“Defining Cosmeceuticals” – Judith Sikora, Beauty Industry Expert Featured in GCI Magazine Article, May 2012

Defining Cosmeceuticals

This is a reposting of an article featuring an interview with Yours Truly!

Written By: Sara Mason, Posted: April 27, 2012, from the May 2012 issue of GCI Magazine.

• As the term cosmeceutical is unregulated, it has found its way into describing any number of beauty products. However, it is generally thought to denote a more active, pharmaceutical beauty product.
• The value in the term is using it in conjunction with ingredients and products that offer real results. Otherwise, the message can be easily muddied.
• Testing information is highly important in cosmeceuticals. Consumers expect more scientific backing from such products.

Cosmeceuticals are widely referred to as cosmetic products with active ingredients purporting to have medical or druglike benefits. According to Michael Anthonavage, technical fellow, active ingredients, Presperse, the difference between traditional products and the active ingredients used in topically applied cosmeceuticals really comes down to the level of biological activity within the skin—as opposed to applying a product to the skin’s surface for simply an appearance benefit. However, there currently are no requirements to prove such cosmeceutical products live up to their claims.

Companies often use the term “cosmeceutical” to more prominently feature ingredients that wouldn’t normally be seen in a cosmetic product—and maybe to imply better results. “Legally, cosmetics manufacturers don’t need to prove that their products do what they promise because they are not drug claims, but rather topical alterations,” says Heidi Lebel, global sales and marketing manager, AkzoNobel Surface Chemistry, Global Personal Care. But it can be misleading if the levels that have been clinically tested are not used. “If the consumer interprets a cosmeceutical to be similar to a pharmaceutical product, he or she may conclude that cosmeceuticals are required to undergo the same testing for efficacy and quality control as required for a medication,” says Lebel.

As consumers’ technology threshold raises and they are increasingly interested in maintaining a youthful appearance, their demand for these types of high-tech products continues to expand. Yet, the more educated the consumer becomes, the more important it is for the reputation of the industry to help consumers understand the term cosmeceutical and how it’s used.

Technology Evolution

Prior to the past 20 years, beauty products were marketed heavily based upon the promise of emotional and sensory changes in the skin. “The sales pitch revolved around how the product would make the consumer feel,” says Judith Sikora, founder of MJ Consulting, which provides marketing expertise to small business entrepreneurs looking to launch (or relaunch) their brand. “Cosmetic companies used words like ‘plumping,’ ‘smoothing’ and ‘softening’ in their marketing and education campaigns, with an emphasis on the impact the product would make to the consumer’s psyche and overall confidence level.” The industry steered clear of anything that changed the form or function of the skin because it scared consumers at the time.

However, as the industry became much more competitive and consumers’ expectations of benefits increased, beauty marketers were searching for clear points of difference to support their claims of ingredient superiority. Concurrently, a number of beauty manufacturers were acquired by pharmaceutical companies. “Science invaded the beauty industry in a very big way, and the industry changed direction and course as a result,” explains Sikora.

Cosmetic chemists began to innovate, using delivery system technologies, high-tech ingredients and synthetic compounds that were gaining popularity in the pharmaceutical world. “The cosmetic industry began using words such as ‘encapsulated,’ ‘microsponge,’ ‘ceramide,’ ‘anti-aging’ and ‘time release’ and ‘retinol’ in their marketing vernacular,” continues Sikora.

And the product claims—benefits—the manufacturers were making took on a new level of science and sophistication. In fact, skin care products began sounding very therapeutic and extremely pharmaceutical. So much so that suppliers were finding beauty brands weren’t even interested in active ingredients that didn’t penetrate or have biological activity. Unless, of course, those ingredients were from the medical or pharmaceutical industry—even if they weren’t biologically active, according to Presperse.

And thus a name was developed for this new category of skin care products making pharmaceutical claims: cosmeceuticals. “The word itself combines ‘cosmetic’ and ‘pharmaceutical,’ although there’s no medication to be found in the products,” explains AkzoNobel’s Lebel. “Like cosmetics, cosmeceuticals are topically applied and they improve appearance, but they do so by delivering nutrients necessary for healthy skin.”

A Fuzzy Line

Marketing for these high-science beauty products quickly took a new direction. Beauty brands began serving up claims focused on the aggressive innovation and cutting-edge technology of their cosmeceutical ingredients. “Cosmeceutical” had begun being used as a catch-all descriptive term for products targeting baby boomers, and now it’s being used on a wide range of products in markets ranging from prestige to mass. “Cosmeceutical is a name invented to market how their products work,” explains Presperse’s Anthonavage. “It is a fine line, and it keeps getting fuzzier.”

However, there is a clear distinction between drugs and cosmetics. As defined by the FDA, cosmetics are “articles applied to the human body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness or altering the appearance,” and they comply with only the most liberal of guidelines. And of cosmeceutical, Lebel says, “Since the term is not recognized legally by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there are no set guidelines to set them apart from any other cosmetic ingredient.”

Beauty products—the classification cosmeceuticals fall under—don’t have to provide evidence of their efficacy, and they aren’t required to undergo approval before they are sold to the public. However, if claims are not carefully labeled to avoid indicating drug properties, the product may be subject to FDA review, which could trigger a demand for reclassification of the product to a drug (or a rejection of the product altogether), costing the manufacturer millions in fines and research and development fees.

It’s also a natural inclination to think of “pharmaceutical” as a synonymous term. As a result, the term created controversy, with many believing it was deceptive and meaningless. “It can be misleading because it carries with it a notion of having efficacy and having testing behind it,” said Anthonavage. “You’d like to think it’s substantiated, but many are using it without having the science to back it up.” He points out that two products on the shelf—one with high regulation next to a cheaper product with no license or substantiation—can both be considered cosmeceutical. The claims may be the same, and even the packaging can be similar.

However, Sikora points out, “Dermatologists and doctors of esthetic medicine endorsed the term [cosmeceutical], believing that it denoted a higher level of product and ingredient efficacy, as well as a higher level of brand credibility. They chose to use the term to successfully position and sell certain skin care brands in their practices to their patient database.”

R&D and Marketing Synergy

Cosmeceutical is a consumer-driven claim, a buzz word, but in order for it to be useful for a beauty brand, it has to make sense to the brand. Without consumers being savvy, they won’t be able to recognize when a product is clinically tested correctly. Therefore, cosmeceuticals should be associated with brands that can dedicate time to educate and explain this to the public. And it’s the brand’s job to use appropriate terminology that consumers can understand to convey the right message.

From a supplier perspective, cosmeceutical is not a word that’s used too often. When ingredient suppliers talk with beauty brands’ R&D, they focus on active ingredients and efficacy, but they don’t often distinguish ingredients as traditional versus cosmeceutical. Data is the only thing that sets cosmeceutical ingredients apart from traditional ingredients.

It used to be that looking to an ingredient to provide an instant benefit was enough. “Now, you have to collect a dossier of information,” said Anthonavage. “In vitro testing, clinical and self-assessment testing, market testing, before-and-after photos, and so on.” Expectations are higher and substantiation is critical. And the synergy between R&D and marketing becomes that much more important.

“We aren’t looking for another excuse to regulate,” said Anthonavage. “What consumers want is product performance that measures up to what’s said in advertising and on package.” Consumers can see the claims being made on the box. If the product performs as promised, consumers will keep buying it. Otherwise, they won’t. The value to your product is in having both R&D and marketing working together. “By integrating ideals, both the brand and the consumer benefit,” Anthonavage explains. “You are then telling the whole story, translating science to an experience the consumer can relate to.”

New Frontiers

As cosmetics grow more sophisticated and the line between cosmetic products and drugs continues to blur, it will likely become more and more difficult for beauty marketers to use a term such as “cosmeceutical” to describe a category of products or ingredients that has not been recognized, defined, measured or tested by the FDA.

“I can see a new cosmetic category with expanded boundaries and definitions emerging to encompass a new product classification: pharmaceutical beauty products,” says Sikora. “Somewhere between moisturizers and eye cream on one end of the spectrum and Botox and Latisse on the other will potentially reside a new ‘high-tech Rx’ category of skin care, which I believe will inherit both the legacy and potential of cosmeceuticals as we know them today,” she concludes.

Sara Mason is a freelance writer  based in the Chicagoland area. She was previously managing editor of GCI magazine.

A Blog Dedication… Read This First!

I invite you to peruse the various posts in my blog: “With Dogs I Write”… also known as ”Jude’s Blog.” 

At this point, the blog represents a three-year montage of my personal reflections and professional insights pertaining to…

• The world of marketing and social media
• Skincare technologies and ingredient trends
• Beauty industry news and headlines
• Team building strategies and leadership philosophies

And…

• Updates on beauty, fashion and luxury brands that I love!

The new name of the blog (With Dogs I Write) was inspired by my three adorable 4-legged loving companions, who keep me entertained and sane as I blog away on my creative rants. I have no doubt that their collective calming influence has helped me get through many a ‘blogger’s block.’

In return, I am dedicating this blog to them, and wish to thank them for the profound joy and love that they (Ricky, Romeo and Mathilda Mae) — have brought to my life.

To my cherished ‘little monkeys!’

(see images below)

 May they each live healthy and happy, for another 15 years!

Judith Sikora

February 2012

 

Will Social Media Take You On A Magic Carpet Ride (To Success?)

Are you hoping to take your brand to new exhilarating heights? Then you absolutely must read the article in Forbes Woman entitled: “Is Social Media the New Vogue?”

As a marketer, I’ve heard many anecdotal tales about brand growth and success as it relates to social media, but this one really hits the nail on the head. Let’s take a moment to consider your options as a business person dedicated to growing your brand.

• Option 1: You can choose to engage ONLINE in the halls of social media and come alive to your audience as a loveable, three- dimensional rock star,

or…

• Option 2: You can opt to play OFFLINE, hoping that your target demographic will embrace the one dimensional caricature of you depicted in some glitzy magazine article.

The magnitude of choices related to ‘branding’ today are truly breathtaking. Here is an analogy to help you get my point.

Let’s say you were hoping to wow a new romantic interest that your friends are introducing you to. You have the choice to:

1. Mail the individual a photo, write up and bio of you —or—
2. Start an email chat with the individual in real time… and attach pictures and videos, capturing even more of the details and essence of your life. Which option do you think stands a better chance of getting your blind date to think about you, and want to spend time with you?

The answer is easy, and I have made my point!  Think of today’s consumer audience as your blind date! They very much want to communicate directly with someone from the brand whose product or service they are considering purchasing.  In 2012, shoppers really want to hear the voice of the brand- get inside the brand’s head and determine if they feel a chemistry, a kinship… any type of connection with the brand.

If it is your business, you are the brand! So, in a sense, potential buyers really want to meet you, get a sense of who you are… and interact with you, before making a decision whether to buy from you. Still not sold? Then watch the TV shopping channels. Many of the callers phone in – not to gush about the merchandise they bought, but rather to go on and on about the brand spokesperson! These ebullient customers all giddily describe a very ”strong connection” they feel with the spokesperson after having watched them on the shopping show over a course of months or years!

It’s corny, but true: great “di-alogue” (and a good product or service offering) make for great “die-hard” fans.

It’s that simple.

That is precisely why I think that this is such an important article– on many levels. First, it captures a woman that many of us admire: Ms. Carol Brodie. Carol is a very talented jewelry designer to the celebs and she also happens to run a robust jewelry business on the Home Shopping Network. Carol’s brand is unique, as she designs using real REAL GEMSTONES! Check out her line, ‘Rarities’ on HSN. Secondly, Carol is an entrepreneur who ‘gets’ that there are meaningful ways to use social media.  Her innate knowledge of when and how to use each platform is nothing short of brilliant. (But, alas! I don’t want to give too much away- you simply need to read the article!)

For many in the business world, understanding when and how to use Facebook, versus Twitter, versus Linked In and You Tube–can feel like a virtual maze. There are even those who believe that ALL of these social media platforms are merely duplications of each other, hence opting to use NONE! In fact, a number of business cynics see the various social media spaces as one large fabricated ‘Rubik’s Cube.’ Sadly, there are even those folks who have decided to ignore the ‘puzzle’ altogether and avoid the world’s largest virtual playground, entirely!

Is Social Media a puzzle that you just can't solve?

 

If you are one of those bona-fide “social media skeptics”, I implore you to read this article.

Ms. Brodie is building a successful jewelry dynasty using Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and You Tube to catapult her brand to the Home Shopping Network’s Hall of Fame. You, too, can reach brand nirvana, using Social Media.

Whether you are in beauty, apparel, medical esthetics, luxury goods or another industry entirely, there are two things that, like the famous Ms. O, I pretty much know for sure:

1. IF you actually learn to use Social Media for business, and—

2. IF you engage in Social Media using a smart, strategic, discerning approach…  (Let Ms. Brodie be your model)

THEN, I KNOW that you’ll be blown away by the number of ‘kindred, devoted spirits’ who will surface quickly to make themselves known to you. Many of these individuals will actively and immediately pursue your products or services, while others will take a bit longer.

There will be consumers who, after engaging with you honestly and sincerely online, will profess their loyalty… telling you how much they adore your brand. And, there will be consumers who will not only purchase your product or service, they will also do everything they can to help you build a robust, dedicated fan base within that social media sandbox.

Here’s the kicker…

It will be these loyal social media evangelists who end up helping you to elevate your brand to amazing heights that you never imagined you’d reach.

Set yourself up for a 'magic carpet ride' using social media.

The reward? You’ll get to take that ‘social-media-magic-carpet-ride’ that you’ve been dreaming of.  You know, the one where you are suddenly and enthusiastically pursued by the media for very cool features in prestigious publications and spots on popular celebrity news shows. But the best part is that in this scenario, you’ll show up with loyal fans already out there cheering you on.

Pray tell, “which fans?” you ask? Easy answer. It will be the admiring folks that met you and fell in love with you when you hung out in the halls of social media. Because just like the Pied Piper story, the fans you meet along the way on those virtual playgrounds can and will follow you…. without restrictions or limitations. Nothing can get in their way; not geography, nor time zones or signal reach. These fans can reach you with the click of a mouse and a send button! Once ”today’s fans” decide that they ‘like’ (aka ’believe in’ a brand) and feel that connection, they are there for you. Their loyalty spans time, space and distance. And that unbridled support and reach can go on to form a launching pad for your magic carpet ride with destiny; a ride that most can only dream of.

Read the article and interview with Carol @

http://www.forbes.com/sites/leahbourne/2012/01/04/is-social-media-the-new-vogue/

JS 2012

Can ‘Sports’ Star Rescue Shrinking Fragrance Industry?

 Yes, it’s true. While the news is filled with a growing number of celebrities and clothing designers signing on to launch  new, glamorous fragrances, (Justin ie–Taylor Swift—Ungaro— Herve Leger and Lady Gaga, to name a few)… industry trend watchers are significantly less optimistic about the current state of our fragrance union. In an article released earlier this week in  CosmeticDesign.com, writer Andrew McDougall cites a recent report by research giant Mintel showing a 5 year decline in fragrance sales within food-drug and mass outlets. Specifically, Mintel found that women’s mass fragrance sales saw a 23 percent decline over the last five years. (Note: Wal-Mart was not included in the study.)

And the situation seems to be an equal opportunity employer, affecting ‘big’ fragrance manufacturers in much the same way. Author McDougall notes that “Coty Beauty, creators of Halle by Halle Berry, Faith Hill, and Calvin Klein… lost $10 million in sales from 2009-10, while Elizabeth Arden Brands, owner of Elizabeth Taylor and Britney Spears fragrances, held on to market share as sales declined by 4.5%”. The article notes shifts in target audience demographics related to aging, and changes in consumer buying preferences as the main reasons for the down-sizing of the fragrance category. However, not all is bleak! McDougall gives kudos’ to a new P&G brand, writing…

 “Procter & Gamble is pushing its way to the fragrance foreground by using record-setting and champion sprinter Usain Bolt to represent a line of men’s and women’s fragrances in its Africa-themed campaign for the Puma Brand”.

As a fragrance industry sales and education veteran and avid fragrance enthusiast, I was inspired (by the suggestion of GOOD NEWS) to dig deeper into the details of the deal between Puma and Bain. In an article published this past August in the Guardian.com, writer Anna Kessel reported that Bolt “signed the biggest sponsorship deal in sports history” when he extended his contract with Puma to 2013. “The 24-year-old Jamaican wants to be a legend in his sport…” says Kessel. Puma Chairman and CEO, Jochen Zeitz, is also quoted as saying he believes that “the Olympic and world champion could achieve a similar profile to that of David Beckham”.

All of that proud pontificating got me thinking. McDougall is right on the money with his kudos’ to P&G; this fragrance project has the three tell-tale signs of a success in the making. #1—  This is a fragrance launched by a P&G brand (Puma)  #2—-The fragrance is branded and sponsored by a “David Beckham type” athletic icon  #3—- The icon has been given a Michael Jordan sized contract. Whew! How can it not succeed in a very big way?

 So, could a fragrance from a new athletic icon be the industry’s biggest game changer;   halting or reversing a five-year downward spiral by the mass fragrance category?

 What say you? Weigh in… I’d love to hear your point of view.

Blog by J Sikora

11/4/2010

 

Are We In The Throes of a Social Media Marketing Eclipse?

Print and television advertising may be cost prohibitive for young beauty companies...

If you have been even a teeny weenie bit curious about the growth and impact that social media marketing is having on the beauty and esthetics industry, then you may find an article published earlier this week in Cosmetics Design.com USA to be particularly fascinating…

Remember how costly it was (and still is) to purchase pages of advertising in major beauty books, to support product launches and re-launches? Even today, radio and television spots remain out of reach for many smaller beauty companies or young skin care start-ups.

Have you toyed with the idea of an all 'social media' campaign to cut costs?

As a corporate marketer or company executive, have you ever dreamed about abandoning all of your traditional advertising in favor of a robust social media strategy? If so–read on!

In the publication’s recent article: “Social Media Marketing Allows For A New Generation Of Sales Strategy “, author Emily Dobell states that “social media has turned advertising budgets on their heads”.  Ms. Dobell serves up an interesting case study… the cosmetics brand Swedish Skin who used social media for 100 percent of its marketing in support of a product launch early in 2010.  In the article, Dobell implies that the reduced marketing investment not only saved the company money and reduced associated financial risks, but also provided the company with what we marketers would consider to be a strong ‘Unique Selling Proposition’ (USP) to market to its target audience.  

“Since the launch,” Dobell writes,”the brand has continued to focus its marketing strategy solely online, and has heralded a ‘new era of more affordable skin care’ through social media marketing”.  The article goes on to explain that the company’s social media marketing strategy, as described by CEO William Byrd, was simply “to pay skincare gurus to talk about— and show— their products on You Tube”.  Result?  A high percent of viewers viewed and then excitedly clicked their way over to the company’s website for online shopping. 

You Tube product evangelists created a direct path of "action" for social networkers, from viewing their vlogs to visiting the company's e commerce site.

Remember the saying ‘a picture provides a thousand words’? As an experienced beauty industry B2C marketer, I would suggest that we all take that concept and embellish it’s meaning exponentially when referring to the visual power of a beauty ‘vlog’ (or, a video blog). There is no doubt that honest, verbal testimonials about beauty products, known as ‘beauty vlogs’–which are created by end-users and posted to a medium such as You Tube, have created an enormously influential “beauty vlogosphere”. As the brand Swedish Skin discovered, this influential and lucrative vlogosphere can become a skincare marketer’s wonderland, especially for brands perceived to be authentically valued, technologically exceptional and über affordable by  social media enthusiasts.

Is Social Marketing the new "trumpeter" for beauty and related products?

 Which takes us back to the case study of Swedish Skin.  Company executives told author Dobell that their users’ product reviews were posted in video format on YouTube and viewed collectively over 115,420 times. As you might imagine, the impact on the company’s e commerce sales was astronomical. The article cites one example where one user’s review boosted sales “by 2000 percent” during the it’s first week of posting. And, of course, reviews made their way to Facebook and Twitter, expanding the company’s social media campaign bandwidth, and validating their belief that “social media may well put an end to ‘expensive TV and print advertising campaigns”.

Or, to put it another way, we may be witnessing the eclipse of the century.

 

Have you executed a product launch that was 100 percent social media driven? If so, what were your results and key learnings? Please comment or share your thought in my Linked In Groups: “Beauty Lab M” and/or “BEAϋTY News Wire”.

Are we witnessing a marketing 'eclipse' that is unprecedented and game changing?

 

Judith H. Sikora, October 2010

 

BEE’S, BLINK’S & VIDEOGAMES: Has ‘Clever’ Returned to Beauty Marketing?

Traditional advertising is viewed as “less valuable” by key advertisers.

As beauty marketers and manufacturers of personal care products, most of us have been involved in the crafting of annual marketing plans for our respective brands.

With that in mind, you’ll probably find some of information provided in a GCImagazine.com September article “New Marketing Techniques- Changing the Game” to be both amusing and thought-provoking.

The author, Donna Barson, asserts out that the ANA (Association of National Advertisers) recently polled more than 80 top advertisers and found that “an increasing number of marketers believe general advertising (print, radio & television) to be less valuable to a company’s overall marketing program, than at any prior point in time.” Well, who wouldn’t agree with that?

Barson states that new methods of marketing involving the internet and social media are rising exponentially in value and bumping off many of the older media channels, which are being replaced by some interesting and clever new beauty marketing tactics.

Marketers are looking for more effective ways to reach the consumer.

Here are a few from Barson that you may or may not have heard about:

·“Blinks”- One second radio spots inserted between commercial music tracks, designed to make maximum use of that brief ‘nano-window’ of time by planting subliminal product images into the listeners’ minds. Hmm—a little “mascara jingle” sandwiched between Justin Beiber and Beyonce?

·“Video Game Vectors”- Consider positioning your brand’s gorgeous, new fragrance as a super action hero in a video game! You can convert your beautiful iconic fragrance bottle into a video game vector, of sorts.  The benefit?  The branded image of your product hangs out, moves, and spins in front of the players throughout the entire game, which could last minutes –versus seconds. Great branding exposure!

·“Smart Mobile Coupons, Anyone?”-  Now, this is a cool idea which reminds me of ‘smart ad technology’. As Barson describes in her article— imagine how convenient it would be to walk by a beauty store and see a promotional coupon for a product that is sold there pop up on your phone!’

Could 'smart coupons' sent to your mobile phone, be the answer?

Apparently, the lure to marketers of Smart Coupon’s is the unusually high redemption rate. Guess it pays to catch the consumer when they’re ‘in the zone’, literally.

·Social Media ‘Bees’? – Okay, that’s an original term which I’ve coined for this blog, but according to Barson, there are personal care brands hiring folks to manufacture electronic buzz on social media sites. These are professionals who are trained and paid to talk, buzz or tweet on your brand’s behalf about your products–on Facebook, Linked In, Twitter and other social networking platforms. Buzz manipulation? Maybe.  ‘Viral bees’? Definitely!

So, what say you about all of this? Here is my take…

Perhaps, it’s not enough to learn to ride the waves of social media. Perhaps, as marketers we all need to create our own ‘wave factories’. 

Riding the social media wave may no longer be the ultimate challenge...

 

Please post a comment about some new creative ways in which your company uses social media effectively to advance your brand and generate buzz.  What is the best new marketing tactic you’ve used this year?

 

To read the original article, to to: www.gcimagazine.com/business/marketing/27829924.html?page=1http://

“With” or “For”? Which Leadership Camp Are You In?

Recently I was discussing management styles with a CEO whom I hold in very high regard. He was describing his leadership philosophy and said something that got my attention. He spoke of the difference between the phrases: “My staff works for me” and “My staff works with me”. 

My friend theorizes that the deliberate selection of one word over the other provides huge insights into how a Manager leads and relates to his/her direct reports. If you say your staff works FOR you, does that really suggest that you have a controlling and dictatorial management style? On the other hand, if you say your staff works WITH you, do you sincerely see your staff as peers and partners?  And, if the latter, what can/will you do to manage and lead your team differently from the hundreds of thousands of executives who view their direct reports as bought-and paid-for ‘hired hands’? 

Some think that great leadership begins and ends with the right demeanor and mindset. They believe that a leader’s words are less important than their actions. I beg to differ.  I see life as a flow of actions and exchanges, framed, punctuated and governed by our choices of words (semantics).  

Here is a great study that speaks to the power of semantics, for the doubters in the audience.  In an article released by my favorite social media braniac at HubSpot.com, http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/6737/Don-t-Submit-To-Landing-Page-Button-Text.aspx , Social Media Scientist Dan Zarella looked at conversion rates of landing pages with ‘submit’ buttons. Dan checked out 40,000 pages and compared those using ‘submit’ as the default semantic of choice at the end of a web form , with those that had changed their button to read “click here”, “go”, “download” or “register”.  Interestingly, he found that landing pages with submit buttons which were actually labeled “submit” tended to have lower conversion rates than those that used other wording. Aha! There it was! Clear and undisputable evidence of the power of words, definitively framing our lives and our conscious or subconscious decisions and activities!

Dan went on to conduct an informal test offering a few other ‘submit’ button label synonyms, and found that the top performing button variations were “click here” and “go.” Very Interesting… considering the clear difference in the meaning of those words.  As Dan points out: “Compared to ‘submit’; ‘click here’ and ‘go’ are much less committal and imply a lower investment of time and effort.” 

Which takes us back full circle to the implied differences in leadership style, inherent in the selection of the words ‘with’ or ‘for’.  Funny, they are simple, short words. Nothing fancy or complex. Each consists of only three or four letters— but the selection of one word over the other could signal a huge difference in the way a Manager views, leads and governs his/her employees.

Today, I am renewing my vows. I pledge to be known as a ‘With’ versus a ‘For’ type of leader. I take the vow because I believe that as a “W” style leader, I’ll be framing relationships with my team members to generate the highest probability of success. It’s sort of like the button on the landing page controversy. I would omit the word ‘submit’ from the universal lexicon of landing page button labels. If given a choice, I would always use ‘GO’ as my button’s default label. Why? Because words count. What would your button say?

Social Media or Social Serendipity? You decide!

As a marketing executive by profession… I’m a big believer in the power of social media and virtual networking. People talking and sharing with others is always a good thing, especially in venues where folks feel less vulnerable and more willing to share, as they tend to do in social media settings. As a frequent blogger and enthusiast on Linked In, I compare the social media dynamic to that same strange sense of relaxed intimacy we experience when we fly. Sitting next to someone on a plane at 30,000 feet, it seems we breathe in a unique strain of oxygen laced with truth serum, leaving us inspired to  share secrets that we would never consider revealing down on the ground. And, the assumption that we will most likely not brush wrists with our ‘row companions any time soon when we touch down…gives us a sense of unspoken permission to  spill our guts; sharing intimacies which would normally remain safely hidden, deep within the recesses of our unconscious mind.

Yes, there is no doubt that social media can foster that same type of über confidence and robust desire  to share that we enjoy high in the sky, with one exception.  There is that chance; that increased probability that we might actually brush up against a few of the folks we have been inviting into our network or ‘friending’, as we go about our lives. So we’re a bit smarter and better behaved… somewhat more restrained and definitely more discrete, than with our newfound passenger friends we’ve made high in the sky.

That point aside, every conversationalist I know has definitively pegged airplanes and social media sites as the absolutely best places to share, care and pontificate, and I for one, agree with them! At times, there is nothing more intoxicating than sending a sweet ’midnight tweet’ (while snuggling with my dogs on the sofa) in front of late night TV. Please don’t snicker… as I’ll bet you’ve done it once or twice, as well.

 We all agree…great things can, and do happen, as a result of the unbridled, enthusiastic discussions that develop in social media settings. But, here is the larger question… Can this increase in communication bravado truly account for the hundreds of stories of professional and personal good fortune; all allegedly generated by the unique communication dynamics found in social media?” Clearly, I do not profess to have the answer to these resounding claims of social media serendipity, but I have had some experiences which have caused me to wonder. Let me explain…

Several years ago, after a beloved company I worked for closed its doors, I grieved for a few weeks — then signed up with a local career marketing service. One of the best lessons they taught revolved around navigating this crazy networking site known as Linked In. Within several days of their training, I had my account and profile established, was playing in their professional groups, had begun to initiate discussions, upload blogs and was sending In Mail’s to prospective employers!  A mere forty-five days later, I had a signed, sealed and delivered job offer from a company executive who had read one of my group blogs (!) and a number of new professional contacts whom I conversed with via Linked In so frequently, that I now counted them as  real “friends”! Go figure!

 And it has just gotten better and better. Since I burst on the scene in the spring of 2009, Linked In has grown to become my favorite career ‘wonderland’. I have found jobs, met old colleagues, received endorsements, garnered professional references and have been introduced to many new experts in my field who reside across the globe. I see Linked In as a real place to congregate, chat, share strategies, industry tips and strategies that work in life and career. And I can do it all in lovely silence, or with my favorite iPod tunes streaming in the background. No distractions; just my thoughts, communications and an occasional outreach. In one word: ‘heaven’. 

Facebook has provided an even more exciting tale of success. I’ve reconnected with my entire high-school graduating class (or so it feels like) and have rediscovered the pride of my old neighborhood via our wall pile-on’s. Those begin with one person shouting out something exciting or emotional, and then we all ‘pile on’ with comments and hurrahs for each other. Forgotten friends from college and grad school have also found their way back into my life, and are now vibrant parts of my wall correspondence. Some of the week’s best moments happen here.  Wall friends share their picks in music, pictures, jokes, quotes, high and low moments. So many tender shares that might never exist if the venue was brick and the speaker had to show up to get in the game.

 So, does social media provide the perfect Petrie dish for life’s magic moments?  Who really knows? But recently, I took a shot at rewriting the definition of luck to go something like this: “Luck is the perfect mix of opportunity, preparedness and social media co-mingling on my dime, in real time.”

 Do you buy it?  Although I penned it, I am honestly still not certain. However, what I am sure of, is that I have deep appreciation and gratitude for this amazing social sand box that is open to play in, 24/7. It’s a come as you are space; a playground which is welcoming to all–even those having a bad hair day! No toys are required, just a willingness to dig your toes into the proverbial social sand and begin engaging with your heart, spirit and mind. 

And, one last thought for the road…

In the expansive online world of social media where all things can seemingly be acheived by hitting a ‘send’ button, perhaps the ultimate quest for serendipity begins and ends where the rubber meets the metal, or where a little wireless mouse meets my ever willing HP keyboard.  

How have Linked In, Facebook and Twitter changed YOUR life and brought you good fortune? Please, leave me a comment and share, share away!

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Great Handbags

 Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Great Handbags

In Uncategorized on November 11, 2009 at 12:24 am

By J. Sikora

 Remember the sultry way that Marilyn Monroe sang that song claiming that  diamonds are a girl’s best friend? I always related particularly well to its title, because I was a jewelry obsessive for years. After wearing my first faux “bling” dance outfit as a young girl (a glitzy tutu at dance recitals), I was hopelessly hooked on gems and jewels. That is… until I was introduced to my first Beijo handbag.

Susan Handley is the Founder, Owner and Sole Designer at Beijo.

Beijo, the Portuguese word for kiss… seems a perfect name for this mesmerizing handbag line. Founded by Susan Handley in 2002 (seen here to the left), a talented handbag designer and single mother at the time, Beijo seemed to have been “kissed” with good fortune, popularity and a breathtaking level of devotion from its customers and  network of Independent Sales Consultants, alike.

My personal infatuation with Beijo began several years back during an interview with a prospective new hire. I remember the young lade entering my office wearing a simple tailored suit, sturdy shoes and minimal jewelry. All had been perfectly selected to help her clinch a middle management job with my company. And then there was her handbag… 

Held ever so proudly in her hand was a fabulous red, high gloss, patent leather type bag. Aside from its rich red tone and long lean rounded straps, the simple elegant silhouette was perfectly named (Over The Moon) for its fluid, half-moon shape. I was absolutely smitten! It was love at first sight! My long and enduring love affair with Beijo Bags had begun.

Beijo’s “Over The Moon” was the catalyst

for my enduring infatuation with the Brand.

 One of the many reasons that Beijo Bags quickly became the objects of my desire, was the amazing range of colors, textures and finishes that were always available. Twice a year Beijo would launch a new collection, introducing a fresh palette of materials, profiles, hues and tones into the line. Fabrics include a high-wear, high-shine patent, a soft suede-like material, and a soft man-made leather. A number of the styles and color shades offer multi-toned metallic hues and pearlized fabric effects.

“Pop Star” is a sleek, linear bag

                                      available in a pearlized shade of soft pink.

 Case in point: Beijo is one of the few bag brands where I get to select from  five shades of green, four shades of blue and a virtual rainbow of other pantones, including luscious names like Cabernet (a deep wine color), Butter Cream (warm yellow), Coined Copper, Coral, Lemon Drop, Pumpkin and Platinum.

 You might say that my next impressionable encounter with Beijo Bags came (as do most memorable moments in life), when I was least expecting it. I had been asked to speak at a charity luncheon in Irvine, California. Throughout the lunch service, I noticed a number of women stepping out of the banquet hall for extended periods of time.

Curious by nature, I decided to find out what exactly was going on outside.  As I exited into the hallway, I found myself surrounded by a long walkway of exhibitors’ booths selling a product, service or technology relevant to women. Most of the exhibitors were sitting or standing idly by their tables, with the exception of one booth that was bustling with activity. Many of the women I had observed leaving the banquet hall were now congregating around that booth! Always inquisitive, I headed down ‘booth row’ to see what all the excitement was about. As I neared the exhibit, I began to experience a familiar light-headed sensation; something I admit I hadn’t felt in years. The best way I can describe it is… the feeling of sheer joy and infatuation. I was as excited as a giddy, young school girl.The booth bustling with activity and commotion was a large showcase overflowing with stunning Beijo Bags. To say I was “Over The Moon’ with excitement (no prior pun intended) would be a huge understatement.

"Be Still My Heart" is available in a number of shades, including this vibrant blue.

So, there I was standing in front of a Beijo Handbag Booth, competing with thirty or forty other women anxious to purchase Beijo Bags!  The excitement in the air was palpable.  We were just like kids in a candy store, engaging in our favorite ‘guilty pleasure’; handbag shopping!  It was then that I realized: Beijo handbags were no longer my own best kept secret. The word had clearly gotten out. Beijo was becoming a rock star in the world of handbags! 

Which brings me back full circle to the million dollar question___

 Might a Beijo Handbag be ‘just the ticket’ to a woman’s daily search for joy, happiness and contentment?  

 Not sure? Then consider this: 

• What other item in your closet provides the morale-lifting, ego-boosting, soul-quenching satisfaction of carrying a handbag you really and truly love?
• Which of your possessions in life represents the ‘whole you’ better, defines your unique style  more definitively— or highlights your personality more clearly—– than your esteemed handbag?

Okay, I will admit having as strong an emotional attachment to my wedding ring, my three dogs and the charm bracelet I inherited from my mother…but the truth is, there are few things more gratifying than owning a handbag that you really adore and cherish. You know, those that you love “truly, madly and deeply“?

“Truly, Madly, Deeply” is satchel style

offered in a classic bone and black,

for a modern spectator look.

 Yes, you guessed it; I am one of those ultra devoted and loyal Beijo Bag fans. Beijo is “the” handbag brand that has given me the thrill of owning not one, but many bags that I covet and wear proudly on my arm. In fact, forget costly therapy, hold the expensive spa treatments… and push back that appointment for color, cut and highlights. I’m headed over to a Beijo Home Show in the neighborhood where I’ll be engaging in every woman’s most enjoyable and therapeutic activity of all: handbag shopping. I’ll have fun mingling with my Beijo “Band of Sisters”, nibbling on a few refreshments, and hand selecting the perfect Beijo’s for each of my friends and family members. And, oh, by the way— I’ve decided to indulge my handbag passion yet one more time. I’ll be adding a few wonderful new bags to ‘My Beijo Collection’. Because just like jello, there’s always room for one more Beijo! 

"Its A Fine Line" Collection provides a tasteful grey plaid fabric against black and silver accents.

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THE “P” FACTOR

The Pivotal Role of Peptides in Skincare Manufacturing Today 

J Sikora, G.S. Cosmeceutical USA, Inc.

Every decade has its particular “star technologies”; historic breakthroughs that can be credited for fueling the growth and advancement of our beloved and ever-evolving skincare industry. In the eighties, we heralded the birth of AHA’s to accelerate our collective, ever-slowing, cell renewal process. The popularity of fruity acids resounded globally, as skincare obsessive’s around the globe eagerly celebrated the arrival of younger, fresher-looking skin. In the nineties, industry enthusiasts coveted new, super-potent wrinkle-fighting ingredients which sourced a fresh breed of mega anti-oxidants, including Co-Q10 and Idebenone, a highly efficacious, skin regenerative, free radical warrior.

Alpha Hydroxy based products, popular in the eighties and nineties, remain very popular today.

 By the late nineties and into the new millennium, our industry began to re-focus its attention and resources on two highly diverse fronts, one natural…the other synthetic. On the natural end of things, cosmetic formulators began touting the amazing preventative and restorative powers of mega-potent food and berry extracts: including Polyphenols (Resveratrol), Pomegranate Extract, Acai Berry, Blueberries and Mangosteen.

Simultaneously, cosmetic chemists positioned at the other end of the spectrum were busy raising venture capital to fuel a new promising synthetic category of anti-aging technologies known as “Peptides”. The Peptide Revolution, as many choose to call it, was officially ‘on’ from that day forward, generating billions of dollars in new growth and investment capital for cosmetic manufacturers, brand houses and ultimately, skincare influencers and trend-setters around the world.  

The broad endorsement of Peptide Technology has been striking. It is not simply cosmetic researchers, formulators and beauty editors who have become modern evangelists for Peptides, it is Dermatologists as well.

Peptides are lab engineered, bio-available, amino acid chains that direct the skin to take action!

Indeed, a recent article in CosmeticDesign.com confirms that these trained physicians…“see the potential for bioactive peptide ingredients in cosmetics as ‘immense’ due to their (Peptides) highly targeted and flexible nature”.¹ 

 So, what are peptides exactly… and, why have so many new breakthrough products released over the past decade been formulated and manufactured to showcase these sophisticated anti-aging chemicals?  

 According to a study led by the Kline Group, a leading beauty industry research firm; “Peptides are anti-aging focused chemicals, synthetics, which claim to bring pharmaceutical strength technology to non-prescription products.” “In essence, they are pharma grade anti-aging ingredients packed into ”² The Kline Group believes “that the global anti-aging phenomenon has been the key driving force behind the enormous growth in the skin care segment in recent years, which in turn has led to the development of a plethora of innovative chemicals, including a virtual smorgasbord of Peptides for skincare innovators to choose from”.³

 Others define Peptides in much more

The anti-aging trend was the catalyst for the development of Peptides; sophisticated chemicals offering targeted anti-aging solutions.

simplistic ways. Peptides function as messengers in the skin, allowing the epidermis and dermis to communicate more efficiently. This is important, because one of the key effects of aging is reduced communication within the skin, resulting in decreased collagen production and an aggregation of degraded elastin fibers. Decreased collagen production (less supportive, firming fibers), coupled with degraded elastin (diminished skin elasticity and flexibility) combine exponentially to produce classic visible signs of aging;  including thinner skin, fine and deep wrinkles, sagging and flaccidity and overall loss of skin ‘tone’.

Classic signs of both intrinsic and photo-aging: loss of firmness, wrinkles and sagging.

So, how do peptides work to correct these aging symptoms? There are twenty different amino acids in the human body and these acids can form in a variety of different combinations and sequences (just like the letters in words and sentences). When a chain of amino acids is over fifty acids long, it is normally called a protein, however when a chain contains less than 50 amino acids, it is considered a peptide. So, a peptide is really a ‘portion’, or a ‘building block’ of a protein. An abbreviated protein of sorts! 

The great news is that these ‘mini or abbreviated proteins’ (Peptides) can be created in lab to be highly active, influential molecules, which can direct the cells in our body to take specific actions. While there are many different types of peptides, those that are used in skincare are synthetically engineered to enter the cells of the skin and remain intact. Once in the skin, they are able to communicate and direct the skin cells to behave in a certain way. For example, they can direct the cells to produce new healthy collagen and/or elastin fibers…causing the epidermis to appear thicker, smoother and younger! This helps to explain why Peptide Technology is ultra desirable and can command significantly higher prices, when embedded into your standard anti-aging formulations.

Current research indicates that the popularity of Peptides is due in part, to the fact that these molecules can be “tinkered with” or “customized” fairly easily.  For example, there are several Peptides out there that have been designed to ‘tell’ the skin to produce more collagen and hyaluronic acid. The most famous of the anti-aging Peptides is one with an INCI name of Palmitoyl Pentapeptide; but commonly known as Matrixyl. Originally

Matrixyl, a favorite of anti-aging chemists, shows statistically significant reduction in 'wrinkle depth'.

developed for use on stretch marks, Matrixyl has also been used to promote more rapid healing of skin wounds. Manufacturers of formulas containing this Peptide claim statistically significant improvements in the reduction of deep wrinkles and the disappearance of small and fine wrinkles.

Then there are the peptides which are positioned as topical alternatives to Botox™. Consider Acetyl Hexapeptide (INCI), which many know as Argireline. By claiming to relax certain types of facial wrinkles by blocking the release of neurotransmitters, this trendy anti-aging Peptide has spearheaded the development of an entirely new category of Peptides known as “Neuropeptides”. A clinical study published in

Neuro-Peptides: a network of amino acids.

the  International Journal of Cosmetic Science reported that when used at a 10% concentration level, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 actually reduced wrinkle depth by up to 30 percent—after 30 days of continuous use. And to top that off, there is clinical evidence that this small Peptide may even deter wrinkles from forming in the first place!  Imagine that! While not Botox™ by any stretch of the imagination, one must admit that this designer chemical can be viewed as a formidable opponent to our most obvious sign of aging: The Wrinkle!

But, let’s not stop there… Excited chemists decided to offer Argireline a synergistic soul mate (of sorts) to partner with on tough anti-aging jobs.

Hence, the birth of Leuphasyl®, or Pentapeptide-3 (INCI). Working hand-in-peptide with Argireline, the two custom chemicals collaborate perfectly to reduce the depth of wrinkles on the face, especially in the forehead area and around the eyes, where we need it the most.

Aging can be beautiful, thanks to Peptide Technology!

Speaking of necessity… collective need and strong global market demand remain the mothers of invention for the skincare industry. Concerns by millions of image conscious Baby Boomers and Post-Boomers, (as well as a solid segment of Generation X’ers seeking precautionary anti-aging treatments) led Cosmetic Researchers to design yet another highly specialized peptide known as Hexapeptide-10 (INCI). This breakthrough Peptide was engineered to improve cell adhesion and as a result, reduce the loss of skin firmness (sagging). Also known as ‘Serilesine’ this Peptide multi-tasks effectively, to concurrently reduce dryness and yellowing of skin tone.

Industry insiders predict that a virtual parade of these lab-engineered genies will continue to inspire for years to come.

 

Peptide research is advancing at breathtaking speed. Few doubt that these highly specialized synthetic proteins will cease to be the ‘it factor’ of cosmetic compounding any time soon. Industry insiders predict that a virtual parade of these lab-engineered genies will continue to inspire, enrich an influence the thinking and methodologies of skincare manufacturers for decades to come. 

 Consider the possibilities… While today, cutting-edge, anti-wrinkle Peptides like (Syn®-Ake) are lab-engineered to mimic the effects of Viper Snakes… the Peptides of the future could have even broader and considerably more inventive applications.

In fact, researchers from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory are currently in the early stages of work on a new Peptide-based technology to replace dermal filler injections and cosmetic surgery procedures. They believe that an injectable peptide could be created to induce growth of fat under the skin. This would allow us to literally plump-up our own aging skin with the body’s own fat, indigenous to the skin itself!⁴    

Imagine injectable Peptides, that would encourage your skin to generate needed fat.

And what, you may ask; does the scientific community really think about this explosive technology that has gracefully commandeered centre stage over the past decade?

Gogi Sangha is the Founder, CEO and CSO of G.S. Cosmeceutical in Livermore, California.

At G.S. Cosmeceutical, a San Francisco Bay Area custom-contract- manufacturer of skincare and other cosmeceutical products, Owner and Chief Science Officer Gogi Sangha weighs in on the subject, pondering the timeless connection and inherent synergism between beauty and science, stating: “We live in a world where physical appearance matters. From the onset of history, humans have used natural materials to maintain their looks. Now, in modern times, we have turned to science to help us appear beautiful. Science has helped us to understand the skin, its functions and its chemistry. Now, we are using that same science to create specific molecules which, in turn, will help us achieve well defined beauty goals. Peptide technology is an example of a highly targeted science, one in which we use carefully selected molecules to perform very specialized functions, to impact our external beauty.  In the near future, we can expect to see truly significant breakthrough’s in the areas of science and beauty, as a result of Peptide technology.”    

G.S.Cosmeceutical: "Science of Beauty, Naturally..."

As we advance toward the next decade of the new millennium, I can’t help but wonder… If history holds true, there will be a new breed of skincare advancements and superstar technologies over the next ten years. Are we due to enter the new decade in 2010 with a yet-to-be-discovered innovation taking ‘the cameo’ or will we simply be mesmerized by the release of more exotic Peptide molecules, offering even more amazing claims? No one really knows. But there is one undeniable truth that we can all agree upon. What was once the “Pepsi Generation”, has now become the “Peptide Generation”. And the world is surely a more beautiful place for it, after all.

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1. CosmeticDesign.com: Katie Bird, March 24, 2009 Issue
2. CosmeticDesign.com; Simon Pittman, June 17, 2009 Issue
3. CosmeticDesign.com; Simon Pittman, June 17, 2009 Issue
4. CosmeticDesign.com; Katie Bird, March 4, 2009 Issue