Category: Consumer/Pro Retail

Great ideas on the Retail spectrum in our industry, common practices, quotes, and ideas.

Coty Changing The Definitions Of Beauty

~ Joseph Kellner

One of the world’s largest beauty companies with a portfolio of iconic brands across fragrance, color cosmetics, skin and body care, launches a new campaign to change the dictionary definitions of beauty. The #UndefineBeauty campaign recognizes that the current English language definitions of the term ‘beauty’ are outdated and no longer reflect the values of today’s society. Specifically, the examples cited under the current entries for ‘beauty’ across the leading English dictionaries are both limiting and exclusive.

Sue Y. Nabi, Coty’s CEO, has written an open letter to the major Dictionary houses, co-signed by the Company’s Executive Committee and Senior Leadership Team, highlighting the outdated nature of their definitions, and their need for review.

Sue Y. Nabi said, “Seen through the lens of today’s society and values, the definition of beauty hasn’t aged well. Of course, not all people are impacted by, or feel excluded by these definitions. But the implicit ageism and sexism in the examples were born in a different time. We believe it’s time to bridge the gap – time to bring the definition to where society is today. By changing the definition, if more people feel included – feel beautiful – there will be a ripple effect which touches us all.”

“At Coty, we believe that no one can control or dictate what is, or is not, beautiful,” said Sue Y. Nabi. That is why the campaign to #UndefineBeauty aims to ‘undefine’ rather than simply ‘redefine’ beauty, so that no one feels excluded by the definition or examples that accompany it. Founded in Paris in 1904, Coty is one of the world’s largest beauty companies with a portfolio of iconic brands across fragrance, color cosmetics, and skin and body care. Coty serves consumers around the world, selling prestige and mass market products in more than 130 countries and territories. Coty and our brands empower people to express themselves freely, creating their own visions of beauty; and we are committed to making a positive impact on the planet.

Exposure To Benzene Is Not Safe

~ Joseph Kellner

Two customers sued Pierre Fabre USA Inc., the maker of Klorane dry shampoo. The consumers claim that Klorane dry shampoo contains benzene, a carcinogen. The Klorane class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Two Illinois consumers claim that Klorane dry shampoo contains benzene, a human carcinogen. Plaintiffs Magdalena Bojko and Courtney Heeren claim they have each spent at least $40 on Klorane dry shampoo and purchased Klorane Dry Shampoo with Nettle and Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk. Allegedly, they relied on the labeling and advertisements of the products to make their purchasing decision. Bojko and Heeren claim that Pierre Fabre does not disclose the presence of benzene in its products so they purchased the dry shampoo believing it to be safe for use, according to the Klorane dry shampoo class action.

Bojko’s and Heeren’s claims that Klorane dry shampoo contains benzene are part of a concern that the carcinogen may be present in a range of aerosol dry shampoos. Valisure, an independent laboratory, petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to test various dry shampoos for benzene after discovering the presence of the chemical in some products, the Klorane benzene lawsuit states.

Benzene appears in the aerosol Klorane dry shampoo as a propellant, allowing the product to be aerosolized, the class action claims. Allegedly, benzene and other volatile propellants are derived from crude oil. 

While people come into contact with low levels of benzene in many contexts, the FDA has determined that no level of exposure to benzene is safe, the Korane benzene class action states. It claims that benzene exposure has been linked to the development of many types of cancers.  

Bojko and Heeren claim that when customers use the dry shampoo, they spray it very near their face in what is likely a closed environment, like a bathroom. This means they likely breathe in the product, according to the lawsuit. Bojko and Heeren also seek financial compensation for themselves and other consumers, claiming that they were financially injured by Pierre Fabre and the company’s failure to adequately inform consumers of the benzene in Klorane.

Magdalena Bojko and Courtney Heeren are represented by Gary Klinger, Nick Suciu III, Erin J. Ruben and Alex Honeycutt of Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman PLLC, Jeff Ostrow and Kristen Lake Cardoso of Kopelowitz Ostrow Ferguson Weiselberg Gilbert and Max S. Roberts and Sarah N. Westcot of Bursor & Fisher PA.

Clients Have Changed Since The Government Lock Down

~ Joseph Kellner

Inflation and/or stock market volatility are not causing a slowdown in spending from salon clients. Those that did report a decrease in spending (47.1 percent) said they’re experiencing less frequent visits, a decline in add-on services, a delay in appointments and less spending on retail. And, of course, some clients have opted to take their hair routine into their own hands, coloring at home or embracing their grey. Those who are seeing an uptick in services said they are mostly conditioning treatments, smoothing services and color upgrades. Yes this industry will be changing. Especially if we see a depression in the future. Right now a lot of consumers have to worry about the increase in gas, rent, mortgages, food etc. In the next few months we will see new elections come arising and people will vote for there choose. A lot of citizens are very unhappy with the current administration and there handling of nationwide matters. Maybe the tide will change for the better for our nation. But to me there is a change in priority in beauty needs. Basic survival is the constant now. Not hair.

  • Clients are expressing more creativity and spontaneity, and especially a willingness to try new services.
  • Clients are booking standing appointments as far out as a year.
  • Clients are seeking low or bald haircuts to spend less on maintenance.

No More Professional Licenses

~ Joseph Kellner

Mississippi no longer requires professional licenses for people who offer low-risk beauty services, a change that will save residents thousands of dollars and hours of time spent on training. House Bill 1312 was signed by Gov. Tate Reeves April 9, and it became law immediately. It removes certification requirements for people who work as eyebrow threaders, eyelash technicians or makeup artists.

The Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology previously required people who receive money for these services to earn an esthetician license. The license requires training and exams, but none of the training deals with applying false eyelashes or eyebrow threading, the technique of using a single strand of cotton thread to remove hair. The legislation was prompted by multiple lawsuits against the board. The first was filed in 2019 on behalf of eyebrow threader Dipa Bhattarai by Mississippi Justice Institute, the legal arm of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy, which advocates for free markets and limited regulation.

Bhattarai, now 26, was forced to close her eyebrow threading business in early 2018 after she received a citation for not having a license. She started her business while studying for an accounting degree at Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, as a way to help pay for school. Bhattarai learned eyebrow threading growing up in her native Nepal, where her aunt owned a salon. Bhattarai said there were few beauty service providers offering eyebrow threading when she opened her business. She started in a mall kiosk and soon expanded to two storefronts, in Starkville and Columbus. She served more than 3,000 customers in two years of business. When she had to close, four employees lost work. Bhattarai, who had just begun graduate school, lost thousands of dollars of business, all the while continuing to pay rent for her stores, which were under lease.

Mississippi Justice Institute director Aaron Rice said these kinds of regulations disproportionately impact the poor, minorities and young people. “A lot of times the people who are trying to get their start in life and get into the market or the workforce are young people who may not have an occupational license,” he said. “That barrier may be more than they can overcome in order to get into a work setting.” In 2020, Madison eyelash technician Amy Burks threatened litigation against the Board of Cosmetology after it threatened to shut down her business of five years because she had no license. Another lawsuit was filed by Fulton makeup artist Karrece Stewart in 2020.

Stewart said she was inspired to push for the law after hearing about Melony Armstrong, a Black woman who fought to get a law passed removing licensure requirements for hair braiding 15 years ago. “She told me what I needed to do to make my dream come true,” said Stewart, who said she spoke with Armstrong when preparing to file her lawsuit. Standing in her salon on Wednesday, Burks said she is grateful to be able to continue her work legally now that the law has changed. “For me personally, it was an integrity issue. It really bothered me to think that I was doing something illegal,” she said. “We have so many clients, and this has just been so overwhelming all the support that we have gotten.”





UK Government to Help The Hairdressing Industry

~ Joseph Kellner

The hair industry has been one of the most affected sectors from the pandemic and the National Hair & Beauty Federation’s (NHBF) latest report shows turnover falling by 45% in 2020, compared to 2019.

Due to social distancing restrictions, salon capacity fell to 70% of what it was before the pandemic began, with hair businesses losing on average two hours of appointment time per stylist per day, the report found.

The average cash loss to a business in 2020 was £17,000, with those over the VAT threshold taking an even bigger hit, and one in 10 businesses did not return any income or dividend to their owners or managers, the data revealed. Full-time employment in the sector is also down 21% on 2019 figures.

As such, the NHBF states that there are now many hair and beauty businesses which are acutely vulnerable to failure in the next 12 months, especially as 2021 is expected to be just as tough a year as 2020. Without further support from Government, most expect to survive two-to-three months (from January 2021) if coronavirus lock-down continues, the NHBF’s report states.

The report also revealed that the Covid-19 crisis has a disproportionate impact on women and those in deprived communities – for example, hair and beauty business owners are 82% female, with an 88% female workforce.

There is also a higher proportion of personal care businesses than any other sector in the most deprived areas of the UK, with closure of these places posing a risk to those in the local community who are most likely to be employed at these salons.

Reducing VAT to 5% would add £16,000 to the average VAT registered business, closing the cash gap by one-third, states the report. This would reduce to 6% the proportion of businesses not returning anything to their owners or managers.

If 18% of the businesses which would have otherwise failed survive as a result of reducing VAT to 5%, then the policy pays for itself through the taxes they will pay.

Talking about the NHBF’s report findings, chief executive Richard Lambert said: “While the future could be bleak for the personal care sector, intervention now and immediately following reopening will have a life-changing positive effect. There’s nothing coming in, but the overheads still have to be paid. When we are closed, we are closed. We can’t diversify into takeaways and online sales.

“The personal care sector is calling for a specific grant to support businesses through the immediate cashflow crisis, in line with similar funds that have been afforded to many other sectors, including the arts, hospitality and leisure, and the aeronautical industry, among others.”

He added: “We also need support after reopening to keep cash in these businesses so they can recover. The bigger businesses have been hit the hardest and are now the most vulnerable to failure. A targeted VAT cut to 5% would allow them to re-build, invest in staff and apprentices, and once again be the heart of their high streets and communities. We’ve shown this move will pay for itself, so it’s a cost-effective solution for the Government.

“Right now, it feels like we are last in line for support, flippantly disregarded within Parliament and overlooked by Government, despite the billions of pounds we contribute to the economy each year.”

The NHBF has been working with the British Beauty Council (BBC), British Association of Beauty Therapists and Cosmetologists (Babtac) and the UK Spa Association (UKSA) to lobby the Department for Business (BEIS), the Treasury and the Cabinet Office for an urgent Personal Care crisis fund and a reduction in VAT.