An interview with our beauty experts about the latest and newest market research reports.
Q: Kline’s already working on the next edition of the Cosmetics & Toiletries USA report. What changes are being made to the actual report?
We find that our subscribers don’t have the time to read through a sea of pages to find the information they are looking for. Therefore, we are going to serve up the gems for each of the 25 product categories we cover and really focus on what’s important versus what’s nice to know. Showing key takeaways will be our mantra this year.
We are also working on providing our subscribers with a deliverable in January! This is super early for us, but we know how great the need is for information on 2015 as soon as the year closes.
Q: Last year, you focused on M&A activity. Will this continue to be a focus in the report?
Absolutely. We are not sure how much of a change will occur in 2015 with the recent acquisitions Coty and Unilever have made, but we will certainly keep an eye on them, and will probably see more changes occur in 2016.
L’Oréal hasn’t made an acquisition in 2015 following the company’s buying spree in 2014 – will the last quarter of 2015 bring anything new? We’ll be on the look-out!
Q: There’s always so much buzz about indies and how they drive the business. What are the ones to watch that may not be on the radar yet?
We are closely watching a new color cosmetics brand, Colourpop, which was created in 2014 and has taken off thanks to social media. We recently attended the first annual 2015 Indie Beauty Expo in Manhattan, NY, where there were 80 independent beauty and personal care brands that participated! Every brand that participated in the event was formulated without 20 potentially toxic ingredients, demonstrating the increasing trend towards natural ingredients and products, especially when it comes to independent beauty brands. Some of the more notable brands we saw included Phia, Nugg, Grande Naturals, Modern Minerals, and Malaya Organics.
Q: What will you be keeing your eyes on in terms of the beauty retailing world?
Definitely digital! We are smitten with pure play websites like Net-a-Porter and Beauty Counter and always try to assess how they help grow the market.
We’re also taking a closer look at apps! Our recently published Beauty Retailing USA: Channel Analysis and Opportunities revealed that there are a slew of different beauty apps that have risen in popularity and that every man and woman alike can benefit from. When thinking of apps, people may automatically think that the beauty apps out there are just for selling a product or brand, but there is much more to the beauty app market! In addition to shopping for beauty, new apps provide virtual makeovers, tips, tutorials, inspiration, education, and assessments.
Q: Any new specialty stores there that you will be covering?
Beauty retailing is really exciting to be covering in 2015 thanks to such innovative and new formats. We are especially eager to report about the merging of social media to physical retail stores, with the opening of Ricky’s NYC’s new store in SoHo, NY, called Instaglam. The location, which opened in August, sells beauty products from Instagram with a cult-like following, which currently have very limited distribution. The store is expected to be a game changer for up-and-coming brands.
Q: New product launches are always a mainstay in your coverage of the cosmetics and toiletries market. What has impressed you in 2015 so far?
Definitely Essie’s new Gel Setter top coat. Amazing! Like every other beauty enthusiast out there, we were highly anticipating Urban Decay’s summer release of their Naked Smoky Eye Palette and it did not disappoint! Face makeup is definitely booming in 2015 due to the trend of contouring and while there is an increase in the number of contouring palettes, we have our eyes on Laura Mercier’s creamy Contouring Palette. We are also attentively watching the men’s market since it is brimming with new product activity. We can’t forget about simple cleansing products, like Simple Cleansing Micellar Water, which have really made a comeback in 2015.
Q: I know that 2016 will bring a number of new studies to Kline’s portfolio. Is there any particular report that you would like to mention?
Yes, Personal Care: U.S. Competitor Cost Structures! We’re excited to announce a new edition of this highly coveted report, which was last published in 2011. This latest edition will provide you with an accurate and comprehensive analysis of personal care cost structures of the leading personal care marketers. This unique report will include insights and line-item detail on profitability of leading players including: Avon, Colgate-Palmolive, Coty, Estée Lauder, Henkel, Johnson & Johnson, Limited Brands, L’Oréal, Procter & Gamble, Revlon, and Unilever. The report will cover 2013 through 2015, as well as all major product classes, such as skin care, hair care, makeup, oral care, fragrances, and other toiletries. To see what other exciting topics we’ll cover in 2016, request HERE our 2016 Beauty and Personal Care Portfolio.
