‘Coty’ is famous for their fragrances and accessory ranges in L’aimant, Coty Exclamation, Coty Jovan Musk, their famous make-up products and body products. They have now signed singer Faith Hill, this is there latest famous face to join the family fold at the New York fragrance company.

Faith Hill will join other celebrity faces such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Jennifer Lopez who have been hugely successful with releasing a number fragrance lines for Coty.

The new product for marketing has not yet been named by Coty, however, we know it will be a fragrance and we know it is likely to hit the consumer market in 2009.

The CEO, Bernd Beetz, commented on the recent Coty signing:

“Faith Hill defines all-American beauty. Her ability to juggle a widely successful career and family, while embodying grace, glamour and style, is an inspiration to women,”

Coty’s celebrity fragrances are their strongest earner. However, there is rumors from the company’s insiders who seem to be suggesting a move away from this market, which is the very category that could spur their own company into huge growth.

Coty sales on June 30th 2008 showed a 23% improvement upon last year’s figures and most of this improvement seems to have been driven by their celebrity product endorsements.

This year’s particular highlights were the new launches of the fragrance Kate by Kate Moss and Intimately Night, David Beckham’s new aftershave.

Health and Beauty specialists ‘Allergan’ recently commissioned a survey that asked 10,000 people throughout Europe and America about their opinions towards health and beauty products. They found that 83% of females who responded considered that looking natural is very important.

The survey also revealed that a neater and a higher maintenance approach to health and beauty is giving way to a more natural look.

Beauty consultant, Wendy Lewis, said:

“We are also seeing women and men who want to look healthy - it’s not a coincidence. People are finally realizing that natural is sustainable and perfection is not,”

The study also showed that cosmetics companies should consider abandoning the transformative products they launch in European. However, attitudes in America were very different and overall they seemed to show a great desire for these products to be readily available to the consumer.

Anthropologist at the London School of Economics, Isabella Lepri, commented on these results:

“The pursuit of the natural look is less important in America where many women still see a wrinkle-free face as the ideal, whereas their European cousins are more likely only to want to remove some wrinkles.”

Non invasive injections and less radical surgery is also becoming very popular in Europe, however, it would seem that our American cousins are more interested in the radical plastic surgery options.

The majority of UK and American consumers that now believe the pressure to keep yourself looking good are much greater now than it has ever been before says a recent Nielsen Company survey.

26,486 people across 46 markets from Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific and the Middle East were asked to be involved within the survey via the internet. This was done so we could determine the overall world wide attitudes on health and beauty products.

Two thirds of American consumers stated that they felt the pressure to look as good as you can is greater than ever; this is also a belief that was reiterated by consumers worldwide.

The study revealed that there was more of a worldwide acceptance of the new ‘metrosexual’ male. Over 78% of consumers worldwide and a staggering 84% of Americans agree that it is acceptable that men should spend time and money on looking good.

Bruce Paul, client service vice president, Nielsen said:

“Global consumers overwhelmingly welcome the metro sexual male, with consumers in the US leading this trend of unanimous acceptance. People recognize that men want to look good too. In terms of consumer spending, even though the majority of consumers report feeling greater pressure to look good, only 23% of US consumers say that they spend more on beauty products and treatments than they used to. It seems that the older you get, the less you spend, as teens and consumers in their 20s spend more in this category.”

Recently a beauty study was conducted by the market research firm Synovate, on 10,000 people within 12 countries. In this study they were all asked to express their attitudes to personal grooming and beauty. The results revealed hugely differing views across product use, importance of good looks etc., however, one world-wide theme was that of masculinity.

Bob Michaels, US senior Vice President of Synovate’s Consumer Insights group commented:

“In the end men just want to be men. What that actually means changes from culture to culture, but the drive to be masculine is near universal. Indeed, protecting the idea of masculinity is important in the sale of male beauty products.”

The survey also found that 56% of men used products that were especially made/marketed for the male market. The UK and Russian men showed to be the ones that were most likely to find their male only products on the shelves of grooming aisles.

John Coll, UK spokesman at Synovate says:

“Products that are tailored for men will be less embarrassing to use because they won’t carry effeminate associations that products made for women do. The advertising also has to display male characters that are confident about using something ’feminine’ and can assure it won’t take anything away from their masculinity.”

It seems that of late, personal care products catering to men are absolutely flooding the market. Men’s personal care launches are increasingly more adventurous as the health and beauty market matures.

Mintel, the international research company has been tracking well over 500 of the newest personal care items for men in the United States this year so far, compared to a mere 375 during 2007. Mintel claim that the sharp rise is the mark of an obvious explosion in the amount of advanced and sophisticated men’s grooming products.

Taya Tomasello, beauty analyst says:

“Beauty manufacturers are trying to stay one step ahead of men’s evolving grooming habits. New personal care products launched for men today step beyond the basics of showering, shaving and deodorizing. At both the high and low ends of the market, new men’s grooming products try to provide tangible benefits based on appearance, specific body needs and ethical concerns.”

Mintel say that there are 4 main areas of men’s grooming which have recently enjoyed rapid growth:

1. There are many premium brands that have launched products targeting specific areas of a person’s face and body such as lips, eyes and hands.
2. Most of the newer make up brands sprang up in 2007 and the major players like L’Oreal have launched men’s self-tanning products.
3. The same male orientated brands are now launching anti-aging lines to follow demand and trend, new products such as exfoliating and wrinkle fighting types are commonplace.
4. As in other sectors the naturally progression of organic, ethical and natural skin care products are helping the growth of the male market.

There is one significant area that men’s skin care differs from women’s though.

Beauty Analyst Tomasello said:

“Our research shows men are far less likely than women to use skincare products like moisturizers, exfoliants or even body washes. So tailoring new products to the needs of beauty-inexperienced males will help manufacturers expand the advanced men’s grooming market.”

Revlon the global success story that provides enormously popular ranges of make-up, skin care and fragrance has been collecting celebrities over the last few years. The latest celebrity they have added to their enviable range of ‘A’ listed beauties is Academy Award winning actress, Jennifer Connelly back in the summer of this year.

The stunning actress joined an equally stunning list of Revlon stars including the first black female Academy Award winner Halle Berry. Along with the recent star in ‘The Beautiful Life’, Elle Macpherson, who is still classed as the celebrity ambassador for the cosmetic giants, and the popular and elegantly sassy Jessica Alba.

David Kennedy, CEO and President at Revlon made a statement on Revlon’s new celebrity face:

“Jennifer Connelly is a modern, dynamic and intelligent woman. She is an accomplished wife, mother and actress and her successes complement the spirit of the Revlon brand.”

It was clear that the brand have high hopes for the new collaboration as David Connelly added;

“Revlon is one of the great iconic brands of today and I am thrilled to be part of a company that has done so much for women around the world.”

Revlon is a perfect example of a successful global brand which has diversified itself into beauty accessories, hair care, fragrance, make-up and skin care with great marketing and great products.

Clinque seem to be going from strength to strength as a brand and sales are still steady in the current economic climate. ‘Aromatics Elixir’, ‘Happy’ and their skin care range for both men and women remains strong.

The research and development department, over at Clinique in the States, has been very busy this year and have taken a market leading step. Market analysts think this could mark the beginnings of a massive global trend. The excitement is down to the new Clinique Medical range of pre / post cosmetic surgery or cosmetic procedure skin care items – a joint venture launched with Allergan (commonly known as a major manufacturer of Botox).

Currently the new range is only available in the United States and only via trained skincare physicians. Apparently, Clinque as yet do not have any immediate plans for launching the range this side of the Atlantic. However, many experts think that the move would prompt pharmaceutical companies to begin launching into more medical / professional areas.

Head of Beauty Innovation at Mintel, Nica Lewis, commented:

“It is part of a larger trend that will develop over the next ten years – pharmaceutical companies, on the strength of the development of cosmeceuticals, are deciding to go into the professional beauty market. Consumers like products that have clinical endorsement, be it from a doctor, dermatologist or in some cases a therapist, and pharmaceutical companies are well placed to provide this.”

Global President, Lynne Green of Clinique Laboratories says:

“We are proud that we can meet the modern and discerning consumer’s unprecedented needs in our innovative way. Our collaboration with Allergan puts Clinique Medical in an ideal position to provide best-in-class professional skincare to both physicians and consumers alike.”