Last Thursday, I attended an American International Industries press event, where the Los Angeles-based one-stop beauty products supplier unveiled beautiful packaging for its GiGi hair-removal products.

The new look, which started with a slow rollout of several SKUs last March, gets an A+ from me. It will certainly enhance and elevate GiGi’s shelf presence and communication in beauty stores worldwide.

Classic GiGi design elements and colors are incorporated into the clean, fresh design, and new botanical images highlight noteworthy ingredients. The process was a collaborative effort between A.I.I.’s art, marketing and sales departments, and the results convey a consistent message, brand image and quality standards.

Professional products in the line include a full complement of soft and hard waxes, pre- and post-waxing products and waxing accessories. GiGi also has a complete paraffin line, featuring seven therapeutic waxes and accessories.

At the event for trade- and consumer-press members, I got my first-ever paraffin hand treatment—my hands are still so soft—as well as my eyebrows “fixed.” Both were complimentary, and I’m sold on these two salon/spa services. Attention westside L.A. salon stores: At a later date, I will be heading to the business that carries these GiGi products to pay for these salon services!

By the way, GiGi offers educational materials, classes, trained support staff and a customer service center at 800.621.9585.

See you next Wednesday,
Marc

You’ve no doubt followed the recent publicity about the terrorism conspiracy and beauty supplies in the Denver area. As a beauty supply owner/manager, have you established a policy regarding the sale of those chemicals obtained? If so, what is it?

I want to talk with people in the professional-beauty industry involved with these chemicals. If you’re interested, please email me, mbirenbaum@creativeage.com.

See you next Wednesday,
Marc

About two months ago I blogged about the amazing Protest the Beauty B.S. Video Contest from Cosmedicine, a skincare supplier. It called for spoofs, satires and parodies of misleading and hard-to-believe advertisements. The contest is now over, and the entries generated more than 41,000 online views.

The $5,000 winner is Results Not Guaranteed by Anthony Bui of Harbor City, California, who parodied the behind-the-scenes cynicism and dishonesty of a splashy print beauty ad shoot.

Nutrina Painless Leg Wax by Alec Wells of Los Angeles, Nividia by Jon Salmon of Los Angeles and Rosyline by Jennifer Lorenzo of Miami were honorable mentions. The remaining finalists, notable submissions and other contest videos can be viewed by clicking on this.

See you next Wednesday,
Marc

Sometimes, a new professional beauty product hits the market, and you just have one of those “wow” moments and know it will be an instant hit. It’s so simple, so smart and so needed. The innovative iCape, showcased at Armstrong McCall’s 27th Annual World’s Fair of Cosmetic Arts & Sciences in San Antonio on Sept. 13-14, is such a product.

Available through Capemakers and Bric McMann Industries, the patent-pending iCape is a hair-cutting cape with a clear window in the lap area through which salon customers can safely read emails, text messages, news, electronic books and digital magazines, etc., with most electronic devices. (Think Apple iPhone, Apple iPod, RIM BlackBerry, Palm Pre, Amazon Kindle, Sony eReader, and Nintendo DS and DSi, among others.) The iCape is being made under an exclusive license agreement by Bric McMann Industries.

I’m sure that any beauty store offering this item will see it sell well. Why? Because it’s unique in that it meets the needs of 21st-century customers, enabling them to remain productive while enjoying their salon experiences.

The reason for this SKU’s surefire sale is in the data too. In an April 2009 Pew Research survey, 32% of Americans reported going online with a mobile device for email, accessing the Internet or sending instant messages. That’s up from 24% in December 2007—and the figure will continue to increase.

The buzz I’ve heard about this item started at the show and has, understandably, grown louder since among the industry people I routinely talk to. Surprisingly, it has been reported on in a number of places, but none in the salon industry that I know of. At the show, interest at the Bric McMann booth was reported as brisk, and more than 70 iCapes were handed out by stylists at a major exhibitor.

“As more and more customers stay connected wirelessly, salons offering device-friendly policies will deliver a terrific customer experience that will set them apart,” says James Alexander, the inventor of the iCape. “In addition to its convenience, the iCape can also help a salon promote a silent cell-phone policy in a friendly way.”

Eric Hofmann, Bric McMann president, adds, “The iCape is a game-changer … it turns a routine business expense into a competitive advantage for salons. The iCape is a great value because it’s made of the highest-quality materials [water-resistant, 100% nylon], but costs less than most premium cutting capes.”

The iCape is about 45 inches by 60 inches and typically has corded edges and a five-snap neck closure from 9 inches to 19 inches. It includes what’s called the PrivacyPouch and the CordCover. The PrivacyPouch is a large pocket on the inside of the cape, giving the wearer total privacy and a place to put his or her device. The CordCover is a small flap that lets a device’s cord through the cape, but keeps water and chemicals out.

Ladies and gentlemen, if I were a professional beauty products distributor or a salon-store owner/manager, I would jump on this one right away. In the distant past, the salon/spa apparel category was downright boring and practically an afterthought. Now, it’s cutting-edge, fashion-forward and fiercely competitive—and the suppliers actually are among the salon-industry leaders in innovation. Who would have thought that back in those “good, old days” of the pro beauty biz? Thank you, manufacturers, very much. It makes my work a lot more fun. What’s next?

See you next Wednesday,
Marc