Service tips for a growing ethnic cosmetics dept - Ethnic Merchandising

Service tips for a growing ethnic cosmetics dept.

Choosing the right

foundation

Stan Campbell Place, Maybelline's cosmetics authority, points out that women have "either yellow or red understones to their skin, so they should choose a foundation shade with the same undertone."

Service tip: "Help them choose a foundation that is half a shade lighter than they are, and pressed powder a shade lighter than the foundation."

Place also points out that Shades Of You Cosmetics come in see-through packaging, making it easier to choose the shade that's just right.

"When in doubt," he says, "hold the bottle or the compact next to the customer's face."

The Shades of You line includes three shades of Cover Sticks: light, medium and dark. Place says "Customize the concealer shades this way:"

Application tip: "First, apply foundation, then Cover Stick where needed. Then use a Maybelline sponge to gently pat a little foundation over the Cover Stick.

"Don't rub as that will rub foundation and Cover Stick off."

Service tip: "Shades Of You Cosmetics are for the women who want matte coverage that stays fresh for hours without changing color. Shades Of You helps control shiny breakthrough and won't make the skin look chalky or ashy."

Product tip: "Shades Of You Cosmetics are water-based and oil-free. Like all Maybelline cosmetics, they are dermatologist tested, hypo-allergenic, and non-comedogenic, which means the special balance and purity of the formula won't clog pores or cause blemishes."

Product tip: "Shades Of You Oil-Free Souffle Make-up provides more coverage than the Oil-Free Liquid Make-up. But by using both women can vary their coverage depending on how much they use and how much they blend."

Selling tip: "You might suggest they buy both - liquid for daytime and souffle for evening."

Do a mini beauty

analysis to assess

customer needs

Pavion's marketing experts say that Black Radiance "was created exclusively for black women because she has unique needs that go beyond shade considerations.

"In many instances, she's likely to scar easily. She may suffer from tiny dark spots, skin discoloration, uneven intone, ashiness, and may be subject to oily skin."

Service tip: "Ask questions to help determine which facial products are best for her needs.

"Examples: Is your skin dry, oily or normal? Do you scar easily? Does your face become shiny as the day grows long? Do you have uneven skin tones? Do you prefer the minimalist look in make-up?"

Product tip: "If your customer needs to minimize scars, tiny dark spots, discoloration, and wants a perfect matte finish, medium to maximum coverage should be recommended with Black Radiance Maximum Coverage Cream Foundation.

"This will beautifully minimize problems while leaving the skin looking healthy, radiant and flawless."

Product tip: "For the customer with fairly clear skin who wants coverage that's like a second skin, Black Radiance Oil-Free Liquid Foundation is ideal. It is feather-light, long-wearing and easy to blend."

Product tip: "For women who are reluctant to wear a foundation, but want a hint of color, Matched Pressed Powder offers an almost naked look with a hint of color perfectly matched to a black woman's skin tones. It can be worn with foundation, too, to help control shine and prevent streaking and caking."

Product tip: "Translucent Pressed Powder in light, medium and dark is recommended to keep skin shine free, perfectly matte, silky soft, and to minimize pore size. It's portable for touch-ups throughout the day."

Product tip: "Loose Finishing Powder is needed for a flawless, finished look. It should be recommended for use by all women to set make-up keep skin fresh and shine-free throughout the day."

Service tip: "There are 33 shades of black skin. It's necessary to match foundations to skin tone as closely as possible.

"Black women with light olive tones should select foundations that are golden hued.

"Darker-skinned women should also select a golden hued foundation, to help make their skin radiant. They should avoid reddish hues in make-up.

"Using loose powder will help eliminate any dullness and prolong life of make-up."

Service tip: "Powder blushes are best for black women because they are non-greasy and blend easily.

"Eye shadows should be deep and rich enough to complement darker skin. Also find your customer a powder formula that is compatible with oilier skin.

"If your customer has a tendency toward dry, chapped and cracked lips, she should use Black Radiance Lip Moisturizer to replace and lubricate oil that is lost.

"If your customer has lighter lip tones in certain areas, and also has purple lip tones that need correction, recommend a creamy foundation with superior coverage. Black Radiance Perfect Tone Lip Color is a good choice because it is opaque and color-corrects the lip tone. If a woman wants a more made-up, matte look for nighttime wear, suggest matte lipstick.

"Lip liners should also be suggested because some black women have deep crevices that extend to the edges of their mouth. Lip liners will also control lip color and keep it within the lip area."

Merchandising aids: "Black Radiance has merchandising aids designed to make product selection easy. Their point-of-sale includes an easy-to-read chart featuring four models in light, medium, medium dark and dark skin tones. On the chart, there are recommendations for the products best suited to these shade ranges."

Address specific

skin care needs

Almay's cosmetic experts emphasize that "women with darker skin tones have a specific set of skin care and makeup needs that the Darker Tones of Almay were created specifically to address."

Product tip: "Because women with darker skin tones are more prone to blemishes, acne and other skin imperfections including some caused by the complex nature of hair care products used, it should be pointed out to customers that the Darker Tones of Almay are non-comedogenic and will never clog pores.

"Also since allergic reaction is more likely to cause change in the pigmentation of the darker skin, these hypo-allergenic, fragrance-free, and sensitivity-tested formulas are ideal for darker skin women."

Product tip: "Point out that the Darker Tones of Almay were not created to mask, hide, lighten or change a women's skin tone.

"Instead, they were specifically developed to enhance natural skin tone without appearing chalky, ashen, orange or yellow."

Selection tip: "The specially developed shade indicator chart which will be featured with Darker Tones displays is an easy-to-follow guide for both cosmeticians and consumers.

"A woman need only hold this shade collection chart against the inside of her arm for easy makeup shade selection."

Service tip: "Darker Tones of Almay provides a choice of three formulas blended to give customers just the coverage they desire. Light Makeup is for women who want just the sheerest hint of color. Liquid Makeup is for light to medium coverage. Creme Makeup is for medium to heavy makeup coverage."

Service tip: "When helping customers select the right shade of Darker Tones of Almay Pressed Powder, Loose Finishing Powder, and Concealing Cover Up, suggest the shade which most closely matches the foundation color - or one that is a slightly lighter tone."

Colors look different

while on the skin

"There are no testers in drug stores," Posner's marketing executives point out, "and, as many women know, how the shades look behind the blisters may have no relationship to how it will look on the lips or face.

"This is especially true for African-Americans because colors do tend to change more dramatically on darker skin tones."

Selection tip: Many black women look better in colors that are intense. If your customer wants to know "which lip colors go best with my complexion," guide them to lines specifically formulated for the ethnic consumer.

"Even though many companies offer shades that look darker on the shelf, only lipsticks with the right proportion of pigment-to-wax offer the proper intensity on the lips."

Service tip: Everyone has "uneven" complexions - it just shows up more obviously on darker skin.

"Suggest one of the shaded pressed powders that contain the right color pigments to blend uneven tone without turning orange or ashy. For example, Posner's Custom Cover Powder provides the coverage of a foundation with the lightness of a creamy powder."

Service tip: "Many black women ask for something to control shiny skin. Offer a special oil-absorbing powder in a translucent formula. It helps keep the shine under control without caking or looking too |made up.'"

Selection tip: Many women ask for help finding the right shade of foundation. This is a "trial and error" situation, since most mass market ethnic cosmetic companies do not offer testers.

"The best advice is to guide the consumer to an ethnic company that offers a wide shade range in the darker color spectrum.

"Coordinate bottle tone to her complexion, rather than to a printed shade chart which can be misleading. Hold the bottle up to her face, near the chin line. Keep in mind that foundation in the bottle tends to look lighter than it does on her skin tone.

"The shade names in ethnic are a good clue - Golden Bronze, Nut Brown, Cocoa - to help the consumer relate the foundation shade to her skin tone."

Selection tip: "Some women are convinced that blush never looks good on their skins, but the right shade and blending are the keys to enhancing a black woman's natural beauty."

Darker complexions reflect blush colors differently than paler skins, so it is more important to pick the right sheer shade.

"Suggest a plum, ginger or ruby shade. Advise the consumer to apply brush upward and outward on the cheek bone. Then blend with a brush (not a tissue) to the hair line to avoid "circles." Avoid putting blush too close to the eyes or too far down the cheeks."

Full selection equals

one-stop shopping

convenience

Artmatic's marketing experts believe in the convenience of "one stop shopping" for consumers, and as a consequence, they have the fullest and most complete line of ethnic cosmetics in the mass market, all targeted to the budget-conscious consumer.

Some of their tips are designed to help a woman use cosmetics to make a very definite fashion statement.

Application tip: To create "a warm, sultry look," for example, they suggest telling customers to try "dotting Maui Maui Mauve Creme Rouge along cheek bones and blend. Then brush Tahitian Gold in contour of cheek extending all the way up toward the temples. Now stroke Bora Bora Beige very lightly on cheek bones for added highlights, and more pronounced bone structure. For added drama, brush Tahitian Gold very lightly across forehead and along the chin bone."

Selling tip: They also suggest selling a nail treatment product together with a nail enamel. "A base coat prepares the nails for a perfect application of Tropez Nail Enamel."

Application tip: "Apply the base coat. Then apply one coat of Tropez Nail Enamel. Let dry for a minute. Apply a second coat of nail enamel. Let dry. Then for a perfect finish, apply Tropez Clear."

Selection tip: "For Cover Creams, help customers choose a shade that matches their skin tone. Cover Creams can be used alone for a natural look, or under foundation to create the appearance of overall smooth, even color. For foundations, choose a shade that most closely matches the skin on the neck. For a finished look, choose the same shade of pressed powder as chosen for the foundation. For a slightly brighter look, or when skin is tired and not its freshest, try a shade just a tone lighter than foundation."

Service tip: The section of eye shadow is best left to the individual. Some women like shadows that complement their skin tones. Others are more fashion-oriented, and choose shades that will go with a new lip color or coordinate with a new outfit. Both customers should be shown how to use both bright and dark shades to enhance, brighten or dramatize their look."

Selection tip: "Deep shades on eyes lend mystery and depth, or they can be used as a contour for expression. Lighter shades should be used under the brow to highlight and enhance bone structure. Silver, gold or bronze used under brow or on the lid gives a stunning evening look.

"For deep-set eyes, use lighter colors on lids to heighten and darker shades under brow and in the corner of the eye contour. Apply lightly."

Selection tip: "The choice of lipcolor, as with blush and shadows, is a matter of consumer preference. Some women will look for the darker, more natural tones. Others will choose bright, vibrant colors particularly in the plum family. Then there are the hot and trendy consumers who will choose very vibrant reds, or even a gold tones pink."

Match the products

to complexion types

Simply Satin's marketing authorities say "four types of skin conditions are common to ethnic complexions," and women need cosmetics and skin care products formulated to address them.

They are:

1. Ashiness - a result of dehydrated skin, flaking and turning grayish. Against dark skin tones, the complexion often looks chalky and unattractive.

2. Hypopigmentation - light skin patches caused by hereditary factors, improper use of skin toning bleaching creams, improper use of facial scrubs.

3. Hyperpigmentation - dark skin patches, caused by hereditary factors, improper use of skin care products.

4. Because of the ethnic woman's noble ancestry color, tones of olive, red, yellow and golden are always present and must be taken into consideration when formulating cosmetics for women of color. It has been documented that there are 33 variations of skin tones in the ethnic complexion range.

Fashion tip: Women this fall will be looking for shades that are rich in color, subtle and defined. Eyes and lips will take on muted shades of rust, browns, oranges and reds. Lip pencils designed to add soft definition will be on the upswing.

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