarovski and Hello Kitty licensed collections. Orly previewed its fall line, which boasts strong and infamous colors. In the Emerging Beauty section, Kline saw Fanair’s Gelous brand for the first time at the show. These innovations and the impact on hybrid, long-wear lacquers will be assessed in the upcomingedition of Kline’s Professional Nail Care global study.
The ICMAD CITY Awards (Cosmetic Innovator of The Year) also took place at Cosmoprof to honor innovation within the cosmetic and personal care industry. Congratulations to all of the winners, including Lisa Hoffman Beauty, which took the award for Member’s Choice Product, and Nanokeratin Systems, which received the Member’s Choice Packaging award.
Companies like Thymes, Drom, and Raw Spirit Fragrances filled the air with their pleasant scents, highlighting that fragrance can add to the overall experience in a salon. Kline spotted many booths filled with candles, diffusers, and aromatherapy items to create an atmosphere for show attendees much like it would be stepping into a spa or salon.
Overall, Kline’s team felt that the show was highly attended with lots of innovation and energy among exhibitors and attendees. Be sure to stay updated on the industry with Kline’s market research reports.
