Kiehl’s is adding new territory to its product assortment this summer with its first active body care range for men.
In June, the brand will add four Cross-Terrain products to its lineup: All-in-One Hair & Body Refueling Wash, UV Skin Protector with SPF 50, Dry Run Foot Cream and 24-Hour Strong Anti-Perspirant & Deodorant Dry Stick.
“Currently, 30 percent of our purchases are made by men buying products for themselves,” said Chris Salgardo, president of Kiehl’s USA. “This is an area of our business that continues to grow quite significantly, even through the Great Recession. We’ve seen no dip in men’s sales at all. At the same time, we’re looking for ways to build business in the men’s category and to draw in younger consumers. We have been getting a lot of requests for a body line, as well.” The Cross-Terrain line is expected to be of strongest appeal to 25- to 40-year-olds, he added.
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The products were adventure tested by four of National Geographic’s Young Explorers on actual expeditions in an effort to see how they held up in extreme real-life conditions, said Salgardo. He also did a little market research on himself: Salgardo skateboards to work every morning. (“These are the products I need for myself!” he said with a laugh.)
The hair and body wash includes biodegradable surfactants sourced from coconut oil, aloe vera for its soothing properties, glycerin for its hydrating properties, wheat amino acids to aid in cleansing and Vitamin E for its antioxidant and free-radical-scavenger properties. It will retail for $15.50 for 8 oz.
The skin protector is concocted with squalane, an olive-derived oil used here for its moisturizing properties, and synthetic beeswax, sourced from the leaves of the Candelilla shrub and said to be a deep moisturizer, as well as avobenzone, homosalate, oxybenzone and octocrylene. It will retail for $25.50 for 1.4 oz.
The foot cream is a paraben-free, sweat-absorbing, soothing and cooling cream and is also slip-resistant. It will retail for $18.50 for 3.4 oz.
The antiperspirant-deodorant includes 20 percent aluminum chlorohydrate for its antiperspirant properties, as well as hydrogenated castor oil to resist moisture and courmarin, a fragrance crystalline sourced from several plants, including tonka beans and sweet clover. It will retail for $14.50 for 2.5 oz.
While Salgardo declined to discuss sales figures, industry sources estimated that the Cross-Terrain line would do about $1 million at retail in its first year on counter in the U.S. Kiehl’s is distributed in about 250 specialty store doors in the U.S., including 33 of its own freestanding stores.
In other Kiehl’s news, there are also two high-profile men — not to mention two high-profile women — in the company’s latest Earth Day project. Artist Jeff Koons and musician Pharrell Williams — as well as actress Julianne Moore and surfer Malia Jones — have designed limited edition labels for Açaí Damage-Protecting Toning Mist. Each will retail for $26 for 6 oz.
The company will donate 100 percent of its net proceeds for the limited edition packaging — expected to be about $200,000 — to the Rainforest Alliance. That is double the amount which was donated during last year’s inaugural campaign.
Salgardo also expects the limited edition Açaí stockkeeping units to add a halo effect to the Açaí franchise. While he declined to discuss the four-sku line’s annual sales, industry sources estimated that it currently generates about $3 million at retail yearly.