Teens and Tweens the new Big Spenders

When it comes to personal care products, teens and tweens are a demographic you cannot ignore.

Cosmetic Design today shared some facts from a report by Packaged Fact that show incredible growth in sales for the personal care category for both teens and tweens, increasing by 16% to reach $8 billion by 2009. (Current US sales are at $6.9bn.) This is from the increased spending power from this group, who ask for "pocket money" from their parents - and receive it.

Marketing and advertising campaigns fuel their spending, as do the influences of their slightly older peers. They write, that "the more developed market for teenage personal care products has helped to feed the market for tween products...One of the main reasons for this is that tweens often want to mimic the habits of their older peers and siblings in the teenage category, leading to demand for similar products."

Which products? In skincare, it is mostly facial care products, hand and body lotions, acne treatments, body washes, and deodorants. Some of these are the most sensitive parts of the body, especially for young girls, and we're left wondering what kinds of chemical ingredients they are applying on their bodies. Because I don't think they teach words like "thimerosal" in fifth grade English class.

Yet Another Reason to Love Chocolate

Phytobase, a food technology company which introduced a Borojo-laced chocolate for women, claimed to act as an aphrodisiac and boosts energy levels, and also ChocoLeans to control appetites, is in the news again with their new product, Amoriss.

With antioxidant-rich ingredients like superfruits acai, mangosteen, goji, pomegranate, rhosiola rosea, red wine extract, and resveratrol, there is certainly something to be said for this hot new product. But is it really "an ultimate feast of the senses"? I'm not negating its potential positive impact. But let's be honest here. How can something with so many ingredients actually taste good? I thought simplicity was the key 'ingredient' in any tasteful experience - pun intended.

Maybe it's best melted down. Phytobase adds that the liquid version of Amoriss can be applied to the face, as a "nourishing, moisturizing and antioxidant facemask treatment for healthy-looking skin."

How very Parisian.

It'll be interesting to see what else emerges as the boundary between food and cosmetics starts to blur, as more and more people express interest in the consumption of beauty foods.

Cosmetics Design Releases Special Newsletter Covering Beyond Beauty

There are several articles of interest, but one that struck my fancy – as it was a presentation that I missed – was the one that covered the conference on the European harmonization of organics and naturals. It’s been a long time in the making, with certifications in Europe being inconsistent, disjointed, and downright confusing.

But here's what they say:

The European wide system, the specifications of which are to be released in June 2008, will be a two level specification system: natural and organic…Although many of the details still remain to be decided, a two tier system of natural and organic certification appears to have been, primarily at least, accepted.

What is accepted? How do we define natural and organic? Natural means that at least 95 percent of its ingredients must be “of natural origin.” Organic, according to the article, is way more complicated. The main barrier is good old H2O. Water, the uncertifiable demon, is a big liability in cosmetics products – as are some mineral extracts and salts. The only ingredients that can be certified organic are of vegetal origin. Of these, they’re shooting for 95% organic, and also working on “green chemistry”, which uses accepted solvents and chemicals (non-petrochemicals, for example) and non food-grade preservatives.

Good things are a-comin'.