Celebrity Makeup Artists’ Must-Haves for Spring

Makeup and Hair: Jo Candelaria
Photographer: George Favios
Model Sophie Warner / Vivian’s Sydney

The must-have products for the spring look, according to celebrity makeup artists KJ Bennett, two time Emmy® award winner for “Outstanding Achievement in Makeup;” Emily Katz; and Rachel Wood. Read more about spring makeup trends in the March 2013 issue of Skin Inc. magazine.

CoverFX
Total Cover Cream
“Let’s face it, some days you need a little extra help, some days you don’t. Having a really great combination foundation/concealer will get you through both.” KJ Bennett

Whip Hand Cosmétiques
Set the Stage Makeup Primer
“The silica physically builds in fine lines that levels texture and diffuses light so you don’t need as much foundation or concealer.” KJ Bennett

Illamasqua
Satin Primer
“Use stand alone or under foundation to create fresh, dewy skin for spring.” Rachel Wood

Becca Cosmetics
Shimmering Skin Perfector
“Everyone wants to have radiant skin. This perfecter gives all the gorgeous glow … without the gawdy glitter.” KJ Bennett

Estée Lauder
Midnight Blue Double Wear Stay-in-Place Eye Pencil
“The Monaco blue type tone has a bit of shimmer.” Emily Katz

Sephora
Jumbo Liner 12HR Wear Waterproof
“A very light shimmered Linen-like color that is great on eyelids. Draw it thicker than a liner, smudge it up toward crease, use with a black liner winged out at the corner or with a matte deeper taupe shadow in crease and under eye.” Emily Katz

Chanel
Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Cream Shadow in Blazing Gold
“You can apply it with your fingers and it has the most beautiful shimmer for a softer take on winter’s metallic smoky eye. Great for a night out.” Rachel Wood

Chanel
Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Cream Shadow in Tiger Lily
“A rich shimmered nectarine color that works alone or as an accent.” Emily Katz

Benefit
BADgal Lash Mascara
“Creates thick, flirty lashes which are always in season.” Rachel Wood

Senna Cosmetics
Face Sculpting Kit
“Contouring and highlighting your face has become a huge trend … and this kit comes with everything you need to do it like the pros (including a brush and instructions).” KJ Bennett

Nars
Orgasm Blush
“A warm but soft coral, pink shimmery blush that works on most complexions and as a highlight blush on darker skin.” Emily Katz

Aquaphor or Vaseline
Moisturizer
“Massage into damp lips with a baby toothbrush to condition and exfoliate before applying balm.” KJ Bennett

Makeup Forever Professional
Aqua Lip in 01C, 03C, 07C
“Whatever the skin complexion color is, these nude colors help perfect the lip. These three look great on everyone and stay in place because they are waterproof.” KJ Bennett

Tom Ford Beauty
Lip Color, Pink Dusk
“Subtle, sex kitten flesh tone lips with a soft tone of matte pink is a great finish to a natural everyday makeup look.” Rachel Wood

Revolution Organics
All-Over Body Balm
“This lip and body balm has more than 22 uses!” KJ Bennett

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics
Lip Tars
“Just a tiny dab of these insanely pigmented creams create the ultimate long-lasting, demi-matte lip color … and they’re vegan.” KJ Bennett

Around the Globe

Well-performing brands enjoy strong awareness among consumers and opinion leaders. Brands such as Neydharting Moor Skin & Body Care draw attention from sophisticated beauty aficionados, and loyal customers laud it with equal enthusiasm because it delivers on its promise for high-end, efficacious skin care. This type of recognition enables brands to rapidly establish credibility in new markets.

From its beginnings, the Neydharting Moor’s mud has been sought after for its perceived healing powers. Formed at the base of an Austrian valley, one of Europe’s most fertile, the mud came to be prized as a beauty therapy, and European nobility built villas and spas on the moor’s shores. “Other moors exist, but nothing compares to the geophysical phenomenon known as the Neydharting Moor,” says founder Dennis Johnson, PhD, of Botanika Research Labs.

The botanically rich body of water was formed out of nonporous glacial rock and was protected from outside influences, creating an unusual environment filled with hundreds of herbs, botanicals and flowers.

Johnson worked for years with the Neydharting Moor clinic and the family that owns it, developing a relationship before beginning a business partnership for sole exclusive rights when nobody else had been able to. “Their vision is one of healing,” says Johnson. “With our brand, we can spread the effect and benefit of what they do.”

With exclusive rights to a unique habitat with a rare mixture of active plant properties, Neydharting Moor Skin & Body Care has a definite hook for its brand identity. But the success comes from the product’s proven results. “Our best clients are sophisticated—beauty and brains,” says Johnson. “They recognize the efficacy immediately. That’s how our brand grows.”

The Neydharting Moor peat and water contain more than 1,000 naturally sourced botanicals, herbs and nutrients—300 of which have been shown to have anti-aging properties. “The peat is composed of naturally occurring antioxidants, enzymes, herbs, botanicals and humic substances, all blended by nature, with a low molecular weight,” says Johnson. “It’s so pure, it can be consumed internally.”

Formulated in Austria right at the moor, the brand includes face and body lines, with the core of every product being the Neydharting Moor peat and water, forming the “mud.”

Research has shown the effects go beyond the peat itself, helping to heighten the efficacy of the other ingredients within the formulations. Combining naturally occurring botanicals with scientifically advanced peptides that activate collagen synthesis, the products provide relaxation of wrinkles without irritating the skin. They also calm, soothe, balance and clarify the skin. “Each product is naturally composed from a blend of bio-minerals, trace elements, herbs and phytonutrients that can’t be duplicated by technology,” says Johnson. “We put unique, propriety ingredients perfected by nature in a form that people can use.”

As a leading European spa skin care brand, Neydharting Moor Skin & Body Care is no secret. Rooms at the Moorbad Neydharting Healing Clinic in Austria, where the products are used, are booked more than two years in advance. “If you had to sum it up in one word, it’s ‘results’, ” says Johnson. “All we have to do is put the product in the hands of consumers and we’ve already won them over.”

The brand began retailing in Austria and South Africa at top spas, as well as online, and made its U.S. debut summer 2012. In fact, announcements are expected to come soon about partnerships with prestige U.S. luxury retailers. Next, the brand plans to expand further into both North America and South America.

Read more about ingredients with a global flair, in the March 2013 issue of GCI Magazine.

Made in the USA

Even through challenging economic times, growth in the natural cosmetics market continues, and new brands in the East and West Coast of the United States are successfully finding their way into the hands of American consumers.

The Grapeseed Company creates botanical beauty products from the byproduct of wine in Santa Barbara, CA using certified organic and locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. The vinotherapy skin care and spa products are centered on a local, naturally antioxidant rich ingredient winemakers discard after crushing grapes to make wine: grapeseed.

Resroli Serum is a new acne-fighting formula infused with local lavender and featuring resveratrol from local grapeseed oil and grapeseed extract. Most recently, the brand also launched Cali Vine Decadently Rich Face Cream, an anti-aging cream formulated with California-grown avocado, grapeseed, carrot and more.

The company sources grapeseed from wineries in California and Oregon. Some suppliers are also customers that sell the brand at their shops. “One of our favorite suppliers and customers is The Allison Inn & Spa in Oregon, recently named the number one hotel spa in the continental United States by Travel + Leisure magazine.” said Kristin Fraser Cotte, CEO and formulator. The hotel sends pinot seeds from its on-site vineyards, and The Grapeseed Company creates their signature spa treatment from the seeds grown on their own property.

The benefits go beyond logistics. Sustainability and preservation of biodiversity is part of the mission at The Grapeseed Company. “We started this business to upcycle the local wine waste and turn it into amazingly effective natural skin care,” explained Cotte. “As they say: ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.’ ” Many wineries pay to have the pommace, the seeds and skins left over after a vintner crushes grapes, hauled out after harvest each season. “Any time you are sourcing local ingredients, you are building ties in your community by supporting the local economy and agriculture, and—in our case—solving someone’s trash issues,” she continued. “This is a wine-loving community, so the connection of using the winemakers’ waste as the base of the line and giving the grape seeds a second life by recycling them into skin care products strengthened and widened our customer base.” One year and nine months after opening its flagship store in 2010, the brand opened its second brick and mortar location in Southern California.

Founding a company on such a cause is evidence to the consumer that The Grapeseed Company is an ecologically responsible company. “Each skin care box tells our story of turning wine waste into vinotherapy skin care,” said Cotte. With rising gas costs, people also are becoming more aware of the impact of sourcing ingredients and supplies from elsewhere and the cost on both the environment and end product. “Aside from the ‘buying local’ movement, I think people identify with local ingredients immediately because they’re already familiar with the benefits,” said Cotte.

Read more about locally sourced ingredients in the December issue of GCI magazine.

Before and after

The New Leaf Ultra Runs club recently sent out a call for photos. Photos of runners who weigh less because of running more. I never really considered myself “fat” but there were all kinds of submissions so I took the opportunity to look through old photos. I didn’t have a lot of me. It’s not surprising. I usually am the one with the camera! But I also had no interest in allowing anyone to take pictures of me anyway, and I would delete the most unflattering ones when I did. So, it wasn’t an easy task. I was shocked though at what I did find.

Before is from my 10th anniversary trip in July 2010 (so at least I had the sense to keep every photo). It was the peak of my weight gain at about 170 pounds. Although I was running some at the time, it wasn’t much and definitely not enough to make up for how much I loved to eat! I would lose 10 pounds every summer and gain 15 in the winter, so I was in an upward spiral. I was also an emotional eater and not emotionally healthy at the time.

Having two babies in the meantime didn’t help, but my youngest was 4 at the time so I can’t blame the kids. I just couldn’t get that weight off. I knew I was going to have to do something different.

I finally began taking running more seriously (that’s to say actually increasing quantity and quality because in reality it became more fun again) AND making drastic changes to my diet. Of course it wouldn’t have been possible without addressing emotional and spiritual needs, too. I lost about 35 pounds in about a year and, thankfully, have been able to maintain my weight at 135 pounds, fairly easily (meaning not having to keep restrictions that I started with).

I am grateful for the opportunity to reminisce, to remember how hard I worked and what a difference it made–physically and mentally. Praise God for His mercy!

“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23

Community Cares

Being a natural brand means thinking outside ourselves. “People are starting to realize more and more the impact of their purchasing decisions,” says Sapothecary’s director of operations John Bailey. Sapothecary, a private label manufacturer based in California that provides handmade soaps based on organic, food-grade extra virgin olive oil, is pursuing USDA organic certification. While this certification is not designed for cosmetics, Bailey feels it’s going to help show the integrity of the products. His advice is to go for the strictest certification you can.

All of Sapothecary’s soaps are cold processed, meaning the oils and lye are combined at 105°F or less. The low temperature keeps the delicate ingredients from degrading, because at high temperatures, the high-quality oils can become rancid. It’s also a slower process that allows workers to give attention to the custom artisan process used to develop the products.

Sapothecary’s soaps also utilize controversial palm oil. Bailey was involved previously with the Rainforest Action Network (RAN), so he knew about the negative side effects harvesting palm oil can have on the environment as well as the indigenous people and animals. He soon discovered the most serious problems came from commodity palm oil from Malaysia and Indonesia, where tropical forests were being cleared to make way for plantations.

So, he started looking for certified, sustainable organic sources. RAN pointed him to Agropalma in Brazil, which has a variety of fair trade and organic certifications. The company only plants palm trees on previously degraded ranch land. “Rain forest isn’t being cleared to source the palm oil and no pesticides and herbicides are used,” notes Bailey.

In addition, there was an opportunity to address social impact. Agropalma has established partnerships with the government and local communities to contribute source income and job creation in the region. Currently, the program assists 185 families of small farmers who own six to 10 hectares of palm plantation. This type of palm production has led to a significant rise in families’ income and lifestyle improvements, and socio-environmental studies have shown, within benefitted communities, the family agriculture program has improved environmental performance as a whole, including activities not directly related to palm cultivation.

Business and brand principles such as this that align the company with fair trade practices and organizations that give back allows consumers to feel good about purchasing and supporting a brand.

Read more about Eco Values in the September issue of GCI magazine.

Fantastic Fall

Pink Flambe, courtesy of Donna Mee

This fall, the Pantone color palette is about the magic of color. Fantasy and illusion are inspiring designers and makeup artists alike, with an unexpected mix of darks, brights and neutrals, cleverly manipulating reality into enchantment through fashion and cosmetics. “We can have fun and be creative,” explains Teresa Paquin, makeup artist and owner of Anika Skincare & Makeup Studio in Hudson, New Hampshire. Colors help clients transition to fall.

Pantone’s Fall 2012 Fashion Color Report features vivid, beautiful jewel tones that have been injected into a palette of fall neutrals. As the season transitions from the heat of summer, Bright Chartreuse—a vivid yellow-green—pays homage to a typical spring shade and creates a bridge into the cooler days of fall. Reminiscent of bright green foliage, it provides a perfect accent to every color in the palette. “It’s a fun shade for an eye shadow on dark brown eyes,” says corrective makeup artist Donna Mee of Donna Mee, Inc. She recommends the color used as a loose shimmer shadow and applied with a wet, synthetic brush for a more vibrant fashion look.

Like the name implies, Pink Flambé is a delicious, vibrant pink with a bit of heat to it. According to Mee, it is this season’s best lip color for warm complexions and is especially good for women with dark hair. If the color seems too intense, try it in a lip gloss for a more transparent pop of pink or use it as a lip stain with a sheer gloss over it, recommend the experts. Oranges and pinks and plums are on trend for lips again, as these are colors that people have shied away from in the past.

“A color I absolutely love that is fun to use over a bronzer for a pop of color is Tangerine Tango,” says Paquin. She applies a small amount of this on the apples of the cheeks and blends it into the bronzer. According to Paquin, Tangerine Tango also looks terrific on its own as a subtle blush and can be used as a sheer lip gloss. “If you’re a little color shy, add this as a gloss over a slightly warmer lipstick or lip pencil, and it will add a touch of vibrant color, without being too much,” she explains. Tangerine Tango also can be paired with Pink Flambé for a retro feeling.

To bring a calming element to the mix, combine these vibrant, warm tones with Ultramarine Green, a deep cooling blue-green that is neither bright kelly green nor deep forest green. Green is a color people can learn from; it shouldn’t be avoided as much as people think. Pairing Ultramarine Green with French Roast as a shadow or liner. It also can be diluted with a black to give it a deep tone, or mixed with gray or a slightly metallic hue. Metallics make some of the vibrant colors that may seem inaccessible more wearable. Smoked up with a dark metallicized brown on the eyes, Ultramarine Green looks utterly enchanting and captivating.

>>Read more about Fall Color Trends in the September 2012 issue of Skin Inc. magazine.

On the move

Elizabeth Arden, with its iconic red door, has been at the address 691 Fifth Avenue since 1930—among the most luxurious beauty salons of its time—and has been located on Fifth Avenue for nearly 100 years. But in January, the renowned Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa & Salon flagship moved to its exciting new home on Fifth Avenue—only two blocks south of its historic location. And, again, finding itself among the most luxurious locations of its time.

The relocation showcases the brand’s commitment to growth as well as its passion for innovation. While the facility will help the brand execute its vision of five-star treatment, the move is bittersweet, according to Raha. Elizabeth Arden Red Door had been at the same address for decades and Elizabeth herself lived in the penthouse, making the event quite historic. “We are really proud of living in such a historical building, for which the spa is known,” said general manager Raha Ashrafi. But it is the people who embody the spirit of Red Door. The company has been building its team over the years with people knowledgeable in both business and creativity. “This is a special time for our company and this is a special team to be a part of this historic relocation,” she explained.

Located between 52nd and 53rd, the spectacular new NYC flagship is a five-star facility that is meticulously designed to exude the essence of luxury and elegance. The new location features 21,000 square feet spanning the top—8th and 9th floors—of the Ferragamo flagship building in midtown Manhattan. While the new facility is slightly smaller, it’s a more efficient use of space.

With clean lines and simplicity of style, the modern facility will continue to offer award-winning innovation and spa and salon services including Red Door Spas’ signature skin care.

Read more about Elizabeth Arden’s historic move in the Spring 2012 issue of Glow magazine.

Biomimicry: Inspired by nature

The difference between bio utilization, using biological ingredients, versus biomimicry is in learning what nature’s recipes are and applying it to your processes. Biomimicry provides a strategy for practical applications that emulate what nature has perfected. “We look to see how nature has solved the myriad problems that exist in their world,” said Mark Dorfman, green chemistry naturalist.

“By breaking down the problem to identify the key function of the problematic chemical, we can then begin to search nature for where we see a similar function,” explained Dorfman. “By opening the possibilities through nature, strategies and mechanisms become available that you didn’t even know could exist.” That’s the biomimetic process.

According to the newly formed conglomerate Biomimicry 3.8, the biomimicry field has changed at a stunning pace over recent years. With scientific advances at our fingertips, we have the technology to study nature and it’s chemistry at a depth and detail not possible in the past. From ingredients that protect cellular DNA by increasing its Hayflick limit to those that increase the concentration of homogeneity of chromophores, new concepts that push the limits are based on intricate knowledge we gain by taking a closer look at natural processes.

Not only does nature survive, even thrive, but it meets those challenges without poisoning its environment. “Sustainability is the idea that we can have a modern society that fits into nature,” said Dorfman. Nature has to find, manufacture and dispose of its resources in the same place. It’s the ideal source for functional, non-toxic solutions.

One example outside cosmetics and personal care is Columbia Forest Products. The company was having a problem with composite wood products. The glue being used was off-gassing formaldehyde, affecting air quality and making people sick from the fumes. Looking to nature for answers, one scientist studied how blue mussels stick themselves to rock. Eventually, they were able to develop a benign, waterproof adhesive based on soy protein.

The lesson, according to Dorfman, is that they looked at the chemical structure and formula of the adhesive and mimicked the chemistry with the soy protein. “They learned the recipe and adapted it to make something effective and non-toxic without wasting resources by harvesting the blue mussel itself,” he explained. “Nature is a good source for inspiring innovative and effective solutions to our toxic chemical challenges.” In some cases, the result can be an even more pure product for the end consumer.

To address the issue of toxic heavy metals or toxic organic compounds associated with some pigments, Merck EMD has introduced synthetic mica pigments in several colors and has another seven coming this year. The pigments are reproductions, using synthetic flurophlogopite and iron oxides. As they are made synthetically and not mined, these affordable pigments have a very low heavy metal content, providing a cleaner and whiter base for pigments. Phil Linz, EMD’s applications supervisor, is impressed how quickly the company is moving on the idea. “Merck is committed to this concept,” he said. Natural pigments have impurities and heavy metals such as iron oxides that dull the mica. “We get our material from a number of mines around the world. If we could increase reproducibility, our customers appreciate that in the long run,” explained Linz.

Of course, the solution is not always what you think it is. The answer may not be a chemical solution, replacing a toxic ingredient with a less toxic one, for example. It may be a structural or engineering concept instead.

“What is so exciting about biomimicry is that when you have no idea what to do about a problem, it opens a whole new solutions space, allowing you to think outside the box,” said Bryony Schwan, executive director of Biomimicry 3.8, which works with companies to solve specific design challenges, to rethink how they do business at a much more sustainable level. Schwan and her colleagues see manufacturers from across industries frustrated because they are using chemicals that have adverse effects. They want to respond to those advocating for alternatives but they don’t always know where to turn. Biomimicry is a solution space, and a very intriguing one. “We understand what some of the challenges are and have had success looking to nature to find solutions,” said Schwan.

Biomimicry 3.8 encourages companies not to be limited by which problems are most amenable to a biomimetical solution. “Any problem can be addressed,” said Dorfman. “Start with those that are causing the biggest known health effects or the biggest impact to your product in a positive way.”

Read more about Ingredient Innovation: Inspired by Nature in the March 2012 issue of GCI magazine.

Intelligent design

God’s creation is one of the best R&D labs we know. Using technology to emulate nature has resulted in revolutionary innovations that make our lives easier, healthier, and more sustainable: from phones, whose loudspeakers were inspired by human eardrums, to entirely new approaches of creating color inspired by the color-shifting properties of a butterfly’s wings. Called biomimicry, there’s potential for replicating nature’s intelligence to produce packaging that decomposes and is not harmful to the environment.

According to the newly formed conglomerate Biomimicry 3.8, the biomimicry field has changed at a stunning pace over recent years. Biomimicry provides a strategy for practical applications that emulate years of brilliant designs. From durable but biodegradable packaging such as sea beans, large bean pods that ripen to become woody and heavy, or the coconut palm, which dispatches its seed inside a hard shell that contains everything it needs to survive, many of nature’s containers can serve as inspiration for the future’s innovative packaging ideas.

Think of the possibilities if technology of a pelican pouch that scoops three gallons of seawater then returns to shape could be mimicked. A flexible bottle design that fills up like a balloon only to collapse when emptied would provide options for consumers on the go or for easily returning containers for recycling hundreds at a time.

What if we could store precious liquids in a cellular matrix like fruits and vegetables, which are often times more than 90% water but don’t slosh because it’s stored between cells. Or, if we could use a cellular matrix for the skin of a bottle; once emptied it could be eaten like an orange slice or dissolve in the bath tub instead of a landfill.

Nature is filled with wonders that tote, store and protect its treasures from a treacherous world. If we take the time to seek sustainable solutions by emulating nature’s time-tested patterns, we can learn from nature that has already solved many of the problems we are grappling with.

Read more about packaging innovation in the December 2011 issue of GCI magazine.

Coif Your Morale

Ellen Langer, Professor of Psychology at Harvard University and author of “Counter-Clockwise,” studied women, ages 27 to 83, as they got a cut, color, or both, and found that 45 percent of them believed they looked younger afterward. But it gets even better! Judges who saw before-and-after images of all the women consistently rated this group as more youthful in their “after” shots, even though the pictures were cropped so the hair didn’t show. “My research has shown how offering choices or making a subtle change can improve your outlook and, therefore, your well-being,” said Dr. Langer. The idea is simply that because the mind and body are so inextricably linked, that when working together, expectations are fulfilled. Small changes can make a big difference and Langer suggests opening yourself to the “impossible” and embracing the “psychology of possibility.” She says enthusiastically, “Pursuing the psychology of possibility is itself empowering. If you expect to look younger or more beautiful, you will!”

>>Read more in “Coif Your Morale” in the Fall 2011 issue of GLOW Beauty Magazine.

A new kind of innovation

Stronger retailer-manufacturer partnerships and greater investments in new product development and innovation are essential if store brands want to keep the big market share gains they achieved during the recession and lay the foundation for even more growth as the economy returns to normal, according to the PLMA Store Brands 2010: Post-Recession Strategies for Private Label report. “To stave off the national brand challenge, store brands marketers—suppliers as well as retail chains—will need to double down on product development and innovation,” the report advises.

In order for store brands to get to shelf with innovations faster, better and more cost-effectively, they are faced with the challenge to think differently, more unconventionally and from a new perspective. At the same time, name brands also must avoid stock solutions, driving innovation across the industry. Private label products that can be stronger, creating strong co-brandings, proposing unique universes and having very complex packaging and formulations. As private label ranges are going out of their initial distribution channel they oblige national brands to constantly innovate to keep their position.

The goal for each should be to seek opportunities to differentiate from one another, speak to their unique positioning and brand character, and improve the consumer experience.

As such, a new generation of private label manufacturer is forming exclusive, strategic alliances with several technology centers to bring a “think-tank“ approach to personal care formula and delivery system innovation, toward the goal of creating truly differentiated products. Leading Edge Innovation believes this formula/delivery system innovation and trend-driven product positioning, coupled with a strategy to provide full production capability, will offer unprecedented speed to market and competitive cost of goods.

The company presents differentiated, trend-driven, personal care products to the decision-makers at finished goods marketers, using a turnkey order fulfillment process. With help from The Young Group, which evaluates what is driving consumers through trend analysis, Leading Edge Innovation evaluates where the market is going and anticipates the impact of consumer trends on personal care market. The opportunity is for marketers to take unique product into the market, to supplement their line and keep business relevant. “We are always looking to bring different ideas and approaches to the market,” said James Wilmot, chief scientific officer. “If you are looking for the same thing that is already on the shelf and duplicate it, you can go to any contract manufacturer with a large library of standard products.” Wilmot calls it aesthetic mediocrity. But in today’s marketplace, it’s necessary to differentiate, to distinguish your product and establish brand loyalty.

The Young Group produces a report that provides marketers with off-center indicators and approaches for predicting what’s influencing consumers, from a variety of industries. “We study consumers from a wide view, without preconceived notions,” Young explained. “If you are not looking at where consumers are spending their money in general, how can you draw conclusions about what they are doing in beauty?”

Her philosophy is that if all ideas come from beauty, everyone will have the same ideas. “I want to fight getting stuck in a rut as much as I can,” she said. One such example is a project Young is conducting for a large beauty company. She is evaluating texture trends in North America, Europe and Asia. Her search includes global food trends, textures in prepared foods, street foods and even candy. How does it differ from country to country? Are textures changing, if so, why? And how can it benefit the product story?

As the consumer becomes more sophisticated and the globe shrinks, it’s important to find emotional connections that consumers will respond to, what is part of the consumer experience on a daily basis. “I look for parallels, not fits,” said Young. “It sounds like a bit of a stretch, but it makes sense when you are talking about global consumer drivers. It works because there is emotion, passion in both beauty and food.” And that is where new ideas come from: innovation.

Read more about private label innovation in the May 2011 issue of GCI magazine.

Sara’s words

It’s about time.

As you may or may not know, I do some freelance work on the side. Primarily I write for the publication at which I was editor for 5 years, but occasionally I do other writing and editing work as well. But what I really enjoy doing is graphic design, being able to express myself creatively and see the results immediately (as opposed to having to READ to get the benefit of my work, I can just look at it ;)

I have had the pleasure and opportunity to create a few logos and business cards for friends and church-related ministries. But I hadn’t until now created a logo or image or business card for myself, though it’s been on my to-do list for quite some time. I have been procrastinating, as usual, because it’s got to be just PERFECT. My sister finally gave me the push I needed. No more excuses!

I decided it didn’t need to be perfect. In fact, one of the elements I wanted to bring across was imperfection, so I introduced raggedy edges and circles to the design. It is a professional business card and I wanted it to reflect my writing style, which tends to be less casual and more formal, no-nonsense … so I didn’t want to go too crazy. I used a combination of fonts to merge those ideas in the text with my name.

I also wanted the logo to reflect “beauty” and “spirituality,” as those are the two topics I most often write about. To do that, I chose a butterfly, pink of course. I realize it’s not your typical beauty icon, but it works for me. It’s a beautiful creature and I’ve always admired their delicate wings and bright colors. More importantly, the butterfly symbolizes change, such as the transformation of a new life in Christ. In this design, there’s a subtle cross as well.

I’m open to suggestions, I haven’t gone to print yet but I am excited about it. Let me know what you think.

Ahhh … spring!

There is just something about spring! I just cannot deny that it feels so good to come out of the dead of winter with warm breezes, hope for fun summer plans and … deer on the trail! I saw two sets of 2-3 deer two times this morning (usually by the second pass, they are long gone). It was a great morning run and I am looking forward to hitting the trail more regularly—and to running with my friend who took the winter “off,” instead of going solo. I don’t blame her, I usually don’t run once it goes below 30 either.

But, this year I successfully survived my first “run through the winter” challenge. I ran 120 miles between November 1 (about when I usually quit) and February 28, averaging about one run per week. I missed a few weeks due to Bilzzaster 2011 and snot-freezing temperatures, of course. I did make up for some of that with a week in February—the only week I ran that month—when I did 4 runs in 4 days. There also were the 40 miles I ran the week I was in Arizona for Christmas. But still, that total is about 120 more miles than I usually cover in the winter! And I usually barely get started by March so I am way ahead this year. Bonus: I gained 3-5 pounds instead of 15-20. My weight goal was to stay under 135. Honestly, I did not think it was possible with Thanksgiving, Christmas, yummy winter comfort foods and … general hibernation. But I am breaking all kinds of rules these days so I am so excited to have made it to (nearly) spring with that goal in tact.

It helps that I continued to watch my diet. I haven’t changed much except to allow a few more indulges. Unfortunately, candy is still a problem. I recently started to allow myself some candy now and then. It was okay at first, but it quickly escalated to the point where I would eat half a large bag of peanut M&Ms in a day. It blew my mind. It just goes to show how messed up people are. I am so ecstatic to have reached my goal weight and I feel really great about myself, better than I have in a long time. I learned my lesson, right, I now see how important it is to be careful about unhealthy snacks. I finally have what I want … and it’s not *that.* Yet, I still find myself with my hand in the candy bowl.

So, I’ve got to be more intentional about having treats in moderation. For anyone who has quit soda cold turkey knows (and I don’t know anyone whose done this successfully for more than a few weeks), sugar is an addiction! Okay, maybe in their cases it’s the caffeine … and I suppose it could be for me as well since my primary vice is chocolate. Either way, the more I have, the more I crave. It was definitely harder not to go for those comfort foods in the winter, so it’s just another reason to sing the praises of spring!

Green opportunities

The increasing demand for natural products can have a negative impact on the environment. Concerned about biopiracy and species extinction, the industry is striving to source its raw material in the best way in order to protect the environment—using certified channels, fair trades and, now, plant cell cultures.

Arch Personal Care Products plans to launch its Regenistem line at the 2011 In-cosmetics show in Milan. The Regenistem process allows the company to take only small quantities of plant cells from seeds or leaves, grow them in culture plates and then into bioreactors. The controlled environment allows the company to push the potential of the plants to the limit and manufacture very interesting ingredients.

“The process allows us to harvest rare or old plants and isolate unique actives or enhance the production of them, all while controlling the biomass in the laboratory,” says Vince Gruber, PhD, director of research for Arch Personal Care Ingredients. The process minimizes requirements for harvest and cultivation, which wastes resources and opens the world of opportunity for the industry.The first in this line, Regenistem Rice is an extract from a particular red rice species that is more than 1,000 years old and comes from a high elevation in Nepal.

Brand owners interested in a unique label claim—or simply in the actives and what they can do for the skin—can take advantage of such biotechnological processes. “Brands are driven by unique ideas,” explains Gruber. “Plants that are unique or that grow in unique environments and offer benefits to the skin allow brands to build stories around them.” Driven by innovative companies looking to carve out a niche for all-natural products, the process is renewable, not based on petroleum.

Similarly, Sederma has invested €1 million to create a plant cell culture lab and library, allowing the company a never ending source for molecules of interest by controlling the cultures. After five years of research, Sederma will launch its first product based on plant cell culture that claims substantiated innovative positioning in 2011. The development of products based on plant cell culture doesn’t exploit wild or crop plants, allowing the company to meet evolving consumer needs in a new way. The company has also improved plant extraction with new processes such as supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, which needs limited energy, recycles the gaseous solvent and doesn’t discharge any solvent to the environment.

Read more about green chemistry in the January 2011 issue of GCI magazine.

Sustainable innovation

Environmentally responsible packaging means decreased packaging sizes, an increased use of recycled or compostable materials, and greater accountability of suppliers. “We have long recognized that packaging plays a front and center role in both the consumer first moment of truth—in store—and second moment of truth when consumers interact with our products in their homes,” said Jenny Rushmore, global sustainability leader for P&G Beauty & Grooming.

Yet, cosmetics companies are lagging behind other product categories in adopting sustainable packaging, according to Organic Monitor. Although packaging has the highest environmental footprint of cosmetic products, research finds that it is generally overlooked when beauty companies look at sustainability. Beauty brands are focusing on green formulations, resource efficiency and life cycle assessments of their products when developing sustainability plans. Even organic beauty—many of which have sustainability built into their corporate ethos—are lagging in adopting sustainable packaging, according to the research.

Using natural resources and skipping the plastics manufacture altogether requires innovation of a different kind. Waco, TX-based Whole Tree has been researching uses for coconut husks for two years and recently partnered with packaging firm Compadre to design and test different uses for coconut-based materials. In addition to creating packaging from the husks, the companies are working to improve the lives of coconut farmers by providing more income for farmers by using the husks. The company has developed a non-woven process for combining coconut fiber with thermoplastic to create a strong, durable composite that can be formed for packaging. The packaging is primarily used for packaging that goes inside boxes, but they are exploring possibilities for outer packaging for a variety of applications as well.

Another potential innovation in sustainable packaging is quite simple: banana leaves. Israeli designer Tal Marco developed a concept that uses natural banana leaves, which are an abundant resource in many regions of the world. She contends that the wax-like surface is ideal yet the leaves are very flexible and can last a long time after being cut from banana trees. Therefore, they can be adapted to many types of packaging. These banana leaves can be cut to form using die cutting technology then folded into numerous forms without glue. The unique qualities of this material also allow packages to be opened by tearing the banana leaf along its natural perforation. Marco is working to develop applications for the cosmetics and personal care market as well as other industries.

Read more about sustainable innovation in the December 2010 issue of GCI magazine.