“We believe health is beautiful.” That was the uplifting closing message of a short film presented by L’Oréal Travel Retail General Manager, Professional Products & Active Cosmetics Divisions Piermarco Luzzatto-Giuliani at the company’s media conference during 2019 TFWA show in Cannes earlier this month.
Luzzatto-Giuliani has spearheaded the French group’s expansion of the dermocosmetics brands La Roche-Posay and Vichy in travel retail. “By the end of 2019, we will have 90 shops carrying our two leading dermocosmetics brands – and we keep accelerating,” he said. “It’s our biggest shop expansion ever and proves we are serving several unmet travelling consumers’ needs that (therefore) drive incremental sales and average basket sizes.”
L’Oréal claims that La Roche-Posay is recommended by 90,000 dermatologists and is the number-one dermocosmetics brand in the world. Meanwhile thermal spa water brand Vichy is said to be the number one anti-aging dermocosmetics brand in Europe, Russia and Canada.
Key to the success of the store roll-out have been the distinctive pharmacy-styled retail environments used to communicate the efficacy and the safety of the products.
A strong pipeline of new lines such as Mineral 89 and Hyalu B5 Serum has also proved critical, plus explanatory animations coupled with hashtags such as #jetlagproofskin to convey key messages to consumers.
“Where we are pushing our boundaries further is by taking digital AI (artificial intelligence) into our counters. Through expert spot scans from La Roche-Posay, for example, you can get a dermatological recommendation for acne-prone skin and a full routine of La Roche-Posay products in only 30 seconds,” said Luzzatto-Giuliani. This is supported by personal recommendations from beauty advisors.
Kérastase set for 50 doors
Another area under Luzzatto-Giuliani’s remit is haircare through professional brand Kérastase. “It is another frontier that we are pushing,” he said. The brand is being fronted by spokesmodel Emily Ratajkowski and is enjoying high double-digit sales across the world and very high double-digit sales in China.
“It is also being fuelled by breakthrough innovations such as the new Blond Absolu, the brand’s biggest and most successful launch ever,” Luzzatto-Giuliani added. For travel retail, Kérastase has relevant lines such as Elixir Ultime oils and Nutritive 8HR Magic Night Serum that are claimed to tackle inflight static, hair dryness and fibre damage.
Kérastase is expected to hit 50 travel retail doors by the end of 2019 with an acceleration in new openings this year in busy locations such as Moscow Sheremetyevo, Istanbul Airport, Palma de Mallorca and Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport, “with more to come” promised Luzzatto-Giuliani.
At L’Oréal’s most price-accessible division – Consumer Products – the push is also relentless and the company has earmarked ‘entry’ opportunities. L’Oréal Travel Retail General Manager, Consumer Products Division Eric Vergès said: “Year after year, the conversion rate of duty free beauty remains stable or slightly declining in some regions. It means we have a class of travellers who are reticent to become shoppers.”
L’Oréal Paris enlists new shoppers
Vergès said that his portfolio offers a solution because brands such as the ubiquitous L’Oréal Paris, Maybelline, Nyx and Garnier can lure middle-class travellers “at very affordable prices”.
Vergès cited three L’Oréal Paris products that he sees as crucial in the recruitment of new shoppers and whose ranges are being extended. Youth Code now includes two travel retail exclusives – a red edition for Asia and the Middle East, and a jumbo size; while in the Revitalift anti-ageing franchise, an accessibly-priced anti-wrinkle serum has been added at US$30.
The third line is the popular Rouge Signature which is the number-one liquid lipstick in China and number two in the European Union. To maintain that momentum the Brilliant Signature collection is launching in 2020 with 15 shades.
Vergès concluded confidently: “In 2020, in strong partnership with retailers, L’Oréal Paris will strongly contribute to the development of the travel retail beauty market.”
Note: We will bring you an extended report on the L’Oréal media conference soon.
