Lip

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. — Total sales of prestige makeup experienced healthy gains during the first five months of the year, thanks to trends in dramatic eyes, soft lip shades and bold and bright nail colors, according to new beauty market research by NPD.

Year-to-date — January through May — total prestige makeup sales increased by 9% to $1.4 billion in U.S. department stores, according to the market research company. For the month of May alone, makeup posted its strongest dollar performance (+11%) in the last three years.

NEW YORK — Celebrity makeup artist and critically acclaimed "brow king" Ramy Gafni has rolled out his Fall in Love makeup collection for fall 2011 — a re-release of his classic fall favorites.

The collection, available at Duane Reade Look Boutiques, highlights this upcoming season's most beautiful, rich colors. The palette includes vivid and luminous shades, while conserving the unmistakable feeling of calmness, serenity and glamour of the season. The line consists of five beauty essentials, including:


Total U.S. beauty sales may be trending similar in the mass and prestige channels but with different drivers, according to market research provider the NPD Group.


Judging by many makeup looks on the runways of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2011 in New York, it was evident that lipstick was going to be in the shopping basket of many beauty mavens. That has proven to be the case.


According to SymphonyIRI Group, lipstick sales have experienced strong double-digit growth in the 12 weeks ended April 17. Topping the list, according to SymphonyIRI, were lip products that offer such innovation as long-wearing color like CoverGirl Outlast, Maybelline SuperStay and L’Oréal Paris 
Infallible Le Rouge.


PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. — The total prestige lip segment rose 7% to $185.2 million in U.S. department stores, with the shining star being lip color, according to beauty market research conducted by NPD.

OAK BROOK, Ill. — Chapped and cracked lips have long been a side effect associated with the common cold, especially for those congested sufferers who have to breathe strictly through their mouths. Now Blistex is introducing Blistex Cold & Allergy Lip Soother, a lip balm that incorporates an external analgesic (pramoxine HCl 1%) to help relieve the pain that comes with those cracked lips.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Mentholatum Co. has updated the packaging of its lip care line.

Softlips' package update includes a new logo and graphics, although the company retained Softlips' signature slender sticks and the light flavors/formulas. In line with the package update, the company has kicked off a new marketing campaign called "Softlips. So You."

OAK BROOK, Ill. — Almost all women take on at least one preventive health-and-wellness measure in the morning to start their day, but only half apply lip balm to protect their lips from dryness and sun damage.

In Blistex's grooming routine survey, the lip care brand found that even though 91% of women perform at least one measure that boosts their health and wellness (e.g., taking a vitamin, exercising and applying an anti-aging facial product), their lips often are abandoned, which could put them at risk for infection, Blistex said.