Lifestyle Cosmetics & Fragrance The budget and bridge cosmetics areas of pharmacy are generally the most profitable in the entire cosmetic and fragrance category. They are also the most undervalued. With only a little effort and outlay, it is quite easy to build customer loyalty and good repeat sales in this area. The Cosmetic and Fragrance Workbook provides lots of practical strategies to help you grow this category. Please contact the Cosmetics and Fragrance Category Manager for a copy of the workbook to use in your store. The information in this module includes lots of simple tips that you can use to assist your customer with product choices, and most importantly, to help them feel great about the choices they make. Keep in mind that these ideas are just a simple introduction: your major cosmetic houses provide more detailed training (that's involving and lots of fun too!). Make the most of the training they offer so you can get to know and grow this important category. This module includes information on Lifestyle cosmetics and Lifestyle fragrance
Lifestyle Cosmetics The budget and bridge cosmetics areas of pharmacy are generally the most profitable in the entire cosmetic and fragrance category. They are also the most undervalued. With only a little effort and outlay, it is quite easy to build customer loyalty and good repeat sales in this area. The ideas within the module include lots of simple tips that you can use to assist your customer with product choices, and most importantly, to help them feel great about the choices they make. Keep in mind that these ideas are just a simple introduction: your major cosmetic houses provide more detailed training (that s involving and lots of fun too!). Make the most of the training they offer so you can get to know and grow this important category. Etiquette and Hygiene Customers want to make their cosmetic purchases in a welcoming, professional and clean environment where their needs as an individual are respected. These simple ideas will help you to gain your customer s loyalty and trust, and encourage them to come back to Terry White Chemists for a caring shopping experience. Why would your customer want to purchase their budget or bridge cosmetics from a discount or regular department store when you offer this level of service? Here are a few common courtesy and hygiene tips to get you started: Remember to check for allergies before you recommend or use any product on a customer. Always ask for your customer s permission before touching their face. Wash and dry your hands before touching your customer s face. Always use cotton wool tips and disposable applicators to apply makeup. Keep your makeup chair out of main view from other customers. No one likes to feel like they are on show when they are trying out some makeup. If your customer has made an appointment for a makeover, record this in your diary and call the customer to confirm the appointment. Then stick to the time that you have made: don t let other distractions in store make you late. When applying makeup to a customer, remember to acknowledge other customers in the cosmetics area. You may not be able to attend to them immediately, but let them know that you have seen them and that someone will be there to help shortly. Foundation Basics A foundation is a woman s most important makeup purchase. A well-chosen foundation evens-out, complements and illuminates skin so that it is perfectly ready to be highlighted with colour on cheeks, lips and eyes. Foundation should always look and feel natural. This should always be possible with such a wide choice of new formulas that use silicone, light-reflectors and other sophisticated ingredients. When a woman finds a foundation that works well for her, she feels confident and attractive and more willing to experiment with other fashion colour looks for her face and nails. The questions you ask and the information and product trial that you provide can make a huge difference in your customer s satisfaction with this important beauty purchase.
Foundation Coverage The choice of a suitable foundation depends on four important factors: Level of coverage desired Type of finish desired Skin type Colours available Always start by asking your customer what level of coverage they want. This is the first step in narrowing down their ideal foundation choice. It s best to ask about coverage and finish before skin type, because many modern foundations are actually suitable for all skin types, making coverage and finish the most important issues. People don t necessarily want the same amount of coverage all the time. Many women like to have a choice of a couple of foundations on their makeup shelf: perhaps one for work and evenings and another for weekends and just hanging about at home. Full coverage is often preferred by more mature women or women who feel they need to cover pigmentation, broken capillaries or acne scars. Full coverage foundations are often cream or thicker fluid formulations. Medium coverage is the most popular form of coverage, suited to women who want a natural look, but still want to even-out skin tone and cover minor flaws. Many of these foundations offer adjustable coverage, allowing the person to layer the foundation for a greater degree of coverage when needed. Sheer coverage gives a modern, fresh look where skin is still visible through the foundation. The sheer look can also be achieved using a tinted moisturiser. The sheer look is great for younger skin, for women who don t want to look at all made-up, and for at-home or weekend wear. Foundation Finish Most women have a preferred foundation finish, which is often dictated by their skin type and the level of coverage they like. Different types of finishes also make a fashion statement some seasons a soft, dewy finish is all the rage, while in other seasons, the look may be completely matt. Matte finishes are generally ideal for oily and combinations skins with an oily T-zone. Although not usually the first choice for dryer skin types, high-tech softening ingredients in some formulas mean that matte finishes can be used for most skin types especially the soft, semi-matte finishes. They are usually liquid or cream-to-powder foundations. Matte finish foundations may contain oil-absorbing ingredients to keep shine in check and to provide lasting coverage. Some matte foundations are specially formulated for combination skins o and help to moisturise dry areas while mattifying the T-zone. Luminous or dewy finishes are suited to most skin types except for very oily. These foundations are designed to give the skin radiance helping it to appear younger and o healthier. Luminous finish foundations flatter most skin types other than truly oily skin. They are usually liquid or cream foundations. They often contain skin-caring ingredients such as AHAs and vitamin C (see Cosmeceuticals for o more info on these ingredients). These ingredients enhance the foundation s anti-aging effects.
Foundation - Skin Type In the process of working out what type of coverage and finish your customer wants, you will probably have talked about their skin type and found a suitable product. If you have narrowed down to a couple of foundation choices, skin type might be the deciding factor. Because of the adaptability of foundation ingredients, most liquid foundations are suitable for most skin types. When your customer is concerned about an extreme skin type, these ideas may help: Dry and very dry skin is usually best suited to a cream or rich liquid formulation. Oily and very oily skin is usually best suited to an oil-absorbing liquid formulation with a matte finish. Combination skins with a very oily T-zone and quite dry cheeks are best suited to adaptable, balancing formulas that cater for both skin types in the one product. Colour Foundation should match skin colour as closely as possible. It s best to avoid foundations that are any shade of orange, peach, pink, rose, green or ash because real people don t have these skin colours! As formulations are becoming more sophisticated, even in budget brands, shades are generally more natural. To match skin colour as closely as possible, provide your customer with a mirror and ask them to (or help them to) test the shade just underneath their jawline. They shouldn t need to remove existing makeup to do this, but if they need to, you can provide some cotton wool pads and makeup remover. When your customer has found the correct shade, it should blend seamlessly with their skin. If it s basically invisible, it s perfect! It s a good idea to check foundation shade in natural light. If your customer has a compact mirror, they can go outside into natural light to check for themselves. Sun Protection Using an SPF30+ sunscreen everyday is the most important anti-ageing skin care step that your customers can make every day. Office workers need sun protection, even if they only step outdoors to walk from their car to the office or to pick up a sandwich at lunch time. Many foundations contain sun protection, but usually not at high enough levels to be truly useful. Even if a foundation contains an SPF30+ sunscreen, you would need to wear a very thick layer of foundation to get this level of protection. Instead of relying on foundation for sun protection, advise your customer to use either a moisturiser with an SPF30+ rating, or to apply moisturiser first and follow with an SPF30+ sunscreen that s suitable for facial skin. Allow a few minutes for the moisturiser and sun protection to settle before applying foundation. Foundation - Application Tips After preparing skin with moisturiser and sunscreen, your customer can follow these steps for applying most liquid, cream or stick foundations: Shake bottle well if a liquid.
Dab foundation on cheeks, forehead, chin and nose. Concentrate on areas where most coverage is needed. Using either a fine makeup sponge or warm fingertips, start in the middle of the face and blend foundation outwards towards the hairline and jawline. Foundation can be built up to give more coverage if needed. It s best to start off with a light hand and step up the coverage if needed. Compact foundations usually come with sponges and special application instructions (which may differ from one brand to another). For the most natural results, your customer should follow the product instructions. Concealer Concealer is used to help minimise the appearance of dark circles under eyes, blemishes, scars and other imperfections. Concealers that contain light-reflecting ingredients have the added benefit of diffusing the appearance of imperfections. Concealers have a thicker texture than foundation, allowing them to cover well and stay put all day. Some foundation sticks have the texture and coverage to double as a concealer. Different companies argue about whether a concealer should be used before or after foundation and some customers will have a clear preference. Applying concealer after foundation allows the concealer to do its job, without being rubbed off when the foundation goes on. Like foundation, your customer should choose a shade that is as close as possible to their natural skin colour. Your customer may need to experiment a little to find the best concealer for their needs: Creamier concealers may be better to conceal dark circles under eyes. It is important that the oncealer doesn t settle into lines around eyes. Oil-free concealers and concealers that are thick and need to be dabbed on with a makeup brush are best for covering blemishes. Some people like to use a medicated concealer on blemishes, but be aware that the medicated ingredients may cause irritation and a flaky appearance. Blush and Bronzer For natural looking blush, choose a shade that s the colour of cheeks when they re flushed. It s fun for most women to have at least one other shade of blush something with a pop of colour or that coordinates with a favourite, dramatic lip colour. Cream blush generally suits all skin types except very oily. It is easy to apply and its creaminess helps to illuminate skin. If using a cream blush, apply it directly over foundation (not powder) and then apply powder only to areas needed to blot out shine. Powder blush generally suits all skin types except very dry. Apply over powder with a large, soft brush. Many women apply blush harshly in the hollows of their cheeks a look that went out in the 80s! Help your customer to achieve a natural healthy glow. Give them a mirror to smile into and find the apples of their cheeks. This is where they should begin applying blush, blending up towards the hairline, then downwards to blend and soften colour. Bronzing powder gives skin a sun-kissed healthy glow.
It can be worn as well as blush (applied afterwards) or instead of blush. Some women like to wear bronzer to give their face a lift when they aren t wearing foundation. Sweep a large brush across the surface of bronzing powder and then tap excess powder off the brush. Apply bronzer to places that the sun naturally touches: cheek bones, chin, forehead and the nose. Face powder has lots of purposes: To set makeup and concealer (to literally hold it in place and stop it from quickly fading, sinking into skin and rubbing off). To reduce shine on an oily T-zone. To create a primer before applying eye shadow. Powder should be exactly the same colour as foundation or translucent (colourless). Apply powder sparingly to keep it looking natural. Women with normal-dry skin who wear cream blush can apply powder only to their T-zone, allowing their cheek colour to naturally glow. Pressed powder is handy to carry around for quick touch-ups during the day. Because pressed powder is made with an emollient binder, it provides more coverage and is less drying than some loose powders. Apply pressed powder with a roll and press movement using a puff. For a lighter result, use a large powder brush. Loose powder provides a chic, polished finish to makeup. Always apply with a big, fluffy brush, shaking off excess before applying. Eyes Our eyes instantly tell other people how we are feeling and they are usually the first feature to be noticed. Eye makeup is used to highlight the natural beauty of eyes. This can range from very subtle daytime looks using neutral shades, through to dramatic colour and defined liquid eyeliner at night. You should always ask about previous makeup allergies before recommending any makeup, but this is especially important with eye makeup. If the customer has any history of past allergy, avoid the brand/s that caused a problem and recommend only hypoallergenic products. These will reduce the risk of allergy, but there are no absolute guarantees. Let your customer know that they are welcome to return any product that causes sensitivity. Eyeshadow Eyeshadow brings out natural eye colour: Light colours attract light, opening and enlarging eyes. Dark colours add deepness and intensity to eyes. Eyeshadows are generally available as powders and creams: Powder is the most versatile and long-lasting. Colour can be built, many shadows can be used wet (for greater intensity) or dry. Dark shades can double as eyeliner using a dampened eyeliner brush. Creams allow quick and easy fingertip application for a subtle look. Perfect for a beach holiday look. Many people complain that their eyeshadow creases, becomes oily and rubs off during the day. This is mainly because the eyelids produce quite a bit of oil.
Using concealer, a special eyeshadow base, a dab of foundation or a dusting of powder on eyelids will help eyeshadow to stay put all day and prevent colour from changing or fading. Eyeshadow Application For simple eyeshadow application, offer your customer these tips: Choose a light eyeshadow shade and apply over the entire lid, blending and gradually becoming lighter towards the eyebrows. Leave it at that for a natural look. For a little more drama, choose a deeper shade that complements the light shade and blend this into the eye crease and then upwards and outwards. Add a sweep of highlighter or softly sparkling colour just underneath the brow for nighttime glamour. Major cosmetic brands offer extensive training in eyeshadow application methods to suit particular eye shapes and problems (such as small, deep-seat, prominent, almond, oriental and hooded eyes). Eyeliner Eyeliner defines eyes, whether wearing eyeshadow or not. When wearing eyeshadow, eyeliner adds depth to the colour. Eyeliners are available as pencils, powder (used with a damp brush) or liquid. Pencils and powder generally give the most natural look, while liquids add sharper definition and drama to the eyes. Eyeliner needs to complement eyeshadow colour. Neutral colours such as greyish-browns are very handy because they go with so many different eyeshadow colours. It s fun for most women to have a couple of different eyeliner types and colours. Eyes - Eyeliner Application Whenever a customer is buying a new eyeshadow, check if they have an eyeliner that will complement it. Eyeliner can be worn on either or both the upper and lower lids. If wearing on the upper lids, apply here first. Start in the inner corner of eyes and draw a line, as close as possible to the lashes, to the edge of the eye. Upper lids look great with a slightly thicker line than lower lids. Repeat for lower lids (if wearing). Smudge with a brush or a cotton bud if the line seems too harsh. Mascara Mascara opens up eyes by adding curl, volume, length and colour to lashes. Mascara can either be the finishing touch to expertly made-up eyes, or can be worn without any other eye makeup for a fresh, wide-eyed look. Black mascara suits the majority of women. Women with very fair skin will look generally suit brown mascara. Women who fall somewhere in-between may prefer brown/black shades. When selling a mascara, always ask your customer what look they want to achieve: Longer lashes Thicker lashes Curlier lashes All of the above!
Knowing the look that your customer wants will help you to recommend a mascara that s suitable for their needs. All mascaras are clearly advertised with their main features. Some new mascaras do achieve length, volume and curl all at once. Also check if your customer wants a waterproof or regular formula. Your customer may need a waterproof eye makeup remover if purchasing a waterproof mascara. Regular eye makeup remover will not remove waterproof mascara. Offer your customer these application tips: With eyelids partly closed, brush the top of lashes Open eyes and brush underneath lashes with a zig-zag motion from the base to the tip Complete with a final smoothing coat underneath lashes If wearing mascara on the lower lashes, brush with a zig-zag motion. Lips Lipcolour adds a colour accent to the face, with shades, textures and degree of matte or sparkle to suit every mood, outfit and occasion. Lipstick or gloss is the quickest and often most inexpensive way to change an entire look. Women love buying themselves some lipcolour as a quick pick-me-up, or when money won t stretch to something more expensive like a new outfit. Treat lipstick buying in this fun way too with lots of options and no hard and fast rules and your customer will come back to you next time. Makeup artists suggest that the face should only have one focal point. So if your customer has chosen dramatic eye makeup, they should play down their lips with a soft, natural shade. On the other hand, eyes with just a lick of mascara and natural shadow look great against the contrast of high-drama lips. Play around with these looks for yourself; you ll then feel much more confident in recommending these tricks of the trade to your customers. Choosing a Colour To choose a great everyday shade, look at your customer s natural lip colour and then go just a couple of shades darker or brighter. People with thin lips should generally avoid dark shades as they make lips look narrower. A natural shade of gloss will make lips look fuller. Most of us would appreciate having fuller lips, but some people are quite self-conscious of very full lips. If this is the case, it s best to avoid too much shine. If your customer has bought a lip shade that they feel is too intense, create a happy customer by suggesting they use a lip brush to mix the colour with clear gloss. Priming Lips and Lip Liner Lip colour looks so much smoother and classier and stays on better when lips are in tip-top condition. Recommend an emollient lip treatment or lip balm for your customer to use every night. For people with a lot of built-up dry skin on their lips (often from using drying long-lasting lipsticks), recommend a lip exfoliant. A soft toothbrush brushed lightly over lips will also do the job. Lip liner defines lips and prevents lip colour from bleeding. Recommend a shade that matches lipcolour. For very light lipcolour shades or any colour that can t be perfectly matched, recommend a nude or natural lip liner.
For intense and long-lasting lipcolour, fill in the entire lip area with lip liner. Because lip liner is dryer than lips it helps lipstick or gloss to adhere. Applying Lip Colour For sexy, barely-there lips, sheer lipsticks or gloss can be worn without a liner. After lining lips (or choosing not to), apply lipcolour directly to lips or use a brush. A brush is great for blending a couple different shades. For extra staying power, blot lips with a tissue and then apply more lipcolour. Add lip gloss for impact or night-time sparkle. Gloss applied to the centre of the bottom lip only creates a voluptuous pout. Nails Well manicured and polished nails spell good-grooming and make a fantastic first impression in job interviews and meetings and at social events. Great polish starts with well-cared for nails. Offer your customer these tips: When filing nails, keep the sides straight and shape only the end of the nail with a gentle curve. File nails in one direction only to help prevent flaking. To apply polish: Always apply a base coat to help colour to adhere well and to protect nails from colour. Use three strokes to apply colour. Begin with a centre stroke and brush from base to tip, taking care not to touch the cuticle. Follow with a stroke on each side, taking care not to touch skin. To make nails appear longer, leave a thin strip bare on each side of the nail and avoid dark colours. To help prevent chipping, tip the top edge of the nail with colour so that nail polish wraps over the edge. New one-coat nail polishes give instant glamour in minimum time. For longer staying power though, it s best to apply two coats of polish and then apply a top coat for maximum shine and durability. When a customer is buying polish, always check that they have enough polish remover, cotton wool pads, a base coat and a top coat. Cosmetic companies frequently offer nail care packs that include a high fashion colour with a base and/or top coat. These offer your customer great value and an economical way to find out that base and top coats does make a big difference to the look and wear of their polish. Lifestyle Fragrances It takes 2 seconds for an aroma to enter the nose and travel to the part of the brain that controls memory and emotions. Fragrance has the ability to stimulate intense memories, recreate experiences and influence the way we feel and behave including increasing our concentration, our spending, and even our desire to settle unpaid bills! Terry White Chemists has a unique opportunity to establish themselves as a destination for lifestyle fragrances both for women and men. Department stores focus on prestige fragrance and do not cater well for the needs of customers wanting a fragrance at a lower price point. Department stores generally don t merchandise this area well or offer personalised customer service. Terry White Chemists can cater
for this market by offering a strong merchandising, clear signage and staff members that can answer questions and make suggestions to help purchase decisions. The lifestyle fragrance category offers your customers the opportunity to purchase well-known and attractively packaged brands at affordable prices. The main customers in the women s lifestyle fragrance market are women 15+ wanting to purchase a well-priced fragrance for themselves. Statistics also show that it is mainly women who choose and/or buy men s fragrance. This is particularly the case in the lifestyle fragrance sector. The secondary target market for men s fragrance is men 15+ who purchase for themselves. Gift-buyers are an important customer in both the women s and men s lifestyle fragrance market and are often pleasantly surprised by the attractive gift sets that will make an impact at an affordable price. Pharmacy is the second largest distributor of fragrances and holds approximately 20% share of the market (this includes prestige and lifestyle fragrance). Department stores hold approximately 50% share. Pharmacy is continuing to take market share off other smaller distributors of fragrance. Choosing a Fragrance Perfume choice is a very emotional and individual. And so it often surprises people to learn that there is a clear science behind the fragrances that people tend to choose for themselves. Perfumes can be divided into four major groups, which can be further broken down into 12 distinct families. If you ask your customer about fragrances that they have worn or enjoyed in the past, it very likely that at least two of these will belong to the same family. This then allows you to suggest other fragrances in the same or neighbouring families. The Fine fragrance screens in the Prestige cosmetics & fine fragrance section include more detailed information on the four major groups of fragrance and how your understanding of these will allow you to assist your customer s fragrance choice. Go to this section now if you would like to learn more about fragrance families. Although understanding fragrance families is the best way of assisting your customer in their fragrance choice, it can also be helpful to shop for a fragrance by personality. This can be especially helpful for the customer who is buying lifestyle fragrance as a gift and is uncertain which fragrance the recipient usually wears. As a general rule, outgoing women can carry off rich and spicy fragrances, while quieter personality types may be more comfortable with straightforward floral fragrances. The season or a person s usual climate may also influence perfume choice. Lighter, fresher scents are usually well-suited to hot and humid weather, while winter weather calls for richer, warmer or more exotic fragrances. Tips for Testing Fragrance Suggest up to (but no more than) 4 perfumes at a time. Any more than this is confusing for your customer s nose. Spritz each perfume on a card. If the card isn t already branded, write the name of the fragrance on the card and then write a description (such as 100 ml eau de toilette) and the price. Always ask permission before spraying fragrance on a customer s skin. If they would like to try on their skin, choose a place where they are not already wearing fragrance (perhaps on the inside elbow).
Offer a bowl of coffee beans for your customer to sniff in-between scents. This will help their nose adjust to each individual scent. Fragrance Know-How Layering fragrance is the best way to make a scent last all day. This means applying layers of the same fragrance in different forms: using a scented shower gel or soap and then a body lotion, and lastly the fragrance itself. Gift packs for lifestyle fragrances make it simple and economical for your customer to experiment with the layering concept. If your customer s fragrance choice is not available in a gift pack, you could introduce them to the layering concept by suggesting just one complementary product (such as a soap or body lotion). You want to encourage a higher sale, but you don t want to overwhelm. When it comes to fragrance, encourage your customer to enjoy wearing their new scent regularly. Once opened, perfume begins to deteriorate and is best used within 6 months. Heat and light are perfume s greatest enemies. It s ideal to keep fragrance well-sealed in a dark cupboard.