Dear reader,
Welcome to the Summer issue of Retail Beauty. Summer is my absolute favourite time of year. I just can’t get enough sun, surf and sand – slathered head to toe with SPF 50+ of course.
Perhaps you are reading this issue while lying on the sand, but chances are you, you’re flicking through it while on a quick break as the chaos of Christmas shopping and Boxing Day sales surrounds you.
The good news is that retail performance this year continues to be strong, despite a drop in consumer confidence due to interest rate hikes and inflation. Sales are well up on pre-pandemic levels as shoppers flock to the shops for some retail therapy.
More and more we are seeing fun, immersive and informative types of retail experiences being executed that keep customers coming back. In the last few weeks alone, I was lucky enough to visit a number of pop-ups in Sydney by brands including L’Occitane, Clinique, Trinny London, ghd, Prada Beauty and more.
I also had a tour of the three-storey Lotte Duty Free flagship store in Sydney. Beauty is a huge part of the mix with more than 100 brands available and many of them offering personalised treatments or services, as well as limited edition exclusives, all contributing to an elevated engaging customer experience that can’t be enjoyed online (or when you’re rushing to catch a plane).
Aside from in-store personalisation and activations, shoppers are also looking to shop more sustainably.
Research from the Mintel Consulting 2022 Sustainability Barometer shows that with our extreme and more frequent climate events in recent years – from droughts to bushfires and floods –consumer engagement in sustainability has deepened. Aussie shoppers are doing more to protect the environment and expect brands to do the same. Read more on page 36.
But as Australian consumers flock to products made with the environment in mind, the skincare and cosmetic sector has become an increasingly confusing space, with countless claims now made on product labels. Niki Ford, CEO of Australian Organic Limited, talks to Retail Beauty about how the term ‘organic’ is commonly misused in the beauty industry, which has had damaging effects in the market and eroded consumer trust. See page 32.
This jam-packed issue also features interviews with industry heavyweights such as Steven Chaur, managing director and CEO of Hiro Brands (page 16), Cheryl Ross, founder of Minenssey (page 38) Jeanne Chavez, founder and chief innovation officer at about-face beauty (page 60) and Gabrielle Tully, head of marketing at Priceline Pharmacy (page 52).
In keeping with the summer theme, Jodie Phillips, managing director of Chemcorp, sits down with Elisabeth King to talk about pureTAN’s new sustainable packaging and formulas (page 14) while Michael Marzano, Agence de Parfum national education manager, shares what’s hot, and what’s not, when it comes to fragrance this summer, see page 46.
I’d like to wrap up by thanking you for your support throughout 2022. It has been a promising year for the retail beauty industry, and I hope you continue to read and share the magazine with your colleagues, jump onto our website for the latest news and sign up for our weekly e-newsletter.
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Love Michelle
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