Gwen Stefani is a new L’Oréal Paris spokespseron. |
• L’Oréal Paris has named Gwen Stefani as its newest spokesperson. Touted for musical talents, Stefani is also well recognized for her fashion savvy, including her own clothing brand, L.A.M.B. and her best-selling fragrance collection, Harajuku Lovers, a line she created with Coty Prestige.
“Gwen is a stunning artist with mesmerizing talent and we are thrilled to have her on board. She takes beauty to another dimension, somewhere between style and art. A rock star and fashion icon, she’s definitely a modern muse of her time,” said Cyril Chapuy, global brand president of L’Oréal Paris.
According to Karen T. Fondu, president of L’Oréal Paris USA, Stefani’s “unique personal style and vivacious spirit, together with her career accomplishments in both fashion and music, makes her an inspiration for women everywhere, and an exciting addition to the L’Oréal Paris family.”
Stefani joins other brands spokespersons including Jennifer Lopez, Milla Jovovich, Diane Keaton, Beyonce Knowles, Diane Kruger, Evangeline Lilly, Andie MacDowell, Julianna Margulies, Eva Longoria, Freida Pinto and Kerry Washington.
• Crest and Oral-B plan to give the “mouths of Americans a makeover.” According to the P&G brands, one-fourth of U.S. adults aged 65 and older have lost all of their teeth. Inspired by this startling statistic, Crest and Oral-B have started a cross-country crusade, the “4X Cleaner Crusade,” to educate people on how they can achieve better oral health including four times better plaque reduction with regular use of the Crest and Oral-B Pro-Health system of products compared to a regular manual toothbrush and regular anti-cavity toothpaste.
The Crusade aims to shed light on the state of oral health in America with stops in the two worst-teeth cities in America—St. Louis, MO and Philadelphia, PA—determined by findings published in a 2010 report from Men’s Health magazine. The events will allow consumers to see for themselves the plaque that is left behind on their teeth through a digital plaque imaging system. A dental professional will also meet one-on-one with consumers who receive plaque images to answer questions and offer advice about how to help prevent future dental problems.
• pHurity, Inc., a Franklin, MI-based firm that produces plant-based, renewable and biodegradable green cleaning products for consumer and commercial use, has launched a website. The site, pHurity.com, features the company’s wide variety of green cleaning and personal care products. The new website includes a list of 70 specialty grocery and health stores in Michigan, Illinois and Ohio where pHurity products are sold.
All of pHurity’s products on the market have received the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Design for the Environment (DfE) label.
• Murad Inc.’s University for Inclusive Health (UIH) has entered into an ongoing partnership with FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising to develop a new Wellness and Spa course offered under their Beauty Industry Merchandising & Marketing major. This marks the first time the University for Inclusive Health has teamed with an outside organization for ongoing educational purposes as well as the first time FIDM has collaborated with a skin care company to create, develop and educate students for class curriculum.
The Wellness and Spa course was created to help students build a foundational understanding of the role that an inclusive approach to health can have in their future careers in the beauty, spa and wellness industries. The quarterly class will debut this winter and will include special guest lecturers from Murad.
“The beauty industry continues to change and consumers now look for products, services and programs that are not just a ‘quick-fix’ but rather a way of life to look, feel and thrive at their best. Inclusive Health does just that,” said Tracey Samayeh, president of Inclusive Health. “As FIDM students are the future of the beauty industry, we at Murad are proud to partner with this elite organization to educate participants on the growing marriage of beauty and wellness, as well as prepare graduating students on how to apply these important principles in their future careers.”
The course outline and content, co-developed by Dr. Howard Murad, FAAD and founder of Murad, Inc., and Murad Inclusive Health representatives, covers the evolution of Dr. Murad’sresearch in the Science of Cellular Water, which identified the common denominator of aging and illness is cellular water loss. Students will learn how the three prongs of Inclusive Health—Topical Care, Internal Care and Emotional Self-Care—work together to create the ideal environment for optimal cellular health.
• The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation is taking its fight against breast cancer to the fragrance counter. Since the group’s founding in 1982, the Foundation has raised and invested $1.5 billion to fight breast cancer. Now, the Foundation is launching a fragrance to support breast cancer research. The scent is called Promise Me, which is the title of the book written by Nancy Brinker, founder of the organization and sister of the late Susan Komen. The title alludes to Brinker’s promise to her dying sister to launch a mission to end the pain and suffering of breast cancer.
The 3.4 oz. eau de parfum will retail for $59, with the goal of reaching nontraditional fragrance shoppers. For the mass market, the eau de toilette will come in two sizes, a 1.0 oz. for $19.99 and a 3.4 oz. for $29.99. A scented plastic bracelet will be handed out as a gift with purchase.
Brian Robinson, founder of Zirh, spearheaded the fragrance’s development. He now heads TPR Holdings LLC.
The organization estimates that the fragrance will raise a minimum of $1 million a year.
The new ad for Tim McGraw Silver. |
• To celebrate the launch of Tim McGraw’s Silver, the country music star’s latest fragrance, the Coty brand is holding a contest in which consumers can win a limited-edition belt buckle benefiting Neighbor’s Keeper.
Through Feb. 11, fans can enter for the chance to win the buckle, which features a black guitar pick set in silver featuring clear stones and a rope-patterned edge. For every entry, a donation of $1 will be made to Neighbor’s Keeper.
Both McGraw and Faith Hill founded Neighbor’s Keeper in 2004 out of their desire to help people in need and encourage the spirit of neighbors helping neighbors. The charity is involved in diverse projects with a primary emphasis on children’s initiatives.
More info: www.timmcgrawfragrances.com
•Heather Morris, a star from the hit television show “Glee,” is the new celebrity style ambassador for Flirt! Cosmetics.Morris will appear on the brand’s websites and social networks and supporting in-store and promotional efforts including a new consumer contest.
“Heather Morris is the perfect fit for the Flirt! brand and we couldn’t be more excited to have her as a part of our team,” said Julie Howard, senior vice president of marketing for Flirt! Cosmetics. “Heather is fun, sassy, playful, and of course flirty, all qualities that inherently fit with our brand personality and the direction of our new Spring product line. We feel very lucky and honored to be working with someone so talented–a true rising star.”
• Kris Jenner, mother of the Kardashian crew, has joined forces with Curél Skincare to create an exclusive limited edition coat for the season in honor of One Warm Coat, a charity dedicated to keeping America warm. The promotion, which helps promote Curél’s latest rollout, Sensitive Skin Remedy Lotion, is running until the end of the month at www.Searlenyc.com.
Kris Jenner has joined forces with Curél. |
• The new ad campaign for Playboy’s Fragrance for Men by Coty Beauty, which appears in the iconic magazine’s January 2011 issue, features mobile device image recognition technology. Mobile phone users who take a photo of any of the 2010 Playboy Playmates featured in the ad and send it to Playboy@agm.tw will receive access to exclusive images and videos and they will be able to make secure mobile purchases of Coty’s line of Playboy Fragrance for Men.
The tech company behind the program is Mobius. The firm also provides a secure e-commerce platform in support of the ad campaign, which allows users to purchase the Playboy fragrances with their cellphones. Users who register with Mobius will also have the ability to make future purchases utilizing Mobius’ “quick purchase” feature, which requests a unique image from the user to initiate and confirm a secure online transaction without the need to send credit card information.
The Playboy Fragrance for Men portfolio is carried at approximately 15,000 doors in the U.S.
• Andre Walker, seven-time Emmy winner and hair stylist to Oprah Winfrey for the past 25 years, has rolled out his own hair care collection on HSN. The collection, which is part of Oprah’s annual “My Favorite Things” list, includes four products formulated for all hair types. The line was modeled after his own custom formulas that he used for years on various clients, including Winfrey. Ingredients include whole leaf aloe vera, virgin Moroccan argan oil, green tea leaf extracts, keratin and other fine natural ingredients. Andre’s Ultimate Gift Set, sold on HSN for $65 included shampoo and conditioner, “Q” Oil (a weightless serum that smoothes, adds brilliant shine, nourishes and hydrates) and Hair Make-Up, a duo applicator wand that dries in seconds leaving a natural looking shine and color that complements and enhances a user’s current shade.
• clickR Skin Care—a new acne treatment line that recently bowed at Sephora—has named “Twilight” and “Burlesque” star Cam Gigandet (left) as its new celebrity spokesperson.
More info: www.clickrskincare.com
• Heaven’s Alchemy Perfumes, a line of undiluted, alcohol-free, chemical-free and color additive-free perfumes, uses ingredients native to or historically beloved in each city that the scents are named after and glass bottles designed to capture the look and feel of the cities they represent. Take Casablanca, which has delicate hints of Moroccan spices, vanilla and musk surrounding an intoxicating blend of flowers, including Moroccan rose, gardenia, jasmine and tuberose, housed in a container that evokes the European and Arabic influences seen in the city’s architecture and culture. Kyoto has top notes of Japanese apple and cherry blossom and melon; middle notes commanded by Asian floral scents and base notes of amber, musk, sandalwood and tonka bean in a container dominated by clean and ordered lines with carefully placed adornment.
More info: heavensalchemyperfumes.com
• Classified Cosmetics, Camarillo, CA, and Walmart have created Aero Minerale, a line of hydrating mineral makeup mists that will be sold at select Walmart stores. The launch of Aero Minerale at Walmart combines the firm’s patented aerosol airbrush with a unique, hydrating micro-mineral formula. The makeup is said to be infused with aloe plus additional moisturizing vitamins and botanicals.
The line currently includes a 5-in-1 makeup primer, 10 shades of foundation, two bronzers and a pair of illuminating shimmers.
• Oxygen Biotherapeutics has rolled out Dermacyte Oxygen Concentrate, which is said to provide high concentrations of oxygen directly to the skin without harsh side effects. A highly effective carrier that allows the transfer of large amounts of dissolved natural oxygen without the use of chemical activators like hydrogen peroxide, which is known to dry and bleach skin.
More info: www.buydermacyte.com
• Women can heat up their Valentine’s Day while preserving their youthful look with FemmeScience’s skin care products, formulated with natural ingredients that some cultures consider aphrodisiacs—like almond (a symbol of fertility and its scent is thought to induce passion in women), pomegranate and even avocado. In ancient civilizations, the Aztecs ate avocados to enhance sexual desirability, according to the company.
More info: www.femmescience.com
• Actress Shay Mitchell is the new spokesperson for the Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion collection. She will appear in a new print advertising campaign this month.
Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion tapped Shay Mitchell as a spokesperson. |
Known for her role as Emily Fields on the ABC Family series, “Pretty Little Liars,” Mitchell joins a long list of Pantene Pro-V spokespeople, including fashion maven Stacy London.
The advertisements will feature Mitchell in three youthful looks, modeling side braids, full-body volume and beautiful shine. At the advertising shoot, stylists prepped Mitchell’s strands using the Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion collection and styled it with the Pantene Pro-V Medium-Thick Hair Solutions styling products.
• Fans of deal-of-the-day sites such as Groupon and LivingSocial now have an environmentally friendly shopping option—GreenDeals.org. The new website provides daily deals on national and local online green companies. The firm says that more than 100,000 people are already signed on.
• Dynatabs’ Serenity Home Spa makes it easier to create healthy looking facial skin that appears radiant, smooth, blemish free and moisturized without any oily residue in the comfort of your own home at a fraction of the cost of spa or medical treatments. The pre-moistened therapeutic facemasks are enriched with the exact dosage of proven natural ingredients to easily deliver the actives for effective results to repair and prevent further skin damage.
The range of pre-moistened therapeutic face masks include anti-aging management, anti-acne, aloe vera eye pads and shaving repair wipes, among others.
More info: www.dynatabs.com
• Revitalash Eyelash Conditioner topped Amazon.com’s list of bestselling beauty products in 2010.
• On the one-year anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti, Tide Loads of Hope released a short documentary film that shares stories of hope, providing a glimpse into the lives of residents and relief workers in Haiti who have worked to help rebuild the lives of those who lost so much.
The film, entitled “Espwa” (meaning“hope” in Creole), documents Tide’s journey to Haiti and is narrated by five-time Grammy Award winner and Tide Loads of Hope ambassador, Faith Hill. There’s a special screening event planned for the 2011 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, UT.
With the help of Operation Blessing International, Tide Loads of Hope traveled to Haiti to provide the National University Hospital of the State of Haiti (HUEH or the “General Hospital”) and Zanmi Beni, a home for disabled orphans and abandoned children.
• The 2nd Annual Hemp History Week will be held May 2-8. As a grassroots education campaign designed to renew support for hemp farming in the U.S., Hemp History Week will feature promotions and in-store events at natural product retail outlets. A big supporter of the event is Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps.
According to Dr. Bronner’s, U.S. hemp manufacturers have been relentless in their struggle for the right to buy hemp from U.S. farmers. “For nearly 10 years, the Bronner family has financially supported efforts to lift the ban on non-drug industrial hemp farming because it is an environmentally-sustainable crop,” said David Bronner, president of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps. “Despite our efforts, we are forced to purchase the twenty tons of hemp oil that we use annually from Canada. This is a lost opportunity for American farmers and businesses, which is becoming more absurd and outrageous with each growing season that passes.”
• Girls love high heels. Maybe they’ll be drawn to Stiletto by Nicole Amy, a new musky scent with hints of vanilla bean and sandalwood, bottled in the shape of a sexy “Stiletto” heel punctuated with gold plated studs.
More info: www.nicoleamyfragrances.com
• Fake Bake’s new product line and revamped packaging has hit store shelves, including Flawless ($24), a spray-on self-tanner that is comprised of the same professional Fake Bake formula used in salons.
More info: www.FakeBake.com
L’Oréal recently celebrated its fifth annual “Women of Worth” event. |
• Ten women were honored by L’Oréal at its fifth annual Women of Worth presentation hosted by Karen Fondu, president of L’Oréal Paris, and Cathie Black, chairman of Hearst Magazines.
This year’s honorees were Robin Steele (founder of Cheerful Givers, which helps less fortunate families give birthday presents to their children), Lisa Williams (established Circle of Friends and Living Water for Girls to provide safe refuge for American girls and advocate against commercial sexual exploitation), Sue Kutz (activist for Back the Pack, a program that discretely identifies undernourished students and provides them with nutritious food on weekends to alleviate symptoms of chronic hunger), Jill Tappert (a woman who has made strides in the treatment and support available to families with autistic children through her work with Autism Society of Colorado), Taryn Davis (founder of The American Widow Project, a non-profit organization offering support and healing to this generation’s military widows across the U.S.), Ethel Paley (first executive director of FRIA, a group dedicated to making sure seniors get proper care, services and treatment from nursing homes in New York), Simone Bernstein (creator of stlouisvolunteen.com to inform teens about the many volunteer opportunities available in the area and to motivate them to act), and Berni Barta (founder of Kid Flicks, an organization that donates new and gently used age-appropriate DVDs to children in hospitals and pediatric departments.
Each woman received $5,000 for their respective charitable cause and $5,000 in their name to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF), L’Oréal Paris’ primary philanthropic partner.
• As registered nurses at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Nan Brown and Lil Bogdan spent years treating patients with burns and severe dermatological conditions.
The pair has used that experience and the knowledge they gained to created L’Athene, a line of anti-aging and sensitive skin care products that contain 100% pure pharamaceutical-grade natural ingredients. The line is being sold in doctor’s offices, hospitals and spas.
• Women’s web-based fashion retailer Shopbop.com has created a Sephora Collection Palette Color Play 5-in 1 limited-edition palette inspired by Shopbop’s forthcoming “Faces of Fashion” editorial lookbook.
“Fashion and beauty are inextricably connected, so it seemed fitting to bring them together in an editorial feature,” said Shopbop fashion director Kate Ciepluch. “Our customer loves Sephora, so we’re thrilled to partner with them on this project.”