Lipstick sales in the US have witnessed a 19 percent drop since 2003, and sales are forecasted to grow by only 1.4 percent in 2009.
As a result, manufacturers are redoubling their efforts to seduce consumers, hoping that new product launches will see the return of consumer confidence in the lip care category.
Nica Lewis, director of Beauty Innovation at Mintel, said that in the US so far this year, the plumping claim increased by 30 per cent in new lip color products in comparison to the same period in 2008, while the long-lasting claim was up 25 per cent.
The plumping effect
Fusion Beauty’s InFATuation Lip Fattener is said to boost the lips’ own natural fatty acids through the incorporation of new Amplifat technology for an instant and long-lasting plumping effect.
It contains perennial sea fern, which claims to naturally increase two key proteins that encourage the diffusion of fatty acids in the lips.
The paraben- and silicone-free product also contains ‘Lip Vantage’, dual-encapsulated plumping spheres and peptides that, according to the company, encourage collagen synthesis for youthful looking lips.
Long-lasting color
Long-lasting color is promised by Giorgio Armani’s Rouge d’Armani Lasting Satin Lip Color through the use of a pioneering technology that is said to bond color on to the lips. The key fixing agent is Color bond, which is the result of seven years of research and 20 patents.
Innovative packaging
Products that claim to offer plumper lips and longer lasting color are not the only ways in which cosmetics manufacturers are hoping to boost sales.
This year has also seen innovative packaging concepts in the lip care category through which manufacturers aim to attract consumers by differentiating their products from competitors on store shelves.
US niche brand, Hourglass Cosmetics, offers its Trace Lip Liner in a twist-up pencil format with interchangeable ends. Refillable cartridges for lip or eyeliner are sold separately, helping to cut down on packaging waste.
Métier Tribeca has updated its signature rotating stacking system for the Autumn 2009 limited edition Kaleidoscope Lip Kit, offering a silver metallic finish instead of the brand’s usual matte black plastic. The lip kit contains four lip colours, each of which can be twisted open like a fan.