My two professional words collided last week, when my friend Leonard announced the launch of my new PR related blog project on his crazy high trafficked site The Clyde Fitch Report. It was a really nice shout out, and he even mentioned my work over here at BeautyOlogy.

In his comments section, someone disagreed with my post (I suspect without having read it, but I digress). And this person decided  that instead of a real conversation an insult would better serve his purpose, as happens all too often in the blogosphere.

The comment was “Methinks the beautician should go back to blogging about nails.”

Ummm, sexist much?

Disagreeing with the post is fine, but with that one sentence he called into question my professional experience not only in PR but also within the beauty industry. To suggest that as a “beautician” (a loaded term already) I had nothing of consequence to say, and that my sole purpose should be to write about nail polish (and let’s be honest, I doubt he was talking about blog posts related to nail health), smacked of both a sexist and elitist tone.

The beauty industry primarily employs women. Hair stylists, nail techs, and estheticians are mainly female. It can be a lucrative industry for many women, whether they are straight out of high school or in a career transition. The fact that our work as professionals is so easily dismissed is infuriating. And would it be if it were an industry dominated by men (on the front lines, at least)?

Glass ceilings abound in loads of industries. And while this industry is not immune to the glass ceiling effect, it is really only within the beauty industry that women have launched multi-million dollar brands–Bobbi Brown, Trish McEvoy, and Sally Hanson are just three of the many names that immediately spring to mind.

Ask anyone doing working in the field, and you will learn that our jobs are not only cutting hair or doing facials. We are also armchair psychologists, our clients often share their troubles when they are in our chairs. We are community builders–at my old spa, countless clients would “drop in” to say hello or share a coffee and a chat, even if they did not have a booking. We are where women can convene, have a laugh or a cry, and feel supported and nurtured. This is something that can not be sniffed aside.

With my own work, I see women’s health as a priority. A high stress lifestyle degrades not only skin but also health. There is also the very real issue of self confidence, which sorry to say, physical appearance does indeed come into play. A teenager faced with severe acne wants to hide her face. Much as I would prefer to fix the taunters, I can fix the acne.

This does not and should not dismiss the harm that the industry inflicts on women–the implication that invasive surgery can fix your all your problems. A face lift, a Botox shot, or a tummy tuck will not make everything OK. And often this sort of invasive beauty definitely undermines a woman’s self confidence. We are told that our bodies need to be “fixed” to a younger, tighter version of ourselves.

And whose definition of beauty is that anyway? Where did the promise of some sort of a youth do over for women come from? And is this not a problem of society on the whole? Where youth culture is celebrated and “the olds” are seen as out-of-touch? Experience counts for nothing.

I get the cosmetic surgery allure, I have pangs of it myself, but these pangs come mainly from my work in the public relations field. In my other career, where I am employed primarily by men, I have lost jobs because I was pregnant, and have been harped on by clients for not losing pregnancy weight fast enough or for going too long between hair cuts and colors. I have been called to task for not wearing makeup. After I was married, I was called to task for wearing makeup, as though I was tarting myself up for a good cheat. And when negotiating my fees, there is always an expectation that because I am married, my husband foots the brunt of the bill.

Like any industry, the effects of the beauty business on women is problematic and often highly conflicted. But there are plenty of smart women doing excellent work, making a difference and earning a living wage by making women (and men) feel good about themselves. The majority of us are not in the field to smack down someone’s physical appearance to our own benefit, financial or otherwise.

But dismissing the workers in this industry so easily needs to be called out. Turning up a nose at the women who populate this “blue collar” industry is sexism. Period.

I just read of a shocking new development out of Johnson & Johnson’s research and development team. J&J claims that a topical application of their new Cytomimic Technology delivers “biological levels of electric signals similar to the skin’s natural bioelectricity.”

Hmmm. Color me dubious.

J&J’s R&D team created this Cytomimic Technology using micronized particles of copper and zinc. The claim is that as we age, our bioelectricity signaling diminishes, slowing down the cell-to-cell communication. This slows down the production of collagen and elastin. It also  slows down the skin’s ability to repair and heal.

Bioelectricity is complex, and from what I know about it, it’s primarily a function of the nervous system–blinking your eye or pointing a finger are all part of this bioelectric chain.  How this reduces signs of aging in the skin, when applied topically no less, is a mystery to me. J&J claims that “On the skin’s surface, the microparticles mimic the body’s electrical signal restore youthful looking skin.” Except that if you are talking about the surface of the skin, those cells are already dead, so there is no bioelectric chain to tap in to. Unless this penetrates into the dermis (the live layer).

They claim that in-vitro testing has shown anti-inflammatory activity, which is great for the skin. Except that copper and zinc are both anti-inflammatory ingredients–they both are spectacular wound healers. So I suspect those ingredients could be the cause for the in-vitro improvement, not necessarily the results of a juiced up bioelectric impulse.

I need to crack the books for this one, but my initial response is that Cytomimic Technology is a short circuit.

Truth In Aging called out a very small cosmetics company for overcharging for a serum. They found the exact same ingredients from another small brand for half the price. And they let out the industry’s “dirty little secret,” Private Label.

Since sarcasm can’t be detected in print, I need to point out that the “dirty little secret” part is dripping with it.

I think that Truth In Aging should have done a little more research before slapping down this tiny company. And they need a better understanding of Private Label as well as the costs associated with product formulation.

Private Label? Is that like Members Only (heh remember those jackets)?

Private Label is essentially when a cosmetic company purchases and fulfills their products from an outside lab. The products are branded with cosmetic company’s logo and information, and to consumers it does not appear to come from any source other than the company they are purchasing from.

Because the costs for R&D are astronomical and many companies–from well known brands to tiny start ups–need the Private Label manufacturers to curb the outsized costs of product development and fulfillment.

Private Label can mean many things depending on your budget. You can work with the manufacturer to create a custom blend, which is pretty expensive but guarantees that the product is uniquely yours. Or you can purchase whatever stock blends they carry, clearly a much cheaper option.

Back to the bruhaha

I don’t know either company involved in this little bruhaha, or this particular product. That they use Private Label, or that they use the same Private Label source, is purely speculative. However, I found a Private Label source offering the formulation  found in both the products. And I found other brands that are using the formulation. And if TIA found the 100% markup shocking between the two brands they cite, they should have done a bit more sleuthing. I found the same formulation retailing for $80.

So, what’s the deal?

My best guess: packaging.

Most Private Label companies offer their own consumables for bottling. Or you can send them your own containers to fill, which is subject to additional charges for all sorts of testing. They need to ensure compatibility between the product and the packaging.

Repackage and your liability goes up

This particular Private Label company apparently also sells their product in wholesale containers. Companies buying from them could repackage on their own. By not having the original manufacturer bottle the product for them, this opens up the cosmetic company to law suits should something go horribly wrong. Companies that do their own packaging must carry their own insurance as a safeguard. And liability insurance on cosmetics products is damn expensive. When the Private Label company packages the product, the liability is remains with the Private Label company doing the packaging.

Was the $25 price outrageous?

The median price for this formulation appears to be in the $20 – 25 range, so I don’t think the “overpriced” company was trying to screw over their customer. Often Private Label companies give a “suggested retail price” based on whatever costs the cosmetic company is incurring.  Since the norm was in that range, my guess is the company went with the price suggested to them. All of the bottling with the products that fell in that range were rather unique, and did not look like standard “Private Label” issued packaging, which would bring the cost down.

Incidentally, I do feel like the $80 bottle was overpriced, but that’s not the company that was called out publicly.

The $25 product that Truth In Aging cited did not have product images available, so I could not see the packaging. But based on TIA’s original (and favorable) review of the product, it would appear that this company offered something unique–they put the serum in two smaller bottles rather than one large.

Why would they package this in two bottles? Oxidation.

The main active ingredient in the formulation is Vitamin C, which is highly unstable and oxidizes quickly. Vitamin C, even in ester form (and this formulation uses both), will turn a brownish color when exposed to air. By packaging in two separate bottles, this company is at least attempting to minimize the oxidation process. Oxidation does not necessarily impact efficacy, but it certainly would lead consumers to toss out the product when it discolors. My best guess is that they is trying to curtail that, as well as the costumer complaints and bad word of mouth that accompany tossing a product into the bin.

Back to the price gouging question

It does not appear that TIA tried to contact this company to get to the bottom of the situation. There are endless of factors that go into product pricing beyond the cost of the product itself.

And while TIA may be doing a service to their readers by finding the same product at a cheaper price, I don’t think it was terribly fair to call a company out as a price gouger. In my opinion, just about every company that sells any product is guilty of that. I would have loved to see a response from any of the companies TIA called out for “duping” consumers with Private Label.

Private Label is done by many well known brands

TIA treats Private Label companies like a big old cystic zit on the face of the cosmetics industry. However, several of the top niche brands in the market come out of Private Label labs. (And I am not talking about the celebrity lines either–the famous industry faces behind these companies aren’t cooking up formulations in their kitchens!) One of the largest personal care manufacturers in the US offers a Private Label service.

How do I know?

I have been researching Private Label companies off and on for the past two years. For smaller spas and estheticians, Private Label is becoming an important and viable option for cost effective retail products. Cosmetic companies that once sold exclusively to spas and salons are expanding into the mass market. These companies often sell their products at a discount to large retailers, which allows the large retailers to discount to the consumer with no effect on their bottom line. Smaller companies cannot financially compete with what is essentially the WalMart-ization of the beauty industry.

Competition is healthy, and important

Private Label is not the scourge of the beauty industry. Are there shoddy labs out there? Sure there are. But there are some seriously kick ass labs out there as well. With the right lab, Private Label can yield some spectacular products.

Plus it keeps competition going with the big brands by offering aspiring brands a cost effective opportunity to bring products to the market– and this competition is healthy and it matters. Over the past 10 years, these large brands went on a buying spree and snatched up a lot of the boutique products that were gaining market share. Without competition in place, your choices on products would be limited. And less competition means more opportunity for the biggest players to raise their prices.

I decided to withhold the brand names cited in TIA’s original post. If you are curious, you can find the names on their site. I don’t feel comfortable calling any company out in a public forum without knowing beyond a reasonable doubt what they are or are not doing in terms of their formulation and pricing. And, frankly, price is ultimately based on what the customer is willing to pay. There are clearly consumers out there willing to pay $350 for Cream de la Mer, and more power to them.

And with that, I leave you with this Dirty Little Secret. Enjoy!

In his weekly e-newsletter, Trust Agents (Amazon affiliate link) co-author and social media guru Chris Brogan includes a cool shout out to people he thinks are “doing it right”—engaging their audience, doing great work and inspiring trust.

With a nod to Chris, I’m kicking off 2010 with a shout out to five Twit-tastic beauty brands who are, indeed, “doing it right,” and expanding their communities via social media.

Urban Decay (@UrbanDecay411)
This fierce and fantastic beauty brand is as cutting edge with technology as they are with their cosmetics. They tweet out a constant stream of beauty tips, product launch info as well as loads of contests and exclusive discounts. They engage their fans, answer questions and offer product suggestions. Added bonus: they just announced (via Twitter) a new Alice In Wonderland-inspired limited edition make up palette.

Weleda (@Weleda)
This organic skin care company was founded in 1921, but they use social media like young whipper snappers. Follow them and be alerted to product giveaways, product discounts, and links to posts on their fantastic blog. They are always up for engaging with their fans–they have respond to every @Weleda tweet I have blasted out!

PCA Skin (@PCA_SKIN)
This fantastic results oriented treatment line is the go-to line for many skin care pros (particularly their pro-peel products). Their esthetician continuing education is top-notch, and they tweet out fantastic links to really smart and well researched scientific articles on skin care. They are fairly new to the Twitter-verse, and are not chained to updating their stream, but when they do post a Tweet, it’s always worth reading.

e.l.f. Cosmetics (@eyeslipsface)
This brand gained cult status with their super cute makeup at bargain basement prices. They tweet out some great makeup tips, links to video tutorials on using the products as well as links to product giveaways and special promos. They clearly adore their fans—taking time to answer questions and constantly giving shout-outs.

Blow NYC (@blowdrybeauty)
Whoever handles Blow’s stream is so up for engaging on Twitter that she tweeted from a Miami Heat game over the holidays. I have had some fun exchanges with Blow over the months, and their Twitter stream often makes me giggle. Follow NYC’s first blow dry bar for access to special offers, discounts and hair tips.

Originally published on Technorati on January 5, 2010

So it looks like this has been up on YouTube for a few years, but I am just now paying attention. And you should too!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U]

This is part of Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty, and shows everything that goes into making a model perfect, right down to Photoshop.

Manly man husband is an expert retoucher, and he does it for a living. Years ago he did piles of celeb and model retouches. When I was younger and gave a shit, I used to ask him to doctor pictures of me as well. He did a fantastic job. I looked not quite myself, but the not quite myself always looked a lot better than my real self did.

I am not a fan of Dove products (too drying) but I am pretty impressed with what they are doing with their campaign. I don’t want to be skeptical of their motives, as I usually am with corporate entities who decide to jump into one cause or another, as large corporation motives are usual driven solely by monetary gain. But since Dove started this campaign, I do have a warm fuzzy feeling associated with the brand. That doesn’t mean that I will buy their crap products, but I will support their push to educate the public about how these images are crafted.

There was another beauty event today at CVS, and this time I was THERE when it was actually going on! And apparently I was the only one. The cosmetics aisle was deserted.

A person who I think was one of their famous beauty advisers walked past me while I was poking around, pleasantly said hello, answered the phone and then promptly disappeared. Perhaps she was a beauty mirage?

Once again, CVS, a big old marketing fail.

Remember my post about my local CVS’s brilliant marketing strategy? Well, they had their Vichy Beauty Event–they were giving FREE 5 minute skin consultations. FREE! And I missed it by 15 minutes.

The marketing strategy for this event was my favorite homemade sign now placed outside of the CVS doors (blue marker smeared) and two deflated balloons, one blue and one white (Vichy’s colors, get it?!)

I raced in hoping that maybe, just maybe, they were backed up with customers and I would get my FREE 5 minute skin consultation! But the beauty aisle looked empty. I decided to ask the cashier because maybe, just maybe, the “beauty adviser” hadn’t left yet and would be willing to squeeze out an additional 5 minutes in the name of a sale.

NYCEsthy: Hi! Did I miss the beauty event?

Cashier: The what? (she looked at me suspiciously, like I may rob the place)

NYCEsthy: The beauty event. The one with Vichy?

Cashier: A Vichy event? That was supposed to be today? Where did you see that? (Clearly, there was a stampede for 5 minute FREE skin consultations.)

NYCEsthy: The sign, outside. Right out front.

Cashier: Oh, let me call one of the beauty advisers for you.

So I wait by a table they have crammed in the corner by the door, adorned in a blue and white paper table cloth, with handwritten index cards (Best for Acne! Best Moisturizer! Best weekly Exfoliator!) stuck to various Vichy bottles with scotch tape.

The cashier, now with someone else with her, runs outside and looks at the sign and then comes over.

Cashier: This is the manager. All of our beauty advisers are gone.

Manager: The event ended at 4. No one can help you. We aren’t trained on the product.

No FREE 5 minute skin consultation for me.

So I came back here and hit the google to see what the requirements are for a CVS Beauty Adviser. And I couldn’t find anything. What I could dig up is that the Beauty Dept manager needs 2 years in a retail environment and a cosmetology license is preferred (but not required). Similarly, a beauty adviser position for their Beauty 360 store in CA mentioned that a cosmetology or esthetics license is preferred (again, not required).

I can’t say anything about Vichy products themselves, since I have never tried them. There were a few samples scattered on the table, but nothing appropriate for my skin type. What I do know is that Vichy is owned by L’Oreal and apparently the number 1 selling drugstore brand in Europe.

I feel like Vichy is priced a bit high for a drugstore brand, and since money’s a little tight right now, I am not up for dropping a chunk of cash on a product I have not had a chance to sample.

Fearless readers, if you have tried Vichy, please share in the comments! I am genuinely curious!

Did you know that CVS is unrolling a beefed up beauty department called Beauty 360? So far, they have locations in CA, CT and DC. The competition is concerning some estheticians–but it looks like they are dippng a toe in the prestige market and are a more mainstreamed Sephora (if that’s even possible).

That said, a stroll past my local CVS (to be fair, one that is sans Beauty 360), leads me to believe they may need a little help in the marketing department.

The welcoming sign that invites shoppers to "Beauty"

Makes you want to rush to this in-store event

The "item of the week" display... Highlighting with neon orange is an interesting touch