With consumers concerned about chemicals in nail polish, the market leader — Sally Hansen — is taking a proactive stand.
All Sally Hansen nail care products will soon bear a label saying “Sally Hansen Cares,” to convey that the products are free of any harmful ingredients.
Sally Hansen removed toluene almost 10 years ago and stopped using chemical dibutyl phthalate, or DBP, within the last two years. All formulas are also formaldehyde-free.
DBP is the latest to come under scrutiny and not all nail polish fillers have removed the ingredient. DBP has been found to improve the lasting power of polish, but has been linked to health concerns. “We want everyone to know that we care about safety,” said Harvey Alstodt, Del Cosmetics’ president, about the new label. Del Cosmetics is a division of Del Laboratories, Sally Hansen’s parent company.
Sally Hansen is taking its pledge for safety in manufacturing beyond nail color and will insert a bull’s-eye with the Sally Hansen Cares message on all beauty products.
Seeking to leverage its strength in the nail color category, the firm is introducing Salon Nail Lacquer for the mass market. The line is toluene-, DBP- and formaldehyde-free, but promises the smooth coverage associated with salon brands. Additionally, the colors are infused with keratin, marine botanicals and natural mineral complex to strengthen nails. UV protectors help prevent fading and yellowing. “It is salon quality for mass,” said Alstodt. The company is in the process of assembling a board of advisors who will ensure the safety and style of the line.
To follow through with salon expectations, the polish’s brush is designed for extra precision. Sally Hansen Salon Nail Lacquer will launch this fall with 24 unique shades. There will even be a black shade in the lineup for those looking for up-to-the-minute fashion. Suggested retail is $6. Del Laboratories also produces a salon line under the Elizabeth Arden nameplate.
Sally Hansen has held the number-one position in nail polish treatment for several years and it now wants to parlay that dominance into other beauty categories. Building off of its product and solution heritage, the company has an arsenal of innovative new items under the Sally Hansen logo.
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Earlier efforts to build the Sally Hansen beauty line resulted in success with specialty products rather than a full line of cosmetics. To that end, Sally Hansen is zeroing in on areas where its heritage will resonate with consumers.
In particular, Sally Hansen is focusing on lips, according to Annette Devita, vice president of marketing for Sally Hansen. “It is all about lips. Women want fatter lips and whiter teeth,” said Devita. Sally Hansen hopes to give women both with a battery of new items including a Smile Brightening Lip Treatment, a Line Smoothing Mineral Lip Treatment, Healing Butter for Lips, a Gentle Peel for Rough Lips, a Peptide Lip Line Treatment, a Line Freeze for Lips and a Full and Radiant Lip Definer.
While all of the items are unique, two are expected to be heroes of the line. The first is the Smile Brightening Lip Treatment, which will retail for $6.95. “The formula has blue botanicals to give teeth a whither look. When you put blue in reds, it makes whites look brightener,” said Devita.
The Line Freeze for Lips noticeably relaxes expression lines on lips and around the mouth to minimize the appearance of lines and wrinkles for hours. It carries a suggested retail of $9.95. The entire collection will ship in early November.
Many of the new lip items, said Devita, were inspired by salon and spa treatments, but for use at home. For example, the Gentle Peel for Rough Lips is like a “facial for your lips,” she said.
There will be print advertising and in-store support behind the Sally Hansen lip initiative, said Alstodt, who declined to divulge spending.
For the face, Sally Hansen is also hoping to offer a solution to problems such as large pores and redness. The lineup includes a Pure Purifying Thermal Treatment to clean and unclog pores and an Anti-Redness skin Perfector. Following the path of makeup artists, Sally Hansen is also offering a primer that is an offshoot on the popular Sally Hansen airbrush technology called a Line Smoothing Airbrush Primer. According to Alstodt, it is the first primer in an airbrush form. Also, taking into consideration Americans’ fascination with mineral formulas, the company has new Line Smoothing Mineral Powders. With these new beauty product skin care components, many buyers expect Sally Hansen will eventually make a foray into skin care.
With the extension of Sally Hansen items, Del Laboratories is hoping for more shelf space to create a one-stop shopping area for everything with the Sally Hansen logo.
The company has a 10-foot schematic that is available in other increments as well. “We feel this bring together all of our Sally Hansen products in an easy-to-shop department,” said Alstodt.