New formulas revitalize coloring

MMR, Feb 25, 2008

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

NEW YORK -- Major suppliers of home hair color products are relying on innovations to differentiate their brands and inject new consumer enthusiasm into a mature category.

The latest effort comes from Procter & Gamble Co. (P&G), which next month is launching Perfect 10 by Nice 'n Easy, a home hair coloring system that the company maintains delivers high-speed, high-gloss color in just 10 minutes, versus the 20 to 30 minutes that is typical of other hair coloring products.

P&G says that the Perfect 10's superior performance is made possible by a new patented lightening system, AminoGlycene, which offers four advantages over conventional hair color technology. It lightens hair melanin and forms new color complexes more selectively. Also, it is less likely to react with keratin protein fibers, which helps preserve hair condition and reduce damage.

With one-tenth the alkalinity of conventional hair coloring systems, AminoGlycene helps protect the hair's natural coating, reduces the unpleasant ammonia odor and helps to deactivate damaging free radicals during the coloring process.

Another innovation in the Perfect 10 line is a patented Perfect-Color comb that envelopes each strand with color cream from root to tip. The comb has 14 outlets that provide maximum distribution of color. Perfect 10 is available in 15 shades and carries a suggested retail price of $13.99.

P&G also made improvements to its Nice 'n Easy brand last year by offering three blends of color in a single step. In addition, the company presented Color Seal Conditioning Gloss--previously part of Nice 'n Easy coloring kits --as a stand-alone item. P&G also updated its Natural Instincts brand of hair color with natural ingredients.

Meanwhile, last year Revlon Inc. launched its Colorist line of 26 permanent shades. According to the company, Colorist is the first home hair coloring system to deliver fade-resistant color. Each kit comes with permanent hair color as well as shade-matched Conditioning Colorglaze, a two-minute weekly treatment that is used in place of regular conditioner and refreshes color for up to six weeks.

For root touch-ups Revlon has added ColorSilk Root Perfect to its ColorSilk line. Available in 12 shades, Root Perfect provides complete root coverage in 10 minutes through the use of a sponge-tipped squeeze bottle applicator.

For its part, L'Oreal last year relaunched its Feria brand with a new conditioner and new shades.

Innovations have also come in the form of adjunct products aimed at undoing hair color mistakes.

Developus Inc., for example, has introduced an aptly named product, Color Oops, which promises to let consumers wash away hair color errors and return hair to its natural color. The formula includes an ingredient called hydrosulfite, which rapidly reduces the dye molecule. The company maintains that the product safely removes coloring from hair without the need of bleach, ammonia or peroxide.

Color Oops has recently been recognized as an innovative product by Good Housekeeping magazine, which awarded it a 2008 Good Housekeeping Good Buy Award. Winners are selected by the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, the magazine's consumer product testing laboratory.

Color Oops is available in two versions--Extra Conditioning and Extra Strength--and carries a suggested retail price of $13.

Hair Coloring

                                 DOLLAR SALES        UNIT VOLUME
                                  $1.04 mil.         147.8 mil.
                                   (-1.5%) *          (-3.3%) *

For 52 Weeks                    Percent Change     Percent Change
Ending 12/30107                       vs.                vs.
                                Prior 12 Months    Prior 12 Months

                                 Supermarkets       Supermarkets
                                     -1.5%              -3.4%
                                  Drug Stores        Drug Stores
                                     -1.3%              -3.4%

                                    Dollar              Unit
Top Brands                         Sales **          Volume ***

 1. L'Oreal Superior Pref.       $111.5 mil.          13.1 mil.
 2. L'Oreal Excellence             99.8 mil.          12.8 mil.
 3. Just for Men                   88.0 mil.          11.8 mil.
 4. Clairol Nice 'n Easy           86.2 mil.          12.4 mil.
 5. Clairol Natural Inst.          74.5 mil.           9.1 mil.
 6. Revlon ColorSilk               72.1 mil.          22.4 mil.
 7. L'Oreal Feria                  68.7 mil.           7.6 mil.
 8. Garnier Nutrisse               66.3 mil.          10.6 mil.
 9. L'Oreal Natural Match          43.5 mil.           4.1 mil.
10. Clairol Ni. 'n Ea. Root        31.3 mil.           4.9 mil.

* Total of supermarkets, drugstores and discount stores excluding
Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Source: Information Resources Inc.