What women in their 30s want

New York bargain news from WWD

by WWD Staff
Posted Friday July 17, 2009
From WWD.COM

Are Dollar Stores The New Black?

Years ago, as the economy stumbled, it was noticed that woman started trading down from department stores and even drugstores to discount stores. But in this recession, women have yet another choice — dollar stores.

Dollar store retailers aren’t blind to the trend. They are dusting off beauty departments and going to vendors for special deals. Today’s dollar stores are far from dirty and dingy. Most, in fact, sell merchandise for more than a dollar so the name has become a misnomer. Visits to dollar chains reveals brands from Maybelline, Revlon and Cover Girl, as well as some lines created specially for the budget-minded consumer. A case in point is LA Colors, and Markwins is currently revamping some of its properties for distribution in the dollar channel. Mike Botterman of 99 Cents Only stores confirmed vendors are creating special items for his chain which is on a fast growth track and is considered a cool place to shop by many patrons, he said. The largest dollar chain is Dollar General. Dollar General has a defined and planogrammed beauty department. Dollar General, along with most of the dollar chains are producing double-digit profits gains. Last year, Dollar Tree broke into the Fortune 500 and was its top-performing stock.

The reason for the growth is undeniably that women are expanding what they purchase at budget stores. With more consumers trying to be smart about purchasing, they feel savvy about finding a deal. Research from Mintel reveals most shoppers are cutting back and no longer buying a lipstick as a pick me up. But, six out of 10 said they haven’t given up on beauty regimens and that bodes well for dollar stores who can provide their needs as they go what Mintel calls “austerity chic.”

Management of dollar chains is also getting more professional. Dollar General has Rick Dreiling as chief executive officer — he came from Duane Reade where he enacted major improvements. He is focusing on presentation instead of just piling cheap items on displays. He’s already improved the merchandise mix at Dollar General, financial analysts said. These moves are making vendors take notice of dollar chains.

One dollar store retailer summed it up: “Suppliers used to cancel meetings with me at ECRM or Marketplace [trade shows], now I’m at the head of their list.”

The only caution for dollar stores is to continue to spruce up in order to not only attract shoppers, but keep them once they have more money.
People, Places and Things

A few words with Sally Hershberger, the famed hair stylist (her cuts can cost $800) turned marketing whiz as she dazzled visitors to the NACDS Marketplace meeting in Boston last month.

WWDBeautyNews: You’ve expanded beyond Walgreens. Where are items sold now?

Hershberger: We are looking to grow and we’ve entered Shoppers Drug Mart, Ulta and Target. We have a national print campaign.

WWDBeautyNews: Is timing bad for a premium hair care line right now? Hershberger: No! As bad as everything is, this is a great time to spend [on advertising, growth]. It’s an incredible time to build business.

What’s In Store

Beauty Foods Slow To Take Off In U.K.: Datamonitor reports the beauty foods featuring benefits such as antiaging are not catching on as fast as marketers had hoped. Consumers aren’t buying into the “you are what you eat,” theory.

No Gray: The company that brought a product to correct a bad at-home hair color, DevloPlus, now has a formula for at-home use to properly cover gray. Called No Gray, the item is stocked in Walgreens, Duane Reade, Rite Aid and Bed, Bath & Beyond.

-from wwd.com

There’s still time to slap some sassy paint on and celebrate summer time, and this summer, we need all the sass we can get. Plus we’re poor and can’t afford statement pieces. So thank god we have Sephora’s new polish line by O.P.I is making it all possible with the most extensive range – 54 to be exact – of colors I haven’t seen since Rainbow Bright. From rich tangerine to shimmery cool rose, you will fall in the love with the rest of this boring summer. With cheeky O.P.I. inspired names like Mermaid to Order and Lost Without my GPS, there is a nail color for every occasion or no occasion at all.

This polish is a perfect combination of O.P.I.’s quality and color expertise and Sephora’s leadership is beauty product sophistication. In fact, Sephora by O.P.I. Nail Colour, in addition to being long-lasting and chip resistant, is a combination of top quality formula ingredients free of formaldehyde, toluene and DBP – toxic, icky ingredients found in most, lower quality nail polishes.

Now we love colorful polish trend, but make sure you never match it with your dress. A yellow dress and yellow nails or a purple dress and barney nails is a major no no. More subtle, neutral outfits will make the nails pop without overwhelming your look with competing colors. Choose the lighter colors now – the shimmery yellow and hot orange – because the darker colors can carry you through both winter and fall – the deeper purple and blue tones. This may be the perfect just what the doctor ordered to help New Yorkers save our summer.

It’s scary; I know. I have friends who take shots of whiskey before waxing and load up on Advil. The anxiety that builds while you wait for the pull of the strip, and all along you’re picturing Miranda’s unkempt bush in the SATC movie repeating “That will not be me,” in your mind. And at up to $75 a pop, is the wax really worth it? Well, it truly depends on your pain threshold and tolerance of varying salon hygiene. After spending my spring at four different wax specialists, here is my assessment.

J. Sisters The Tory Burch toting Gossip Girl wannabes might actually be more painful than the wax. J Sisters, born of seven Brazilian sisters whose names all start with J, is, or was, the place for a painless Brazilian. And yes, it’s pretty painless. I don’t know if they sprinkle cocaine in the wax, or what, but it’s as close to painless as I found. Unfortunately, I’m too lazy to trek up to 57th street for my flower. If you go, call well in advance and be ready to shovel out $75 bones plus tip.

J. Sisters  35 West 57th Street, 3rd Floor  212.750.2485

Haven I’ve been going to Haven for five years and the price has increasingly raised and the service stayed steady. The tricky thing here is the wax. They have “honey” wax – $41 for Brazilian – or “gourmet” wax – $57 for Brazilian. Hm, now that is confusing. The staff claims the gourmet is less painful and causes less ingrown hairs. I really can’t remember to accurately assess. I mean, it all hurts. I would go for the honey first and note your reaction then try the gourmet the next time if need be. The best part of Haven is the staff who are the friendliest I’ve met in NYC. They take time to talk you through each pull of strip. They offer extensive advice on taking care of your flower.

Haven 150 Mercer Street  212.343.3515

Dyanna Nail & Body Spa You get what you pay for, right? Well, sort of. Sure the atmosphere at Dyanna Nail & Body Spa is no J. Sisters, but it’s across from Tens and full of strippers, who require pristine waxes. And at Dyanna, you can get a great wax. For $40 for a Brazilian, it is affordable and comfortable enough. The space is small though and the rooms feel less private than Haven and J. Sisters. The staff aren’t as kind or concerned about your pain, but it is quick, efficient and cheap. If you are looking for an affordable wax and can tolerate a cramped environment for 15 minutes, this is your place.

Dyanna Nail & Body Spa   40 East 21st Street  212.995.2355  or  visit their Midtown location at  150 East 39th Street  212.213.0011

I also visited two not noteworthy waxes. One was Randee Elaine in the West Village. After I left this wax I was sure I contracted crabs or herepes or worse. DO NOT go there no matter how cheap they claim their Brazilian is. You’ll make up for it in medical fees. The other was a Chinatown shack who failed to remove all the hair. Gross. Basically, skipping a few days worth of lattes is totally worth beach confidence…and your health.