The real experts in the natural beauty world are the retailers who sell and promote the category every single day.
With this in mind – we asked Claudia McCormack, beauty buyer at The Cove, for her top picks.
Best-sellers for 2011
REN
They’ve got the message on the packaging exactly right. It says exactly what it’s going to do and then delivers. We do REN facials, which are fantastic, so customers get a chance to try before they buy.
Dr Haushka
When you get into their system you never want to leave! There’s a whole ethical ethos there from start to finish, from the way the products are made to the finished packaging. I think every tube of the rose day cream sends out little bursts of happiness.
Predictions for 2012
I think that winning customer loyalty is going to get even more important. Customers need to be sure they’ll get excellent value for money rather than a bathroom full of products that don’t work.It’s not about a ‘quick sales and off you go’ approach. It’s not a numbers game. If customers don’t like a product or something doesn’t work for them they’ll definitely be back to tell you. That means you have to be totally confident in what you offer.
We offer an individualised service – which means asking people what they’re looking for from their skincare and what they want to achieve. It’s vital to have a discussion about what they like too. There’s no point talking about balms when a customer prefers a wash. You can’t be too forceful, but sometimes you just know when you’ve found someone the perfect product. I hope that in the future natural beauty will get more mainstream.
I think brands need to develop the more high tech element so they’re competing with Estee Lauder-style products. I like what Neal’s Yard are doing – they’re heading in a mainstream direction in a natural way.
