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Standouts from 2018 NACDS Total Store Expo

10/5/2018
The National Association of Chain Drug Stores Total Store Expo usually brings out a large array of new items to catch the fancy of retail buyers. This year’s event, held in Denver in late August, did not disappoint, with hundreds of suppliers offering their wares to the many retailers in attendance.

Drug Store News had an opportunity to visit with some of these suppliers to see what they are offering in the coming months to help retailers build sales and profits from their health and beauty care sections.

Here is a sampling of what is being offered:

Alcon
Fort Worth, Texas-based Alcon touted Systane Complete eye drops, a new formula designed to provide soothing relief for every major type of dry eye.

Jeff Huffman, Alcon dry eye and ocular health marketing director, noted that dry eye is an irritation that feels like sand paper in the eye, and that about 30 million people live with dry eye in the United States. “Our new advanced nano-droplet technology is a significant breakthrough for the Systane family of dry eye drops. It allows for fast-acting hydration, tear-evaporation protection and long-lasting relief, making this our most-advanced solution to date.”
Systane Complete retails from $12 to $15.99.

Huffman was proud to point out that Alcon recently launched a multimillion-dollar ad campaign for Systane Complete, featuring tennis champion and dry-eye sufferer Venus Williams as the spokesperson.

Andalou Naturals
The Novato, Calif.-based company unveiled a line of skin care products under the CannaCell label in March. The line, which features more than 25 SKUs, has products for face, skin, hand and body, hair care and men’s care. Items have suggested retail price points ranging between $9.99 and $19.99.
“Our niche is that these products offer superpowered antioxidants, with hemp stem cells that help to build resiliency in the skin against environmental factors,” said Rachel Henry, the company’s director of sales-chain drug. “Hemp is such a huge trend in beauty. It is only going to get bigger and bigger.”

Beauty 21 Cosmetics
Beauty 21 Cosmetics has unveiled a wide array of products from its L.A. Colors line. Among the myriad of products Beauty 21 Cosmetics highlighted at the show were L.A. Colors Chrome Liquid Eyeliners in Foiled Silver and Liquid Gold. The company also introduced Holographic Iridescent Lipgloss in Sugared and L.A. Colors Lockin’ Lip Color, which includes a gloss enhancer.

Applying L.A. Colors’ new Gelly Glam Metallic Sizzle eye color on her hand to show how the product looks, Jessica Tondre, Beauty 21 Cosmetics’ marketing director, said, “Once it dries, you don’t feel like it’s on. The trend here is a jelly-based type product that is more metallic, blendable and non-crease.”

The company also displayed its blush, eyeshadow and hi-lite bronzer palettes. Nude eyeshadow and Rose eyeshadow palettes featured an electroplated component on the back of the palette. “This feature resembles the palettes from upscale pricey prestige brands,” Tondre said.

Kampalook
Kampalook is in the hair brush business for people and pets. Among the company’s 30 SKUs, which range in price from $9.99 to $14.99, is the Michel Mercier detangling brush and Michel Mercier pet detangling brush for dogs and cats.

“People are looking for detanglers because they want to have healthy and shiny hair, and our product makes hair feel good,” said Avshalom Herscovici, president and CEO of the Austin, Texas-based company. “There’s a lot of height on each bristle. Our brush has 428 different bristles, 32 heights and 16 different diameters to make sure, when you brush your hair, your scalp feels good. It’s like a massage.”He said the hair brushes featured advantages — less breakage and less hair loss. “We want to give the customer the right solution for these needs. This is scientifically proven to reduce the pressure on the scalp, while brushing,” he said.

The brushes, which have plastic handles, come in three formulations that correspond with different hair types. There is a brush designed for thick hair, normal hair and fine hair. “Retailers want to give customers the right brush for their needs. If their hair is fine or curly, they shouldn’t buy the same brush. We’re bringing new products to market to meet unmet needs,” Herscovici said.

Kampalook’s latest product, Michel Mercier SOS Color Recover spray to touch up gray roots, comes with a patented brush and scalp protector. It retails for $14.99 and is available in a variety of shades to match hair color.

Oral Fitness
Oral Fitness offers a complete natural oral care line that features the name of its CEO, Dale Audrey. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based firm wants to educate consumers about the importance of oral care as it relates to the whole body. “We created affordable natural products, and have about 50 SKUs priced from $7.99 to $26.99,” Audrey said.

Among the slew of products is a Gum Massage Tip that comes in a clear zippered pouch, a Quick Sonic Toothbrush that is waterproof and has two speeds, an Ayurvedic Toothpowder with neem in Ginger Lemongrass, and an Ayurvedic Oral Pulling Rinse in Warm Cinnamon, Bubble Gum, Ginger or Fresh Mint flavors.
The company’s most popular item is White2Nite, a tooth whitening pen, which is hydrogen peroxide-based and contains such herb extracts as pomegranate and aloe, and has no artificial sweeteners or flavors.

Next year, Oral Fitness expects to launch a luxury oral care line called White2Nite/Marilyn Monroe. The line will feature 10-to-12
products. “We will collaborate with Swarovski to make a more glamorous natural oral care line that features toothbrushes, other products and accessories that are bling,” Audrey said.

Perio
Perio is adding Barbasol razors for men and Pure Silk Spa Therapy razors for women to its shaving line. The Dublin, Ohio-based company is known for its Barbasol shave cream for men and Pure Silk shave cream for women.

Perio’s products are priced between $1.99 for shave creams to $9.99 for disposable razors.

Pure Silk Spa Therapy and Pure Silk Vanilla Shea Butter Spa Therapy shaving creams are among Perio’s newest product launches. The latter comes in a trendy rose gold-colored can that is designed to resonate with many consumers who enjoy following the latest fashion trends.

Perio also highlighted Barbasol Pacific Rush, a new addition to its men’s shaving cream line, which contains caffeine and menthol. “The product is designed to be invigorating,” said Sharon Seiter, Perio’s national account manager.

Perio’s SKUs for women include five varieties of Pure Silk shave cream, three disposable razor options, a razor system and refill pack. The company’s SKUs for men include five varieties of shaving cream, three disposable razors, a razor system and refill.

“We’ve seen success in the front of store check lanes and in dump bins with our 5-oz. shaving cream and single-count trial size,” said Dustin Abels, vice president of analytics, sales and marketing at the company. Abels pointed out that the razor starting kit features a premium razor handle, and that the razor has six blades.
In honor of Perio’s upcoming 100th anniversary in 2019, it is bringing back its original shaving cream can, which featured vertical stripes with a red cap. Perio is offering a vintage tin gift set, which includes playing cards, shaving cream and a razor for $19.99. “It’s a giftable item. The brand has an enormous amount of affinity, loyalty and nostalgia,” Abels said.

Studex
Studex had a complete setup to demonstrate its ear-piercing equipment, and to show its wide array of earring studs and aftercare products. Officials at the Gardena, Calif.-based company believe strongly that ear piercing services and products represent a huge opportunity for drug store and mass retailers to boost their revenue. Studex’s earrings range in price from $9.9
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