Revlon taps into graying baby boomers

Vital Radiance has been formulated for the specific skin concerns of older women, providing what the company terms as 'a complete make-up solution', and forms part of a growing number of makeup lines aimed specifically at older women.

As many analysts have pointed out, the first of the baby boomer generation are now entering the 'mature' category. The fact is that this new generation of mature consumers has more spending power and more of an interest in maintaining a youthful appearance.

As a result expenditure on a broad range of cosmetics products - including skin care and makeup ranges - that is specifically aimed at the requirements of older skins is growing significantly creating a host of opportunities for cosmetics players.

"Our research revealed that women over fifty were using less of certain cosmetics categories, such as eye products, because current offerings were not working,"​ said Stephanie Klein Peponis, chief marketing officer.

Revlon says it has concentrated on its hydrating formulas to develop a color palette that suits the specific skin needs and appearance of older women.

The formulation and design of the new range has taken into consideration the fact that skin shows more wrinkles and that eye brows and eye lashes become more sparse. The range was developed around these specific conditions, to produce a range of cosmetics that can achieve a desirable look in a short time.

To achieve this the make-up range has been divided into preparation, color, finish and application product lines.

The preparation lines include a range of products to conceal imperfections, including primers, concealers and correctors that have all been formulated using moisture-rich ingredients.

Meanwhile the color range includes palettes for face, eyes, and lips using foundation, eye shadow and lip colors. The final step is provided by the finishing products, which includes blush, mascara, and lip gloss.

A range of applicators has also been developed, including a line of brushes designed for specific products that are easy to clean.

To back up the launch of the make-up line, Revlon is providing a call line for its North American customers, aimed at providing advice concerning specific requirements for the all the Vital Radiance product lines.

A recent report from Mintel suggests that the world color cosmetics market is booming, with the number of product launches growing by 25 per cent during the course of 2004. Likewise, market researcher is predicting that growth could be even higher in 2005, as it reports strong activity in the eye and facial color segments.

North America has been the most active market, representing 53 per cent of all new products in the category during 2004.