Beauty PR Firm Picks Top 2009 Trends

Pierce Mattie PR announced its top picks for 2009 trends in natural and organic cosmetics, saying that being "green" or natural would no longer be sufficient and that companies will have to focus on specific ingredients for targeted results.

Blueberry, for example, will be in more skin care products because of its high level of vitamins, antioxidants, amino acids, and fatty acids.

Acai, goji berries, acerola, and baobab all have properties that make them suitable for different cosmetic applications, Pierce Mattie said. Acerola, for instance, will be used more in skin care products that target redness and inflammation because of its high vitamin C content.

Spices, too, will show up in products: The Indian spice turmeric has medicinal properties that make it suitable for several applications including hair care, sunscreen, and anti-acne. Argan oil has already become a popular anti-aging ingredient, and the resin myrrh is expected to gain in popularity as Ayurveda takes off in the US.

Cosmeceutical products will also influence ingredient trends. Palmitoyl Tripeptide-3 will be marketed as a temporary alternative to cosmetic procedures, and probiotics may take a place in clinical like products.

No Love For Cosmetics "Superbrands"

The UK's top 500 Superbrands* list is out - and there's not a single cosmetics or toiletries brand in the top 100, reports Cosmetics Design.

Luxury brands performed the best: Estée Lauder was the closest at 120, followed by Chanel (No. 142) and Clinique (No. 195). Next came toiletries: Gillette, Wilkinson Sword and Colgate, followed by big personal care players, including Dove at 294th and Nivea at 300th. Still, a poor showing from the industry! --What's up with that?

According to a Stephen Cheliotis, the chief executive at the Centre for Brand Analysis, it is because there is a "lack of heritage and emotional attachment" that consumers hold for brands in the category. Most consumers do not associate big cosmetics brands with their childhood (like Kellogg's) or believe that they represent any kind of value system.

*A superbrand is defined as brand that has established the finest reputation in its field, offering customers significant emotional and tangible advantages over other brands, which (consciously or sub-consciously) they want and recognize.

America's Top 50 Greenest Cities

Woohoo...Popular Science magazine has rated America's Top 50 Greenest Cities and the Bay Area dominated!

They used data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Geographic Society’s Green Guide, which reviews all American cities of over 100,000 people in more than 30 categories, including air quality, electricity use and transportation habits. They then compiled these statistics into four broad categories:

Electricity: Judging the use of renewable sources such as wind, solar, biomass and hydroelectric power and incentive offerings for residents to invest in their own power sources.

Transportation: These scores are based on how many commuters take public transportation or carpool and on air quality.

Green Living: This is based on the number of buildings certified by the U.S. Green Building Council and for areas devoted to green space, such as public parks and nature preserves.

Recycling and Green Perspective: These measure how comprehensive a city’s recycling program is (if the city collects old electronics, for example) and how important its citizens consider environmental issues.

And the winners are...dun dun dun...

1. Portland, OR
2. SAN FRANCISCO, CA
3. Boston, MA
4. OAKLAND, CA
5. Eugene, OR
6. Cambridge, MA
7. BERKELEY, CA
8. Seattle, WA
9. Chicago, IL
10. Austin, TX

That puts the Bay Area in THREE of the Top 10 places! Good job, folks, and keep it coming. Maybe next year we can make San Francisco number ONE!