Welcome back to my blog! This week has been so amazing! Talking with my site advisers prior to getting on-site has been so different than actually interning on-site, and in the best way possible. So far this week I have worked at both Imiloa Labs and an innovative skincare company based in Phoenix. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I get to intern at the skincare company, and I have been learning new marketing skills, which is super cool, because I have never been a part of business marketing before, only marketing events for school and church!
Going into this week, I was not quite sure what tasks I would get to be a part of, but I have been given the project of researching ingredients and products in the market. Researching ingredients has been much more integrated than I even could have previously imagined. Every ingredient has a specific purpose, and it is really cool to get to research the differences between ingredients. I will continue looking into cutting-edge ingredients, but also marketing techniques.
- When working in any type of product industry, a company must work with a contract manufacturer they can trust. Sometimes formulation changes come up, and having a trusted contract manufacturer is key. Occasionally if a company changes the formulation, some manufacturers may try and take rights.
- When a formulation changes or something about your product changes, make sure you have enough lead time with enough inventory in stock to send a test batch out among the old products to see if consumers see a difference. If something goes wrong, you will have enough time to fix the issue.
- Companies must stay focused on what products of theirs are already out on the market. Changes will always come up and it is up to the company to stay on top of it, catching things before products go out to market.
- Ingredients used below 1% in a formula can be mixed up in any order on the ingredients list. Yes this may protect the integrity of a product, but consumers must keep this in mind when they are looking at the ingredients list. Exotic materials may show up higher than preservatives, but really they are at similar levels or the levels of preservatives are higher than the exotic materials, but they are just at a level under 1%.
My tip of the week to consumers would be to pay attention to the ingredient list, but just know that it is completely legal to mix up the order of what is less than 1% in the formulation.
I have chosen to create a lip product that actually penetrates the skin and can correct the appearance of deep lines in one's lips instead of just covering them up like a petroleum or beeswax. I will also be creating a facial cleanser, hopefully targeted towards people with oily skin and with acne.
I want this to be an interactive product while I am still in the development process. Are there any types of lip products you guys like or facial cleansers you like? Please leave a comment below as well as why you like that specific product. Or even if you just like a specific brand, I would love to know what brand and why you like it as well, even if it is just the packaging!
Thank you all for continuing to follow me through this journey!
Sounds like you are having a great time and learning a lot!! I had no idea about the 1% rule with ingredients!! Also, sign me up for some of the lip balm! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Dr. Scaling! It is a bunch of fun! Haha sounds good. :D
ReplyDeleteHey Lauren! I really enjoyed reading this post, especially because the consumer part can help me in considering products even now.
ReplyDeleteAlso, to answer some of your questions for readers, I myself like original packagings like eos products because they stand out and have creative designs that do not make the product harder to use or less effective. And I think you making a product that would heal the skin rather than cover it is a really great idea- especially as a person who gets chapped lips often, I know I'd love it! Like you said, many products don't have lasting effects past coating the lips.
I also have a question regarding what you learned about how companies will send changed formulas for a product out with the old formula to see if consumers notice a change. If the consumers do notice a difference, do the companies just switch back to the old formula and try to make a new one? I would imagine they would lose some customers, though, who noticed the change and did not like it. Do you know if this often happens, or if clients don't really leave after an event like that? Also, what would happen if there was a mixed response, either when some customers notice a difference while others don't, or when pretty much all the customers notice a change but it's split between half liking the new product more and half liking it less? Or is the response generally the same?
Hey Annalise! Thank you so much for your comment! Eos does have really great, cute packaging!
DeleteRegarding your question, sometimes it's not really up to companies to change their formula. A preservative might be taken down from market, or an ingredient may no longer be sold. So it's really nice when companies have enough inventory to be able to take the time to come up with a solid answer. And consumers definitely can be lost. New customers may be automatically turned off, and old customers may be off put and try another product.
If there was a half-response, I think the company would try and fix the issue still but it's completely up to the company. :)
Thank you for commenting! I hope I answered your question and I can't wait to have a solution past coating the lips!
Hi Lauren! I loved reading this post, especially learning about the marketing strategies concerning consumer marketing and having a trustworthy manufacturer! I often use Burt's Bees and Eos lip balms to keep chapped lips to a minimum, especially with extreme weather in winter and summer, but their effects are short-lasting. I also use Cetaphil facial cleansers as a gentle wash to control oil levels in skin, but I would love to see what formula you come up with to reduce acne! In regards to your exciting first week, I have a few questions about marketing strategies and consumer response. In regards to the 1% ingredient rule, have there been cases when a company is able to hide detrimental or questionable ingredients from consumers, and have consumers found out and exposed the company? Also, has a skincare company ever had to recall a specific product due to inefficient testing, unexpected changes, or negative consumer response? I can't wait to see what you learn about the manufacturing and selling, as well as the major differences between products at both Imiloa Labs and the skincare company that you are working at!
ReplyDeleteHey Esha! Thank you for your response! Eos has been a big one!
DeleteCompanies (at least ones I've encountered so far) don't try to hide questionable ingredients below the 1%, since the FDA would not approve questionable ingredients in the first place. But the 1% is a great place to trick the consumer into showing exotic ingredients as higher in the list which we all think means there is a higher percent, but an ingredient with .01% could be ranked higher than one with .9%.
And yeah! Skincare companies must pass these tests before their product hits the market, so that would not cause a recall, but negative consumer response makes companies pull their products all the time to create new ones.
Thank you for your comments!!
Hi Lauren! This post was actually very fascinating and helpful. I will definitely take the order of the ingredients list of a product with a grain of salt next time I read one. Also, does a product marketer usually send out a test batch to consumers without testing the new formula beforehand? In addition you mentioned you were learning about some cutting-edge ingredients. What are some examples of cutting edge ingredients you have learned about so far? Will you be using any in the formulation of your face wash or lip product? I often use lip balms that do not necessarily smell good or look aesthetically pleasing, I mainly look for function. I think your idea about a lip product that penetrates deep into your skin is a great idea, as almost all lip brands I have used only correct superficial dryness. As far as a face wash goes, I usually look for a product that contains mainly natural ingredients and has as few ingredients as possible. Thank you and I really enjoyed your post!
ReplyDeleteHey Lauren! Glad to see your passion for this project come out into your blog! Its so interesting because I would never have thought to correlate marketing with chemistry! And the citric acid problems... I never could think of a real life scenario involving them till now! Quick question, I'm curious about the process of creating your products, so how do you plan on making it? Is there a basic guideline to follow for making a certain type of product? Are there certain components of the product that can't be replaced or are there ways to substitute? I'm interesting in how your research project will turn out!
ReplyDeletePS 8th period drama misses you <3
Hi Lauren.
ReplyDeleteI am glad to hear you have already learned so much in your first week. I found the 1% rule fascinating since as a consumer we do not really consider how much of each ingredient is actually being put into our products. Is there any rule/law that prohibits companies from concealing certain ingredients? To answer your question, I like the Eos and baby lips lip balms because of their creative packaging. As for face wash, I use Cetaphil because it helps keep my skin clear while keeping it from getting oily throughout the day. I cannot wait to hear more about your products!
Zafeerah Sheikh
Hi Lauren! I am intrigued by the 1% rule. I will have to look out for the ingredients used in products, the next time I buy a skincare product. Is it allowed for products to contain substances that could potentially be toxic in large amounts, but not in amounts under 1% of the product?
ReplyDeleteRegarding your question, my favorite lip product would be the original Burt's Bees lip balm.The tingly feeling on my lips makes me feel that the balm is actually working. I also like that the products are made of beeswax, as I feel that it is not an ingredient commonly used in lip products. Burt's Bees is known for using all-natural ingredients in their products, which gives me confidence that their products have no detrimental chemical side effects to them, such as drying, peeling, burning, ect.(Unless I am allergic to something in the product, which I am not.) Another contributing factor is that the lip balm contain peppermint oil, giving lips the tingly and refreshing feeling I like so much. Another lip product I enjoy is the Baby Lips lip balm, because it hydrates the lips, as well as giving them a nice tint. I like that the lip balm comes in a variety of colors and flavors, which, I feel, is good for appealing to a broad range of consumers, since everyone has different preferences to what color or flavor they want to apply to their lips. I also think that the variety of colors and flavors help the businesses make more sales, because if a consumer likes the brand, then they are more likely to buy many different shades and flavors over and over again.
I cannot pick a single favorite face cleanser, so I would have to go with my top two: the Burt's Bees Sensitive facial cleanser and the Clean and Clear Morning Burst face wash. (I love both equally.) The Burt's Bees face wash is a cream cleanser, that gently washes my face, while also making it soft and smooth. The product also does not have an overwhelming scent, which is nice. The Clean and Clear Morning Burst face wash makes my skin squeaky clean, but also leaves my skin feeling smooth. The citrus components of the face wash leave my face feeling rejuvenated and helps give my day a fresh start.
I am very excited to hear about your new product! I have oily skin myself, so it will be interesting to see the process in which you create your product! I look forward to learning more about your endeavors!
Divya Rallapalli
Would be interested in knowing if they use natural ingredients and address different skin types?
ReplyDelete