Garnier, a force to be reckoned with in the hair care and hair color world, is about to enter skin care, a move that could scramble future brand rankings in the category.
By entering skin care, arguably the most competitive category in mass beauty behind color cosmetics, the new line, called Nutritioniste, will go up against leaders Olay and Neutrogena, both of which have virtually owned skin care for years. But Garnier is game for shake-ups. It successfully competed with Procter & Gamble’s Pantene with Fructis, when it entered hair care in 2003. And, Garnier Nutrisse and Garnier 100 Percent Color still hold their own against market-leading hair color brands from L’Oréal and Clairol.
What will set Nutritioniste apart from Olay and Neutrogena is its positioning. Olay means science to many consumers, while Neutrogena conveys images of healthiness. Nutritioniste looks to combine both of these elements in 15 products in three subsegments: cleansing, firming and cell regeneration. Formulas use science from both the nutrition and dermatology fields. Garnier calls this fusion “dermatological-nutrients.”
“Garnier Nutritioniste was inspired by the science of nutrition plus dermatology, a unique platform we’re bringing to the U.S.,” said Karen Fondu, president of Maybelline New York-Garnier, a division of L’Oréal USA. “The person we feel will be most attracted to this line is someone interested in the concept of wellness. They’re predisposed to being intrigued by performance products but also those that have some natural influence.”
Nutritioniste is designed to appeal to a certain psychographic, rather than a demographic.
“We think it’s a perfect time to bring a line that really speaks to a broad variety of women who are or think they should be attending to the wellness trend,” agreed Cheryl Vitali, senior vice president Maybelline New York-Garnier.
The launch of Nutritioniste is significant for the estimated $400 million Garnier franchise in the U.S., which industry sources expect could generate as much as $100 million in first-year sales backed by an estimated $70 million in advertising support. Fondu said retailers are committing to the entire line, which will be merchandised in facial skin care aisles. Displays feature Nutritioniste’s three subgroups on different shelves with educational brochures. Products will retail from $5.99 to $16.99.
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Garnier executives first approached a nutritionist to identify the right ingredients for formulas and then worked with labs to put those ingredients into different bases. A dermatologist was consulted to make sure formulas were gentle and did what Garnier said they would do.
The system appears to have worked, according to Garnier clinical studies.
“What was interesting was that in clinical studies, which looked at 16 different parameters, immediate effects were present from the start all the way to three months later. There was not one particular aspect or parameter that did not improve. Normally, in a clinical study, after about four to six weeks, you see a plateau. We never got a plateau,” said Alan Meyers, senior vice president for research and development for L’Oréal.
Nutritioniste includes the Skin Renew subgroup, with six products that focus on regenerating skin at the cellular level. Formulas use vitamin C for cell regeneration and skin lightening; a magnesium complex to hydrate skin, and lycopene, a red plant pigment and antioxidant commonly found in tomatoes, for protection against free radicals. Renew has a moisturizing lotion, a moisture cream and a regenerating serum. The lotion is also available with SPF 15. Addressing microdermabrasion, there is a Regenerating Micro-Polish Kit and a Daily Anti-Fatigue Eye Cream.
Nutritioniste’s firming regime is available under the Ultra-Lift subgroup brand, which has five items dealing with firming, decreasing deep wrinkles and moisturizing skin. Ultra-Lift is designed for women over 40 and uses vitamin A to target wrinkles, omega-3 and omega-6 for moisture, and rice proteins for firmness. Five Ultra-Lift items are available, including an Anti-Wrinkle Moisture Cream, a Firming Serum, a Firming Eye Cream and a Firming Night Cream. The moisture cream also is available with SPF 15.
Rounding out Nutritioniste is the Nutri-Pure subgroup, a cleansing line with a Detoxifying Cream Cleanser, a Gel Cleanser, a Moisturizing Cream Scrub and Wet Cleansing Towelettes. Key ingredients in the cleansing range are vitamin E blended with grape extract, vitamin B-5 and green-leaf extract.
Marketing and advertising efforts aim to teach consumers to use the products in tandem, and packaging is designed to reinforce this goal.
“Consumers might just select an item from one [subgroup] the first time, but packaging is such so that they can actually pick items based on their own interests and needs. It’s not prescribed, ‘It must be this way.’ There’s some flexibility to it. It’s very specific on benefits and skin types,” said Vitali.
Copy on boxes, for example, is written to tell the consumer how to use the product, but also tells her which other Nutritioniste items could help her achieve “advanced results.” Nutritioniste boxes are black, green and white, “indicating the natural and high-tech” nature of Nutritioniste, said Vitali.
“We also feature the product on the pack. You don’t have to guess what’s inside. It’s very honest. It’s very straightforward. It’s very Garnier in that way,” she added.