D2C Male Grooming Brand Scotch Porter Launches CDB Beard Products November 27, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Scotch Porter, a direct-to-consumer male grooming brand, has launched a new beard product collection featuring cannabidiol (CBD). The limited edition range comprises a wash, conditioner, balm and serum. The brand’s founder and CEO, Calvin Quallis, highlighted the opportunity to use CBD in grooming to help with skin conditions such as eczema, flakiness and irritation. The two-year old brand posted sales of over a million dollars in its first year. The move is aligned with broader trends in consumer products as products containing CBD become more accepted by consumers. The brand is focusing on influencer marketing to promote the new products, and hopes influencers will help mitigate the stigma surrounding CBD. [Image Credit: © SCOTCH PORTER BRAND] Priya Rao, "Direct-to-consumer men’s grooming brand Scotch Porter launches CBD products", Glossy.co, November 27, 2018, © Digiday Media

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Innovation Market News Market Segments Marketing Men's Grooming Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Beautycounter Uses Its New Store To Advocate For Clean Beauty November 27, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Direct-to-consumer beauty brand Beautycounter has opened its first physical store, on New York’s Prince Street. The brand is selling its 150 product line in the store, and providing a consumer experience that aims to place the brand closer to its buyers. Founder and CEO Gregg Renfrew says that the brand’s “story is best told person-to-person.” Visitors are invited to use a phone booth within the store to contact members of Congress to voice their support for changes to beauty regulations. The store also provides information on the brand’s ingredients as well as those the brand refuses to use, raising the profile of the clean beauty movement, a campaign the brand supports. [Image Credit: © COUNTER BRANDS, LLC.] Deanna Utroske, "In NYC, Beautycounter is selling product, advancing advocacy, and providing education", CosmeticsDesign.com, November 27, 2018, © William Reed Business Media Ltd

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Market Segments Marketing Retail Cosmetics Skin Care Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

New Study Finds Many D2C Brands Need To Improve Their Shopper Experience November 27, 2018: 12:00 AM EST A new study found that two in five direct-to-consumer brands overestimate how many ‘friction points’ consumers are willing to accept in a transaction. The Brightpearl report highlighted issues that consumers find frustrating, such as the online basket losing items, difficulty finding products, unsuitable delivery and payment options, a poor delivery experience, and a lack of product information. Over 60 per cent of respondents experienced issues in the last 12 months when buying online; 69 per cent said a poor experience would stop them using the site again. The results show how brands can quickly lose out to D2C brands that offer seamless and friction-free shopper experiences. [Image Credit: © Brightpearl] "Direct-To-Consumer Brands Overestimate Patience Of Online Shoppers", Kam City, November 27, 2018, © EMR-NAMNEWS Ltd.

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Consumers Marketing Trends Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Oral Care Brand quip Is Going Omnichannel, Closed $40 Million Funding Round November 27, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Oral care subscription startup quip has announced venture funding of $40 million, supported by its debut in Target, bringing its total funding to date to more than $60 million. The brand has sold over a million of its electric toothbrushes via its direct-to-consumer site in the three years since its launch, and added nationwide distribution in Target in October 2018. It has also acquired Afora, a New York dental care membership plan, in order to offer a less expensive alternative to dental insurance. The acquisition was made by quip Labs, a venture arm for new oral care opportunities. quip’s co-founder and CEO, Simon Enever, said the brand has been working closely with its dental professional network to provide patients with full access to dental products and services in a simpler and more enjoyable way. quip is also looking at other ways to grow subscribers, such as the launch of “Practice program”, in which providers can join quip’s free network to offer quip products and subscription services as a way of attracting new patients. [Image Credit: © Quip NYC Inc.] "quip Raises $40M to Support Upcoming Consumer Product and Professional Service Launches", Business Wire , November 27, 2018, © Business Wire, Inc.

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Retail Strategy Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Customized Hair Care Brand Prose Secures $18 Million Series B Finance November 26, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Prose, a direct-to-consumer hair care brand selling customized products, announced closure of a $18 million Series B funding round. The brand launched earlier this year and offers products that address specific hair and scalp requirements, on the basis of a consultation covering the customer’s hair characteristics, lifestyle, environmental exposure, stress, diet, and preferences (such as vegan, gluten-free and fragrance-free). The products are available on prose.com and in some salons. Prose has posted double-digit growth each month and is developing an automated customization system, which should be available by the middle of next year at its new production plant in Brooklyn. The online consultation facility has to date captured half a million customer profiles, each with 135 data points, including customer selfies. [Image Credit: © PerSé Beauty Inc] "Prose raises $18 Million Series B Funding to Expand Custom Hair Care", PRNewswire, November 26, 2018, © PR Newswire Association LLC

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Market News Market Segments Operations Hair Care Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Baby Dove Launched A Personalized D2C Service For The Holidays November 23, 2018: 12:00 AM EST The new holiday season direct-to-consumer campaign from Baby Dove in Canada allows consumers to personalize the packaging via a microsite, ready for home delivery. It’s aimed at gifting for the holidays as well as birthdays and baby showers, and is part of a rollout that also covers the US and UK. Choosing a direct-to-consumer platform allows Dove to engage personally with consumers, gives it access to useful first-party data, and provides Dove with a space for piloting products.[Image Credit: © Unilever] Sheila Shayon , "‘My Baby Dove’ Lets Parents Personalize Products", Brandchannel, November 23, 2018, © Brandchannel/Interbrand

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Market Segments Marketing Online Baby Care Geographies Worldwide North America EMEA United States of America Canada Europe United Kingdom

Some New D2C Brands Are Linking Sexual Health And Overall Wellbeing November 23, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Maude is a online direct-to-consumer ‘sexual wellness’ brand, offering condoms, lubricants and vibrators, as well as items like scented candles. It has also opened a pop-up store in Williamsburg, New York. With sexual health being seen increasingly as crucial for general wellbeing, Maude is one of a number of new brands addressing this market. Others include Hims, for men, and a brand extension for women called, of course, Hers. Moon Juice offers a range of dietary ‘dusts’ that the brand claims can kickstart your libido and improve sexual endurance. Maude is eschewing eroticism in promoting its products, preferring to encourage consumers to see it as a lifestyle brand, highlighting it as an element in overall wellness.[Image Credit: © Maude Group, Inc.] "Sexual healing", Contagious, November 23, 2018, © Contagious Communications

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Market News Trends Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

A Facebook Chatbot Is Driving Traffic And Sales For Wander Beauty November 21, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Wander Beauty says that half of its sales are via its e-commerce site, with mobile the main driver. The high-end brand is expanding its online communication with consumers by using a Facebook chatbot. It asks customers six questions and the answers are used for product recommendations chosen by a customer service team. In the four months since it was launched, 17 percent of customers engaged with the chatbot and bought something, well above the industry average. Around 70 percent of its e-commerce traffic is coming from mobile and the chatbot within Facebook Messenger is helping to promote dialog between the brand and customers on the move. [Image Credit: © WANDER BEAUTY LLC] Emma Sandler, "How Wander Beauty is using a chatbot to increase sales", Glossy, November 21, 2018, © Digiday Media.

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Innovation Marketing Online Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Industry Expert Pinpoints Data From D2C As The Holy Grail For Brands November 21, 2018: 12:00 AM EST One industry expert claims that D2C brand marketers are kicking traditional brands’ butts. Terry Kawaja of Luma Partners recently gave his “Fire Your CMO” presentation to the Association of National Advertisers' Masters of Marketing Conference. D2C brands are winning, he says, because of their convenience-focused distribution models and innovative approaches to accessing consumer data. They are demonstrating that consumers are happy to provide data if there is value in doing so, such as easier shopping or a superior experience. They are also proving that it’s more important to know why someone bought something than what it was, especially as customer preferences are fluid, even within the same day. When brands understand that, he says, they will start to know their customers. They can then engage with them, and build their trust and loyalty.[Image Credit: © LUMA Partners LLC] Pam Erlichman, "Why DTCD (Direct-To-Consumer DATA) Is Secret To DTC Success", MediaPost , November 21, 2018, © MediaPost Communications

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Marketing Research Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Dollar Shave Club Is Launching Blueprint, A Male Fragrance Line November 20, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Dollar Shave Club, the Unilever-owned subscription-based direct-to-consumer brand, continues to extend the line beyond its male grooming origins, with a line of six fragrances, called Blueprint. Founder and CEO, Michael Dubin, said fragrance for men is a part of what men want in the bathroom to get ready for the day ahead, and most of DSC’s members have more than one cologne. Fragrance developer Ann Gottlieb said DSC’s fragrances are premium products at affordable price. DSC offered existing customers samples of fragrances in their DSC boxes, and the new products will become a part of the brand’s full-service offering, which it has been testing. DSC is also testing physical retail with vending machines selling trial-size versions of the brands’ products. [Image Credit: © Dollar Shave Club] Priya Rao, "DTC brand Dollar Shave Club expands its portfolio with fragrances", Glossy, November 20, 2018, © Digiday Media

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Market News Market Segments Fragrance Men's Grooming Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

COVERGIRL Unveils Its Flagship Store In New York’s Times Square November 19, 2018: 12:00 AM EST The end of November saw the opening of the COVERGIRL TIMES SQUARE flagship store, the brand’s first permanent outlet. It’s on two levels and offers shoppers a virtual greeter, called Olivia, who can give beauty advice or direct you to a product you want. There are also Holition augmented reality stations for virtually try-ons, a customization station for customers to personalize products, and a makeup and advisory service from COVERGIRL BFFs (Brow Friends Forever). [Image Credit: © Coty Inc] "COVERGIRL Opens Times Square Flagship Store", BUSINESS WIRE , November 19, 2018, © BUSINESS WIRE INC

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Market News Market Segments Marketing Retail Cosmetics Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Clinique iD Provides Customized Hydration To Address Specific Skin Concerns November 16, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Now available on Clinique.com is Clinique iD, a personalized system for skin hydration based on its Dramatically Different Moisturizer skin lotions. Visitors to the site first choose from one of the lotions as a base, then add one of five active concentrate cartridges to mix with it. The cartridges fit inside the selected moisturizer and contain a formulation designed to address the user’s skin concern, such as irritated skin, wrinkles, or skin fatigue. Clinique’s approach may go some way towards addressing the issue that women can’t find a moisturizer that’s right for their face: the brand ran a survey of US women and found that 86 percent of respondents cited this as a concern. To help users choose the right blend, Clinique will next year roll out online and in stores the digital Clinical Reality questionnaire. A 125ml bottle is priced at $39 and should last three months with the recommended twice-daily application. [Image Credit: © Clinique Laboratories, llc] Rebecca Dancer, "Clinique Launches Clinique iD, a Personalized Moisturizer Range for Every Skin Concern", Allure, November 16, 2018, © Condé Nast

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Innovation Market News Market Segments Skin Care Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Nars Cosmetics Is Seeking To Capture Consumer Data And Use More Beauty Tech In 2019 November 15, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Shiseido brand Nars Cosmetics is trying to balance the needs of those looking for human interaction in beauty shopping and others that like the speed and convenience of direct-to-consumer e-commerce. ‘Clienteling’ is a key focus, and it wants its sales associates and makeup artists to collect consumer data when they speak to them, and encourage them to use the data to make the experience more personal for the shopper. The brand sees 2019 as a big tech year for the company, with trials of virtual try-ons and artificial intelligence applications, such as for skin tone data. [Image Credit: © NARS Cosmetics] Adriana Lee , "Nars’ Lord Talks Beauty Tech, Makeup Artists and More", Women’s Wear Daily, November 15, 2018, © Penske Media Corporation

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Innovation Market Segments Other Trends Cosmetics Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Gillette Showing Signs Of Recovery November 15, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Gary Coombe, who heads up Procter & Gamble’s Gillette unit, said that although the company’s grooming business has encountered major challenges, things are getting better, with US sales and volume growth in the double digits in the latest quarter. Globally, organic sales were up 4 percent versus the year-ago period. Coombe also said that the brand was growing its share of the DTC market in blades and razors, following a price cut in 2017 and some initiatives in its service. It has also recently launched men’s razors for sensitive skin, an innovation for which Gillette has high hopes, and is realigning its marketing with millennials. [Image Credit: © Procter & Gamble] Jon Chesto , "Gillette battles back in razor business", Boston Globe , November 15, 2018, © Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Market News Market Segments Operations Men's Grooming Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

New Subscription Platform Brings Squarespace Closer To One-Stop E-Commerce Offering November 15, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Squarespace was launched around 15 years ago as a web hosting service. It now offers a subscription platform to its Commerce Advanced clients. Within five days of the launch, around 400 of its merchant clients had started using it, with beauty one of the top categories for adoption. Lauren Napier Beauty in the UK is one of the brands. It launched LaurenNapier.com on Squarespace in 2014, but focused on selling through third-party retailers, including Net-a-porter.com and Harvey Nichols. In the last few months, it has started to sell DTC. The brand sells facial wipes, a product suited to a subscription offering. [Image Credit: © Squarespace, Inc.] Priya Rao, "Squarespace caters to DTC brands with new subscription feature", Glossy, November 15, 2018, © Digiday Media

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Marketing Online Other Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Perfect Corp. Founder Talks About YouCam And Its Place In Beauty 3.0 November 14, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Founder and CEO of Perfect Corp., Alice Chang, spoke at the CEW Connected Consumer Conference about ‘Beauty 3.0’, the company’s name for what it sees as the future of beauty. It will, she says, combine more personalized and proactive tech involving human touch characteristics, artificial intelligence and augmented reality. The result will be an extremely accurate virtual try-on experience. Perfect Corp. and its YouCam apps are now used by some 200 beauty brands and 700 million users. The company also encourages users to try YouCam’s set of virtual apps, free of charge, to enable them to test their features.[Image Credit: © Perfect Corp] "YouCam Introduces ‘Beauty 3.0’, Redefining AI & AR Innovation to Create a Personalized, Proactive Consumer Beauty Journey", Business Wire, November 14, 2018, © Business Wire, Inc.

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Innovation Market Segments Marketing Cosmetics Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Aesthetician And Entrepreneur Charlotte Cho Launches New Premium Skincare Brand November 13, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Charlotte Cho, co-founder of Soko Glam, an e-commerce site specializing in Korean beauty products, has launched her own DTC brand of premium skincare products, called ‘Then I Met You.’ The brand’s positioning centers on taking time to treat the skin, with a two-stage cleansing regimen, consistent with jeong, a Korean cultural concept. The range comprises two products, the Living Cleansing Balm and Soothing Tea Cleansing Gel. Cho promotes the brand on social media via the #SelflessSundays. [Image Credit: © Then I Met You] Karin Eldor, "Queen Of K-Beauty: The Founder Of Soko Glam Launched Her Own Skincare Brand", Forbes.com, November 13, 2018, © Forbes Media LLC

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Market News Market Segments Skin Care Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Personalized Haircare Brand Has Sold A Millions Bottles November 12, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Function of Beauty, a DTC customized haircare brand, is celebrating its millionth sale, about three years after its launch. CEO and co-founder, Zahir Dossa, said that brand is now targeting a billion. The brand’s first line extension is a purple shampoo for blondes, to reduce “brassiness”. Dossa says that the brand wants to strengthen its e-commerce offering, to provide an experience that’s more “immersive”. It also has a physical store, in New York, which is now more focused on R&D. [Image Credit: © Function Inc.] Ann-Marie Alcántara, "This Direct-to-Consumer Haircare Brand Just Sold Its Millionth Bottle, Thanks to Its Customized Product", Adweek, November 12, 2018, © Adweek

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Market News Market Segments Hair Care Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

True Botanicals Open Flagship Store In San Francisco November 8, 2018: 12:00 AM EST True Botanicals, a luxury skincare brand, has opened a flagship store in the Jackson Square area of San Francisco. Brand founder and CEO, Hillary Peterson, calls it a “self-care sanctuary”. It features an aromatherapy bar and treatment rooms to give visitors facials, as well as a lab that encourages customers to contribute to product development. The expansion follows an $8 million Series A Round funding round a few months ago, with Unilever Ventures among the investors. The brand is also focusing more on its direct-to-consumer approach, and has withdrawn from most of its third-party retailer partnerships. Peterson said the brand wants more direct relationships with its customers, to better support their choices and aims. [Image Credit: © True Botanicals] Janna Mandell, "First Look: True Botanicals’ aromatic flagship a playground for your skin", San Francisco Chronicle, November 08, 2018, © Hearst

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Market Segments Retail Skin Care Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

DIY Skincare Brand JOJOMOKA To Launch Late 2018 In Asia November 7, 2018: 12:00 AM EST A new DIY skincare line is being scheduled for launch in Southeast Asia in the second half of 2019. JOJOMOKA will provide consumers with natural ingredients, allowing them to mix their own products at home. The brand’s founder, Tomoka Y. Nguyen, has a background in running spas and is the author of the book Beauty Confidential, and says the brand “will share the knowledge of holistic beauty through home spa rituals and healthier and happier living.” Sustainability is also a key issue for the brand: the ingredients are all biodegradable and the packaging is reusable. [Image Credit: © Homemade Skincare by JojoMoka] Amanda Lim , "Japanese spa and wellness veteran to launch DIY skin care brand ", Cosmetics Design Asia, November 07, 2018, © William Reed Business Media Ltd

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Market News Market Segments Skin Care Geographies Worldwide Asia-Pacific Japan

Glossier’s CFO Outlines The Reasons For The Brand’s Success November 7, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Henry Davis, Glossier’s president and CFO, highlighted five reasons for the beauty brand’s success. The 5Cs center on the brand’s consumers, its content, the conversations with consumers, the community it has created, and its success with co-creation. Davis says that Glossier has expanded its customer base beyond millennials and now has a much broader age following. He also said that content is the brand’s main growth driver, with a strong following for the “Into the Gloss” blog as well as a range of social media and video platforms. As a part of this effort, it encourages a two-way discussion with its customers, to find out what they think about the brand. Glossier focuses on the specific requirements of its customers, which the brand says amounts to co-creation. To improve the sense of brand community, Glossier has opened bricks-and-mortar locations: a new flagship store in the Soho district of New York City and a store in Los Angeles, as well as a number of popups. The company is now looking to build new “forums” for more conversations. [Image Credit: © Glossier Inc.] Pamela N. Danziger, "5 Reasons That Glossier Is So Successful", Forbes.com, November 07, 2018, © Forbes Media LLC

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Market Segments Marketing Online Operations Retail Cosmetics Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Shiseido Canada Is Joining The DTC Beauty Wave November 7, 2018: 12:00 AM EST The Canadian arm of Japanese beauty company Shiseido is launching a direct-to-consumer business next year, building on the company’s DTC experience in the US over a number of years. The aim is to improve brand loyalty and get access to consumer data. The decision comes as research from IAB concludes that legacy beauty brands are missing opportunities by lagging their startup rivals in using DTC models. Beauty is also seen as a category in which consumers are relatively comfortable about buying online, and a number of large companies, including L’Oréal and Unilever, have been active in acquiring DTC beauty startups to acquire expertise and perspectives relevant for today’s beauty shopper. Many of the new digital brands are focused on social media, partly because they lack the big media budgets of some of the larger incumbents, but also because beauty is a very social category. Personalization is another aspect of beauty that startups have been able to teach larger beauty companies. [Image Credit: © SHISEIDO CO., LTD] Megan Haynes, "Long live the (digital) beauty regime", Strategy Online (Canada), November 07, 2018, © Brunico Communications Ltd

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Marketing Online Trends Geographies Worldwide North America Canada

Dollar Shave Club Is Evolving To Generate Better Momentum November 6, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Direct-to-Consumer subscription grooming brand, Dollar Shave Club, is launching a cologne brand in collaboration with Ann Gottlieb. BluePrint will launch with six fragrances, ranked by complexity and sophistication, and DSC is also trialing sample boxes containing all six scents. The new brand is just one of the brand’s recent initiatives. It is also trialing selling products in vending machines. The brand has expanded beyond monthly deliveries of blades and now offers other shave products as well as hair, skin and oral care items. New customers are encouraged to choose the Full Service offering, which includes a starter box of products from all the categories. The moves come as the competitive environment intensifies and the company’s sales flatten. [Image Credit: © Dollar Shave Club] Jack Neff, "Dollar Shave Club branches into fine fragrance and vending machines", Advertising Age, November 06, 2018, © Crain Communications

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Market News Market Segments Fragrance Men's Grooming Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

New Plastics Promise Launched By PZ Cussons November 5, 2018: 12:00 AM EST PZ Cussons has introduced new targets for single-use plastic by 2025. Its Plastic Promise commits the company to reducing by 25 per cent the amount of plastic it uses. It is also aiming for 100% of the plastic uses to be reusable, recyclable or compostable, and its plastic packaging will contain 30% recycled material. The company has already eliminated single-use plastics from its Manchester, UK headquarters.[Image Credit: © PZ Cussons] Daniel Selwood , "PZ Cussons unveils targets for single-use plastic reduction", The Grocer, November 05, 2018, © William Reed Business Media

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Market Segments Other Trends Body Care Geographies Worldwide EMEA Europe United Kingdom

Glossier Opens A New Flagship Store Where It All Began November 5, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Beauty brand Glossier opened a flagship store on New York’s Lafayette Street, at number 123, where the brand was founded four years ago. Founder and CEO, Emily Weiss, said Glossier Flagship “is a nod” to customers that were with Glossier at the start, and ensures the brand stays in the conversation. The 3,000 square feet space is a permanent location and the "the ultimate physical expression of the brand", enabling customers to meet Glossier face-to-face. A part of the experience is a unique point-of-sale system, where online and offline sales are synced to allow customers to start an order in the store and finish it at home. It also features Glossier Offline Editors, the in-store representatives, who will “act like an educated and knowledgeable friend". [Image Credit: © Glossier Inc.] Chris Walton, "Glossier To Open New Flagship Store In New York", Forbes.com, November 05, 2018, © Forbes Media LLC

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Market News Market Segments Operations Cosmetics Skin Care Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Avon’s Russian Unit Opens Eight Pop Up Stores For Its Mark. Brand November 2, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Avon opened pop up Beauty Bars in eight Russian cities, featuring the full range of products from its “mark.” brand. Visitors can discuss the mark. products with in-store Representatives and be made up by make-up artists. Anyone wanting to buy the products can order them from the Representatives via a new online mobile shoppable brochure. The stores are also proving to useful for recruiting new Representatives.[Image Credit: © Avon Products, Inc.] "Avon Russia targets millennial beauty customers", Avon Company, November 02, 2018, © Avon Products, Inc.

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Marketing Geographies Worldwide EMEA Europe Russia

Avon Launches Personalized Beauty App in South Africa and UK October 29, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Avon has launched its Personalized Beauty App, a tool to help Representatives offer a more personalized service. The analysis device predicts the customers skincare requirements and assesses their most appropriate shade of make-up, based on a questionnaire and skin tone measurement feature. The app is currently available in the UK and South Africa, and the company claims it has received strong positive feedback. Further development is focusing on making it available across different mobile platforms. [Image Credit: © Avon Products, Inc.] "Avon Launches Personalised Beauty App", Avon Company, October 29, 2018, © Avon Products, Inc.

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Innovation Marketing Online Geographies Worldwide EMEA Europe Middle East- Africa United Kingdom South Africa

Global Companies Join The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment October 29, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Nearly 300 organizations have has joined a global initiative to eliminate plastic waste. The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment signatories include recycling companies, packaging producers and  retailers. It was announced at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s 'Our Ocean' conference in Bali, and was launched in collaboration with UN Environment. The initiative has three main aims: eradicate unnecessary plastic and move away from single-use packaging; work towards 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable plastic packaging by 2025; and to circulate plastic by increasing the volume of plastics that can be converted into new products or packaging. CPG companies that have signed up include Johnson & Johnson, SC Johnson, Danone, L’Oréal, Mars, PepsiCo, Unilever and Coca-Cola. Other signatories include Walmart, Target, Carrefour, Metro AG, Lidl, Ahold Delhaize, H&M, Amcor and Novamont.  [Image Credit: © New Plastics Economy] Beth Wright , "Inditex, M&S, Target join pledge to end plastic waste ", Just-style.com, October 29, 2018, © Just-style.com

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Other Trends Geographies Worldwide

Two Experts Disagree Over Large CPGs’ Prospects In DTC October 26, 2018: 12:00 AM EST A talk by Terence Kawaja, founder of Luma Partners, an investment banking firm, and an interview with Marc Pritchard of Procter & Gamble, provided some interesting insight to the way in which new direct-to-consumer brands are taking market share from established CPGs. Kawaja sees the trend continuing, fueled as more new companies emerge funded by “rampant venture funding”. Pritchard believes that the large CPGs are countering the threat: P&G, for example, is experimenting with brands at seed-stage and has brought the direct-to-consumer startup approach to some of its brands. Kawaja is not convinced that companies like P&G can succeed with DTC brands, saying "Think about a middle-aged white man trying to dance," adding that venture funds are supporting DTC startups because of their similarity to tech companies, which P&G is trying to emulate, according to Pritchard. Kawaja called P&G’s Gillette DTC business "a copycat business model that screams inauthenticity." [Image Credit: © LUMA Partners LLC] Jack Neff, "P&G's Pritchard at the ANA confab on how to combat the direct-to-consumer threat", Advertising Age, October 26, 2018, © Crain Communications

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Innovation Market Segments Marketing Men's Grooming Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Startup Tampon Brands Are Bringing New Ideas To The Category October 25, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Established tampon makers are finding emerging competition from brands with organic and natural claims. Cora is a direct-to-consumer brand launched three years ago and offers organic tampons. Like Lola, another new competitor, it allows customers to personalize monthly shipments by mixing products and sizes. Cora has moved away from its exclusively online model by partnering with Target, and donates a share of its profits to provide menstruation products to girls in India and Kenya. Lola has extended to sex-related items, including condoms and lubricants. Flex is a brand set up to find a tampon-alternative and came up with a “period disk that sits past the vaginal canal (where tampons sit) next to the cervix”. Flex too sells direct-to-consumer platform and in retail stores. The founder says 90% of its online sales are from mobile purchases by millennials.[Image Credit: © CORA] Savannah Dowling, "Menstruation Startups Say Women Don’t Have To Settle. Period.", Crunchbase , October 25, 2018, © Crunchbase, Inc.

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Market News Other Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Brand Sites Are Losing Out To Multi-Brand Giants October 23, 2018: 12:00 AM EST New research finds that only around 10% of online shoppers are visiting brand sites, which are losing out to sites like Amazon. inRiver’s survey also found that consumers lose interest quickly and will move on if they can’t quickly find the information they want. The firm said that brands and retailers must take more care when selling online and consider issues such as the role of influencers and videos that showcase products, as well as providing comprehensive product information and reviews.[Image Credit: © inRiver] Becky Bargh , "New report claims 45% of shoppers visit Amazon before brand site", Cosmetics Business, October 23, 2018, © HPCi Media

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Consumers Market News Retail Trends Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

J&J Acquires Japan’s Ci:z Holdings And Its Skincare And Dermocosmetic Brands October 23, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Johnson & Johnson has announced an agreement to acquire all outstanding shares it doesn’t already own in Ci:z Holdings Co., Ltd., a Japanese skincare and dermocosmetic company, for some ¥230 billion (about US$2 billion). The deal includes brands like Genomer, Dr.Ci:Labo and Labo Labo. One of the benefits cited by J&J is improving its online commerce capabilities by “leveraging one of the largest customer relationship management databases for direct-to-consumer skincare in Japan”. The offer is expected to close early next year.[Image Credit: © Ci:z Holdings] "Johnson & Johnson Announces Offer to Acquire Ci:z Holdings Co., Ltd.", Johnson & Johnson, October 23, 2018, © Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Market News Market Segments Strategy Skin Care Geographies Worldwide North America Asia-Pacific United States of America Japan

Glossier Ads France To Its Geographic Reach October 23, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Glossier continues to expand internationally, adding France to the US, UK and Canada after first partnering with Colette, a French brand. Glossier’s founder, Emily Weiss, described the response from consumers in France as “incredible”. Weiss said the brand will soon launch in more markets globally, working only with companies that don’t conform to its cruelty-free policy.[Image Credit: © Glossier Inc. ] Becky Bargh, "Vive la Glossier: the cult beauty brand goes live in France", Cosmetics Business, October 23, 2018, © HPCi Media

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Market News Market Segments Operations Skin Care Geographies Worldwide North America EMEA United States of America Canada Europe United Kingdom France

Scentbird Is Using New Funding To Expand Its Reach October 22, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Scentbird is an online direct-to-consumer business that offers subscribers a choice from 500 designer fragrances, narrowed down after the customer completes a questionnaire. For $14.95 per month, the customer receives a 30-day supply of the scent (120 sprays). According to one of its founders, its success, which has led to nearly $19 million of Series A funding this year, is timing when to pitch for funding. Having a clear vision is also essential. With more funding, the brand is looking to expand its list of fragrances and private label options. It introduced its own lip balms and hand creams last year, but plans to launch “limited-time beauty capsule collections”. The first is Lush Gold - a body wash, lip oil and body oil bundle. The luxury comes from its 24-karat gold flakes. The bundle will be available to subscribers at $14.95, but will cost more for a one-off purchase.[Image Credit: © SCENTBIRD] "Scentbird And The Sweet Smell Of Direct-To-Consumer Success", PYMNTS.com, October 22, 2018, © PYMNTS.com

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Market Segments Marketing Fragrance Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Subscription Models Are Becoming Ubiquitous For COG E-Commerce October 18, 2018: 12:00 AM EST McKinsey found e-commerce sales through subscriptions were over $2.6 billion in 2016, up from $57.0 million in 2011. They are being used by startups and established brands as well as large pure-play etailers and bricks-and-clicks, and large CPGs have been acquiring subscription commerce companies. According to McKinsey, there are three main subscription types: auto-replenishment; curation and recommendations; and access through some form of members-only platform. Reasons for canceling accounts depended partly on the type of service. For auto-replenishment, quality and lack of flexibility were seen as issues, but poor value was a common reason for terminating curated or members-only accounts. Sampling prestige products is seen as an attractive feature of beauty box subscription services, but this approach isn’t possible for all categories.[Image Credit: © McKinsey & Company] Krista Garcia, "Five Charts: How Consumers Really Feel About Subscriptions", eMarketer , October 18, 2018, © eMarketer Inc

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Consumers Marketing Online Retail Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Gillette Launches Customizable 3D-Printed Razors October 17, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Gillette has launched a new personalized platform for shaving in the US, called Dubbed Razor Maker™: powered by Gillette®. It is based on technology from Formlabs, a 3D-printing company, and offers customizable handles providing customers with flexibility over how the product looks and how much it costs. They can design their 3D-printed handle at http://razor-maker.com, selecting from 48 designs, seven colors. They can also add text. The handles can hold MACH3 or Fusion5 ProGlide blades. Delivery typically takes in 2-3 weeks, and prices start at $19. Chrome options can cost up to $45.[Image Credit: © Procter & Gamble] "Gillette Partners with Formlabs – a Boston Startup Defining the 3D-Printing Industry – to Pilot Razor Maker™ Concept, Enabling Consumers to Personalize and 3D Print Razor Handles", Gillette , October 17, 2018, © Procter & Gamble

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Innovation Market Segments Online Men's Grooming Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Harry’s Launches New Subscription Shaving Brand For Women October 16, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Flamingo is a new shaving subscription service launched by Harry’s, developed by its internal innovation unit, Harry’s Labs, and aimed at women. Leading the brand are Allie Melnick and Brittania Boey, who were both at Harry’s when it launched in 2013. It will compete with brands including Angel Shave Club.  Flamingo razors use the same blade technology as Harry’s, but are designed with female shaving needs in mind. The shaving gel is a formulation designed to soothe the skin. Other items under the brand include a dual exfoliating and moisturizing body lotion, and waxing kits for body and face.[Image Credit: © Harry's, Inc.] Rachel King , "Harry's Labs Launches Flamingo, a New Brand Specifically for Women's Hair Care and Grooming", Fortune.com, October 16, 2018, © Time Inc.

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Market News Market Segments Depilatories Skin Care Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Two Brands Are Using Face-To-Face Contact With Consumers To Promote Their Products October 15, 2018: 12:00 AM EST At the end of October, Nivea opened a pop-up store in London for the launch of the MicellAIR Professional cleansing line. The ‘Boo-tique’ has a Halloween theme and offers five looks by the brand’s professional make-up artists. Visitors can take away a free bag of products from the new range. In the US, Rimmel London is getting on the road during October and November with its (Street) Art of Beauty tour. Customers can visit the exclusive mobile salon, which is covered by graffiti created by the brand. The salon has makeup artists to help visitors choose Rimmel’s products. The tour goes to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, Tampa and Miami.[Image Credit: © Coty Inc.] "Rimmel London launches Street Art of Beauty tour/ Nivea prepares to open doors to immersive Halloween themed ‘Boo-tique’", Drug Store News, October 15, 2018, © Drug Store News

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Market Segments Marketing Cosmetics Skin Care Geographies Worldwide North America EMEA United States of America Europe United Kingdom

L’Oréal Promotes Anca Stefan To Chief Digital Officer For Russia And Kazakhstan October 12, 2018: 12:00 AM EST L’Oréal has promoted Anca Stefan from digital and consumer intelligence manager for L’Oréal Romania to chief digital officer for Russia and Kazakhstan. Her promotion came four years after joining L’Oréal Romania where she played a key role in developing the company's digital marketing strategies. She plans to adapt L’Oréal’s global digital strategy to better address a market that is not dominated by Google and Facebook’[Image Credit: © L’Oréal S.A.] Louise Prance-Miles, "L’Oréal Russia and Kazakhstan announces Anca Stefan as new Chief Digital Officer", Global Cosmetics News, October 12, 2018, © Global Cosmetics Media Limited

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Market News Operations Geographies Worldwide EMEA Europe Middle East- Africa Russia Kazakhstan

Avon South Africa Launches Its First Beauty Pop-Up Store October 8, 2018: 12:00 AM EST In an attempt to increase accessibility [to?] and awareness of its brand, Avon South Africa opened the first of a series of exclusive beauty pop-up stores. The stores will be at major cities and will have make-up specialists and skincare experts to advise customers. Precilla Kalogeropoulos, head of integrated marketing communications at Avon, claims more pop-up stores will be launched nationwide to promote the Avon brand, and especially its premium lines, but also to encourage women to become entrepreneurs as an Avon representative. [Image Credit: © Avon Products] Dhivana Rajgopaul , "Avon launches first beauty pop-up stores", Independent Online, October 08, 2018, © Independent Media and affiliated companies.

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Marketing Retail Geographies Worldwide EMEA Middle East- Africa South Africa

Big Data And AI Helping Beauty Brands Identify Opportunities, Develop New Products October 5, 2018: 12:00 AM EST AI is being used to help companies spot unserved opportunities through analyzing online data such as searches, reviews and purchase patterns. Alibaba’s Tmall Innovation Centre helped L'Oréal China as it developed a male beauty line for the Chinese market, while A.S. Watson, which has 14,400 stores in 24 markets worldwide worked with Unilever to launch TRESemmé hair care in China Some smaller brands are using AI to developed personalized products and services.  Indian brand, Freewill, uses information about an individual’s hair to create personalized hair products, factoring in data such as city and weather. While Singapore-based Alcheme uses AI to analyze a customer’s selfie to assess skin conditions and select and create personalized skin care products.[Image Credit: © Tmall.com] Amanda Lim , "Data is power: Indie beauty brands get personal with big data", Cosmetics Design Asia, October 05, 2018, © William Reed Business Media Ltd

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Innovation Online Other Retail Geographies Worldwide Asia-Pacific China Singapore

True Sons Launches Subscription Model To Tap Home Hair Dye Market For Men October 5, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Seeing the lack of choices for men who want to color their head, beard and body hair at home, True Sons launched an at-home hair dye subscription service. Founder Carl Sandler, claims current offerings are very limited with the brand Just for Men dominating the $200 million market. He believes men find shopping for the product difficult and embarrassing and would prefer to have it delivered. Currently, just 8 percent of men color their hair compared to 80 percent of women. The kit includes all elements needed - gloves, wipes and the ready-mixed hair dye foam. It’s available from the brand's website, truesons.com, for $30 per month or $72 per quarter.[Image Credit: © https://truesons.com/] Faye Brookman, "A New Option in the Men’s Hair Color Market", Women’s Wear Daily, October 05, 2018, via True Sons Grooming, Inc., © Penske Media Corporation

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Market News Market Segments Hair Care Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Chanel South Korea Launches Online Platform For Cosmetics October 5, 2018: 12:00 AM EST In South Korea, Chanel launched an online platform for its cosmetic products and service with a wrapping service and select deliver day option to encourage gifting. Separately, and in an attempt to attract young customers, particularly those in their 20s and 30s, Chanel Korea launched a Coco Game Center pop-up store which features game that feature the Chanel logo.[Image Credit: © Chanel, Inc.] Song Seung-hyun, "Chanel Korea starts online platform for cosmetics", The Investor, October 05, 2018, © Herald Corporation

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Market Segments Marketing Online Cosmetics Geographies Worldwide Asia-Pacific South Korea

Survey Shows Convenience A Key Reason For The Growing Popularity of Direct-To-Consumer Brands October 4, 2018: 12:00 AM EST A survey by Diffusion and YouGov discovered several reasons for the growing popularity of DTC brands among consumers, with convenience being the primary motivation. 27% said buying DTC brands is more convenient than going to a store, with older consumers finding convenience more important than millennials (26% versus 17%). The survey found that DTC brands fell short with personalization, customer service, and limited use of organic or eco-friendly ingredients. Still, DTC looks set for continued growth, with 81% of US internet users indicating they’d buy at least one DTC item in the next five years.[Image Credit: © YouGov PLC.] Krista Garcia, "Where Direct-to-Consumer Brands Are Winning Consumer Confidence", eMarketer , October 04, 2018, © eMarketer Inc

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Consumers Marketing Online Retail Trends Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Gillette Introduces Its First Direct-To-Consumer Service In Canada October 3, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Gillette has launched its direct-to-consumer (DTC) service, Gillette On Demand, in Canada. It features a subscription service and an option for one-off purchases, providing consumers with flexibility, shopping convenience, and customization opportunities. The service offers blades and razors at a range of price points, including the Fusion5, MACH3 Turbo and Sensor 3.[Image Credit: © Procter & Gamble] "Gillette® on Demand™ Launches in Canada to Deliver a Smooth and Easy Way to Get World Class Blades", Procter & Gamble, October 03, 2018, © Procter & Gamble

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Market News Market Segments Men's Grooming Geographies Worldwide North America Canada

Direct-To-Consumer Retailer Brandless Opens Second Pop-Up With Purpose Store In New York City October 3, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Brandless, a direct-to-consumer e-commerce business focusing on affordable pricing, opened its second Pop-Up With Purpose store in New York's Milk Building. It will run from late October to early November 2018, offering visitors an interactive experiences, including a beauty lounge and fair trade coffee bar. Chief executive officer and co-founder Tina Sharkey says the company wants to highlight values of the company and those of its online community, using multimedia displays. Brandless also wants the pop-up to widen its reach to young urban consumers.[Image Credit: © Brandless, Inc.] Jackie Chiquoine, "New York Brandless Pop-Up Will Feature Everything From Tasting Flights To A Clean Beauty Lounge", PSFK, October 03, 2018, © PSFK

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Retail Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Johnson & Johnson And VaynerMedia Focus On Credibility To Sway Gen Z October 2, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Brands are responding to a decline in consumer trust of influencers. Johnson & Johnson and its creative agency, VaynerMedia, are reaching out to Gen Z consumers by enlisting teenagers who, by their actions, are seen as more credible, through their actions, even if they have a more modest online following. The company selected several teenagers, including Dillon Eisman who runs a nonprofit in Southern California, to star in one of its videos promoting the skincare brand Clean & Clear, resulting in a 19 percent boost in sales. Credibility was also a key factor in turning to established major influencers Brooklyn and Bailey McKnight to launch C&C, a new Clean & Clear sub-brand. [Image Credit: © J&JCI] Jack Neff, "Clean Break: Why J&J is enlisting teens with modest followings as influencers", Advertising Age, October 02, 2018, © Crain Communications

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Market Segments Marketing Online Skin Care Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Men's Grooming Brand Oars + Alps Forms Retail Partnership With Ulta Beauty October 1, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Following a US$1.3 million seed-funding round in summer last year, male grooming brand Oars + Alps is partnering with Ulta Beauty to expand distribution beyond its own direct-to-consumer platform. It’s the brand’s first retail partnership, although it sells select items on Amazon’s Luxury Beauty store. Ulta will sell seven of the 23 Oars + Alps products on Ulta.com and in 300 stores. Co-founder and chief executive officer Mia Duchnowski claims the partnership can help boost awareness of the brand's products. The brand competes in category dominated by brands like Procter & Gamble's Gillette and Old Spice, and Unilever’s Axe.[Image Credit: © Oars + Alps] Priya Rao , "Ulta continues to grow men’s grooming business with direct-to-consumer brand Oars and Alps", Digiday, October 01, 2018, © Digiday

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Consumers Market Segments Marketing Retail Men's Grooming Geographies Worldwide North America United States of America

Australian Hair Care Company Kevin Murphy To Integrate Ocean Plastics Into Supply Chain September 28, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Company founder, Kevin Murphy, will use ocean plastics for his products' packaging in 2019 in an attempt to help reduce ocean plastic debris. Murphy, during a vacation in Bali, Indonesia, observed the environmental threat posed by plastic worldwide as an estimated 5 trillion tons of plastic currently litter the ocean. Danish packaging manufacturer Pack Tech is helping Murphy and his team switch to 100 percent ocean plastic packaging. To part offset the high cost of transporting, treating and reprocessing ocean plastic, Murphy increased the sale price of his products by 7 percent. Other companies that have similar advocacy include Dell and Adidas.[Image Credit: © Luis Murphy and Natasha Childs] Eillie Anzilotti, "This beauty brand will source 100% of its packaging from ocean plastic", Fast Company, September 28, 2018, © Mansueto Ventures, LLC

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Brands Other Trends Geographies Worldwide Asia-Pacific Australia

Analysts Predict Nestlé Will Divest Skin-Health Business To Focus on Beverages, Food September 20, 2018: 12:00 AM EST Nestlé may be planning to divest its $2.79 billion skin-health business as a way to placate an activist investor who believes the company should focus on food and beverages. Selling the unit could generate $4.1 billion, according to analysts, but the company did not comment on the speculation. Investor Daniel Loeb took a $3.5 billion stake in Nestlé last year and has since pressured the company to sell its investment in L’Oréal SA and in the skin-health arm set up in 2014 after Nestlé assumed full control of Galderma. CEO Mark Schneider has said the key to reviving stagnating growth is to focus on core areas with growth potential like coffee, pet care, water, and infant nutrition. Regarding coffee, the company recently bought the rights to market and sell Starbucks coffee and tea products in grocery and retail stores, and last year bought a majority stake in U.S. premium coffee chain Blue Bottle. Saabira Chaudhuri and Brian Blackstone, "Nestlé Sharpens Focus on Food and Beverages With Review of Skin-Health Unit", The Wall Street Journal, September 20, 2018, © Dow Jones & Company Inc.

Domains PERSONAL CARE BUSINESS Market News Market Segments Strategy Skin Care Geographies Worldwide North America EMEA United States of America Europe