Shiseido Carita Skin Care Slated For U.S. Spa Distribution
This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
Executive Summary
Shiseido will introduce French skin care lineCarita in selective U.S. high-end spas in spring 2002, the company said
|
Shiseido will introduce French skin care line Carita in selective U.S. high-end spas in spring 2002, the company said. Carita will be distributed stateside by sister Shiseido subsidiary Decléor to benefit from the aromatherapy business' extensive spa network, which currently includes 600 doors, Decléor said. Shipping will commence in February. The line, which has been available in Europe for more than 50 years, is expected to generate first-year sales of $2 mil.-$3 mil. in the U.S., Decléor stated. Sales will represent between 5%-10% of Decléor's U.S. business, the company added. Shiseido is confident that both Decléor and Carita can thrive in the domestic spa market, as each brand has a markedly different positioning. While Decléor is focused on the aromatherapy segment of the spa, Carita will be positioned as a premiere anti-aging collection, the company noted. In Europe, the Carita line also includes hair and body care items, but Shiseido initially plans to introduce only facial skin care in the U.S. Hair care and body care likely will be added in 2003 after undergoing a relaunch in the European market, Decléor said. Although Carita is less well-known in the U.S. than Europe, it was one of Shiseido's early skin care acquisitions. The line was purchased by the Japanese beauty giant in the early 1980s and has been reformulated using Shiseido's in-house technology. Shiseido acquired a majority share in Decléor in May 2000 to expand its presence in the aromatherapy market (1 (Also see "Shiseido's Decleor Stake Signifies Aromatherpy Market Commitment" - HBW Insight, 29 May, 2000.), p. 10). Carita was founded as a salon hair care brand in Toulouse, France in the 1940s by sisters Maria and Rosy Carita. Originally favored by celebrities such as Brigitte Bardot, Jean Seberg, Catherine Deneuve and Maria Callas, the line was expanded by the Carita sisters to include skin care and treatment products after they moved to Paris in the 1950s, the company explained. The sisters later opened Maison de Beauté, a treatment center, which still operates in Paris. Carita comprises three facial skin care lines - Le Visage , Progressif and Basique - aimed at different demographics. Le Visage is a preventive skin care offering targeted primarily to younger consumers, while Progressif is dubbed an "anti-time line for mature skin." Basique is a line for dehydrated normal skin. All three collections include products designed to address four skin care needs - cleansing, correcting, protecting/vitalizing and specific care. Le Visage, consisting of 13 products, includes cleansers such as Gel-Crème Nettoyante for use in the morning and Emulsion Nacree Demaquillante for use in the evenings to remove makeup. Correcting SKUs - "the key step in the Carita method" - includes Fluide de Beaute Energie to "smooth and erase signs of tiredness" and Fluide de Beaute Apaisant to correct imbalances caused by stress, the company said. Specific care products address issues such as skin puffiness, fine lines and dull, tired or fragile skin. Progressif's 15 products include Fluide de Beaute Lissant treatment to reduce appearance of wrinkles, Lissant Lumiere radiance-boosting skin care and Micro-Gel Contour des Yeux treatment for eyes. Basique offers four products to re-moisturize skin, such as Créme aux 3 Sources. Product pricing will range in price from $45-$165. In addition to introducing Carita in the U.S., Decléor plans to bolster its own anti-aging portfolio with the February launch of Vitaroma Re-sculpting Lift Total, a "second generation" anti-aging line. Launching in select Sephora and Nordstrom locations in March, the three-SKU line will complement the existing Vitaroma Re-sourcing line designed for younger consumers. Vitaroma Re-sculpting products are targeted to women in their 40s and 50s, according to Decléor. Formulated with iris isoflavones and tambourissa extract from Madagascar, the line comprises Re-sculpting Cream ($78), Re-sculpting Cream Eye and Lip Contour ($45) and Re-sculpting Mask ($38). |