International News

Actor Patrick Dempsey announces the donation by the Instituto Avon of a digital mammography unit to Federal University of São Paulo.

BRAZIL: During his recent visit to Brazil for the launch of his second fragrance with Avon, Patrick Dempsey joined Avon Brazil president Luis Felipe Miranda to announce the donation of a digital mammography unit to the Gynecology Department of the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP).

Also joining Dempsey and Miranda were Dr. Alonso Nazario, chief of the Gynecology Department at the Federal University of São Paulo; Dr. Walter Manna Albertoni, dean of the Federal University of São Paulo; and Lirio Cipriani, executive director, Instituto Avon.

“This public-private partnership fills us with pride, since it enables us to save many lives. The digital equipment can perform 50% more mammograms per day compared to the analogical equipment. It will also provide UNIFESP medical students and residents the opportunity to work with the latest technology,” said Nazario.

In Brazil, 10,000 women die of breast cancer every year. Brazilian Cancer Institute INCA estimates another 50,000 cases will be diagnosed until the end of 2010—137 new cases per day, and more than five new cases per hour.


From Tokyo to Harlem: M.A.C Viva Glam Piano Benefits HIV Services

JAPAN: At the M.A.C Cosmetics and the M.A.C Aids Fund Pan-Asia Viva Glam launch in Japan, held at Tokyo’s Grand Hyatt Hotel, more than 30 Asian and worldwide media representatives and 900 guests experienced an electric performance by Viva Glam spokesperson Lady Gaga featuring a one-of-a-kind M.A.C Viva Glam inspired piano, specially designed and crafted by Canadian artist Terence Koh.

The piano—signed by Lady Gaga—was auctioned at the Donatella Versace/Anna Wintour Art of Elysium event in New York City on April 30. Funds were donated to The Harlem Hospital’s Family Care Centre in New York, a program that provides comprehensive medical, psychological and social services to HIV-infected children and their families.


Aveeno Heads Down Under

AUSTRALIA: Johnson & Johnson’s Active Naturals Institute is expanding its reach to include Australia, coinciding with the recent launch of Aveeno products. With Australia, the Active Natural Institute is now available in 11 countries including France, Greece, Italy, the UK and the U.S.
More info: www.activenaturalsinstitute.com


Franklin Templeton Unit Invests in Water Oasis Group

HONG KONG: Darby Overseas Investments, Ltd., the private equity arm of Franklin Templeton Investments, said its Darby Asia Mezzanine Fund II (DAMF II) made a $10 million investment in Water Oasis Group Limited, a skin care and beauty group. The financing takes the form of equity shares and convertible bonds.

“Our fundamental investment strategy is based on supplying otherwise scarce risk capital to well managed mid-cap companies with good growth prospects. Water Oasis Group Limited is one of those companies and we are very pleased to add it to the DAMF II portfolio,” said David Hudson, Darby’s senior managing director for Asia and Global Infrastructure.

Founded in 1998, Water Oasis Group has established an extensive sales and distribution network in the greater China region. It operates more than 60 retail outlets with exclusive distribution rights for branded skin care products, including H2O Plus, Yves Rocher and Erno Laszlo primarily in the Greater China region.

In April 2010, the group entered into an agreement to acquire Glycel, a high-end, anti-aging skin care brand that originated in Switzerland. In March, the group launched its first self-owned and managed skin care and cosmetic products under the JM Makeup banner, which is targeted for the mass market in China.

In addition to its skin care retail business, the group operates spa, beauty and medical centers under the Oasis brand name in Hong Kong and China.
More info: wateroasis.com.hk

Farrow & Ball, Jo Malone Create Candle Collection UNITED KINGDOM: Farrow & Ball—the well-known UK specialty paint and wallpaper company—has joined forces with Jo Malone on a new collection of colored candles. The five candles in the limited edition range have been matched with a Farrow & Ball hues that are said to be “intrinsically linked to the unique inspiration behind each scent.” The range includes Lime Basil & Mandarin (teamed with Farrow & Ball Breakfast Room Green No. 81), Wild Fig & Cassis Home Candle (Farrow & Ball Pelt No. 254), Blue Agava & Cacao Home Candle (Farrow & Ball Oval Room Blue No. 85), Grapefruit Home Candle (Farrow & Ball Farrow’s Cream No. 67) and Pomegranate Noir Home Candle (Farrow & Ball Eating Room Red No. 43). The Jo Malone with Farrow & Ball Collector’s Edition Colored Candles, which are $65 each, are available for a limited period through Farrow & Ball showrooms, selected shops, Jo Malone boutiques and online at jomalone.com.

Saudi Hair Salons Post Double Digit Growth

SAUDI ARABIA: Despite a very strict dress code for women, the Saudi hair salon market has exploded during the past decade with salons registering double-digit growth rates annually, according to new data released by Diagonal Reports.

According to the Irish market research firm, consumer spending has benefited from the strong performance of the Saudi Arabian economy, which is the largest in the Middle East. Women of all ages are spending more on their personal appearance. And while Saudi women are entering the workforce in ever-larger numbers, what is proving even more crucial, is that girls are continuing at second-level and going on to third-level education.

At salons in areas such as Jeddah and Riyadh, university students and graduates now account for the largest consumer segment, second only to working women.

While there is a very strict dress code for women in the kingdom, stylists note that their clients can change their look with a new and more modern hair color and style up to four times a year. This desire for a new image peaks seasonally (such as with Islamic Enid festivities) or marks life-changing events such as starting college.

As in most countries, hair coloring—the most cost- and time-effective transformation—accounts for just fewer than 50% of salons’ revenues.

Hair salons in Saudi Arabia actually register as dress making businesses because no women’s hair salon category as such exists for licensing purposes. The many unregistered or hidden salons actually doing business across the country, according to the report, in reality, dwarf the relatively small number of official salons. In addition, it can be difficult for women to get to salons—as they cannot drive or travel alone in Saudi Arabia—so many freelance hairdressers and casual stylists fill that market niche.

Different interpretations of the laws governing the taking of photographs or displaying images of women make it more challenging for hair or beauty care services and products to be promoted. Salons cannot have street windows or use images of women as promotional tools to the public. Therefore, mega salons showcase (inside the salon) photos of their foreign staff with their colored or styled hair as tangible proof of the quality hair care services offered. New media, which allows for direct promotion and communication between salons and their clients, plays a crucial role in the salon market.

Social networking sites, which cover topics such as makeup and hair care and other issues, can attract over a million Saudi women. Client referrals are also an effective marketing tool for Saudi Arabian salons, according to the study.

The Saudi Arabian market is conservative and this is reflected in the relatively restricted range of brands and products used in salons. Stylists maintain that their clients are unwilling to take risks with new products. Brand-wise, it is a two horse race between L’Oréal and Wella, according to the report. However, launches of new salon brands are doing well so the top brands’ dominance of the Saudi Arabian professional channel will be challenged.

Diagonal Reports segments salons operating in Saudi Arabia by mega salons, medium, small and home hairdresser categories and identifies the companies and brands used in salons. It also determines the value of the main hair salon service categories of coloring, straightening and styling. The research also explains how salons market to their clients given the restrictions on salons, use of women’s images and movements.
More info: www.diagonalreports.com


Fragrance Foundation Links with Perfumery Club of Moscow

MOSCOW: The Fragrance Foundation, New York, has forged a partnership with The Perfumery Club headquartered in Moscow, Russia.

The Perfumery Club, which was started in 2004, will utilize the trademark FiFi Awards as part of the promotion and development of the fragrance industry in Russia. In addition, it will create a board of directors, a calendar of programs and events in line with the core mission statement of The Fragrance Foundation and its International partnerships and licensees in France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Australia and the United Arab Emirates.
More info: www.fragrance.org


LVMH Creates Fragrance Unit

FRANCE: LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton is creating a new structure called LVMH Fragrance Brands—comprising Givenchy, Kenzo, Pucci and Fendi—within its perfumes and cosmetics division. The aim is to regroup the sales forces of those brands while maintaining each one’s individual creative, marketing and communications activities.

In the past, some of the fragrance brands created by LVMH-owned brands, such as Marc Jacobs (Parfums Givenchy) and Christian Lacroix (Parfums Christian Dior), ended up being outsourced to other firms. With LVMH Fragrance Brands, Givenchy, Kenzo, Pucci and Fendi’s fragrance brands’ creative platforms are to remain separate and independent from one another.

Sojitz Creates Naturecia Cosmetics Line JAPAN: Japanese conglomerate Sojitz Corporation has entered cosmetic market with its own mail-order line. Sojitz Cosmetics Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sojitz Corporation, is touting the Naturecia brand. The series, which consists of lotion, essence and cream, features 100% deepwater from the Toyama Bay, which reportedly contains an abundance of minerals, and water from the Izumo Yumura hot spring, which has “high osmotic pressure effects” as the base.

NETHERLANDS: Colgate-Palmolive Co. has received approval to stop selling its common stock on the Amsterdam stock exchange. The shares were scheduled to be delisted from NYSE Euronext Amsterdam before the opening of the market on June 21.

Colgate-Palmolive delisted from NYSE-Euronext Paris in April. It also plans to remove its stock from other European exchanges. The stock trades in Frankfurt, London and Zurich.


L’Occitane’s IPO Funds Earmarked for New Stores

HONG KONG: L’Occitane plans to use the money raised from its recent IPO in Hong Kong to open a number of new stores and make improvements to its manufacturing sites. The luxury skin care group—the first French firm to have an IPO in Hong Kong—raised more than $700 million, according to a number of published reports.

According to the French cosmetics and skin care firm, it has designed approximately 65% for new L’Occitane and Melvita store openings globally, which may include “high-growth emerging markets such as China, Brazil, Russia, India and Mexico,” as well as countries where it has “not yet achieved a mature presence such as Japan, the U.S., the UK, Germany and Korea.”

L’Occitane said 20% of new funds will be used to extend and improve of manufacturing plants in Manosque and Lagorce and to build a new central warehouse.

Approximately 5% of the funds have been earmarked equally for the development of research and development and internet and e-commerce channels, and 10% is slated for working capital, according to a statement released by the company ahead of the offering.

L’Occitane said it will invest approximately $61 million between 2010 and 2014 for the extension and improvement of its manufacturing plants in Manosque and Lagorce.


Home Scents Cleaners Stocked By Historic Trust

UNITED KINGDOM: The National Trust is now stocking Home Scents’ range of home cleaning products at selected properties across Northumberland.

Home Scents also sells personal care products.

The Trust has agreed to sell 13 of the Hexham-based eco-cleaning company’s products, including kitchen and floor cleaners, anti-viral products and room spray—all of which are formulated with natural ingredients and essential oils and hand mixed by Home Scents founder Judith Mathias.

“We are excited that we will be supplying National Trust visitors with our natural home cleaning products. We are very grateful to the Trust for supporting a small local business like ours in this way,” said Mathias. “We are totally committed to using all natural and high quality ingredients in our products so that they meet the high standards that the National Trust expects for its customers.”
More info: www.homescents.co.uk


Shiseido To Offer Employees Telecommuting

JAPAN: Starting in fiscal 2011, Shiseido said it will let employees work from home so that they can raise children or provide nursing care for family members.

The telecommuting program is being offered on a trial basis this fiscal year for a few workers, according to a report published in the Nikkei.

A telecommuting option was included in Shiseido’s three-year action plan for promoting gender equality, which also set targets for the percentage of women in management positions and called for more reassignments of women to different departments so that they can acquire experience in various fields. In 2005, the Japanese cosmetics company set a goal to have women occupy 30% of all management positions by fiscal 2013. Shiseido’s percentage has risen from 12% in fiscal 2005 to 19% in fiscal 2009, according to the report.