Amongst the rows of product filling the show floor of the San Diego Convention Center, several themes emerged, offering a window into beauty and personal care trends building momentum heading into 2004.

Tough times “have consumers on the hunt for value. Several beauty manufacturers have responded by introducing multiple-use products or by grouping several color shades on one palette. Others have taken to grouping several products together in gift sets or cosmetics cases.

While value might be top of mind, consumers are not willing to sacrifice quality for quantity, which is why many beauty marketers have taken packaging cues from department store brands, such as Stila, Nars and Mac. For example, lip glosses–a segment that continues to gain steam as a hot item in the color cosmetics category–were packaged in multi-shade palettes, shower-head sponge applicators and twist-and-brush-on stylus instruments.

Several beauty companies have updated and upscaled their lines, banking on the selling power of masstige products in the drug store channel. In their view, refreshed packaging and updated shade collections will grab the attention of shoppers who frequent department store beauty counters.

Several ethnic beauty companies, eyeing the potential to reach more consumers, have introduced products that cast a wider net. In some cases, updated colors and sheerer formulations have been added to the mix, allowing women of various ethnic backgrounds, namely Asian and Hispanic, to find relevant products and shades within cosmetics lines that traditionally have targeted African-American women.

Posner, which throughout its 50-year history has catered to African-American women, has updated to a more universal color range and has plans to broaden its marketing approach to speak to women of various ethnic backgrounds and ages.

At the same time, large general market beauty companies continue to drum up ways to be more relevant to ethnic women.

Following her presentation of the Essence WOW Report on African-American women, Veronica Wilson, advertising account executive for Essence magazine, named L’Oreal one such beauty company that effectively reaches out beyond the general market to identify and acknowledge various ethnic groups, particularly through advertising.

Revlon also is working to reach a broader spectrum of women, as seen in glitzy, national advertising campaigns featuring actresses Halle Berry and Eva Mendes, who is of Cuban descent.

While the economy has heightened consumers’ awareness and sensitivity of value, the influence of cultures and ethnicities throughout the world is laying the framework for more long-term trends, namely beauty products with global appeal.

New and noteworthy

The ability to stand out among the thousands of products housed within the cosmetics and fragrance hall at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores’ Marketplace show is a kind of litmus test to see if a new introduction can hold its own on the shelf.

Combing through each booth in search of standout innovations can be exhausting, but by the end of the three-day Marketplace conference, a slew of products in several key personal care categories had generated substantial buzz.

Skin care continues to churn out new technologies and new ingredient introductions. That said, Canus has been churning out a line of skin care products based on the naturally moisturizing properties of goat’s milk and has since expanded the line to cater to the, younger set with the recent launch of Li’l Goat’s Milk.

While it has yet to release all the details, the Andrew Jergens’ brand Biore has plans to reinforce its pore-perfect positioning with a new introduction that hinges on Food and Drug Administration approval.

On the cosmetics front, Elizabeth Arden will bring its Elizabeth Taylor brand from the fragrance counter to the beauty aisle with the launch of the Elizabeth Taylor Color Collection, designed to appeal to both the White Diamonds and the Forever Elizabeth fragrance user.

Ethnic beauty marketer Posner Cosmetics, which has extended its focus from African-American women to other women of color, updated product formulations, packaging and shade collections for the launch of its new masstige makeup line dubbed Luxe Looks.

Caboodles Cosmetics continues to crank out fun, trendy cosmetics that cater to the ‘tween and teen crowds. Plans for 2004 include sparkling lip glosses and lip jellies and makeup palettes, namely Wink for eyes and Pout for lips.

Teen People Trend-spotters singled out Lotta Luv’s Candy Corner Cosmetics collection as the most buzzworthy product at Marketplace. Another cosmetics manufacturer getting mileage out of candy licenses is Added Extras, whose brand portfolio includes Hot Tamales, Mike and Ike and Nerds, among others.