Taking Initiative

Active ingredients in skin care can offer a variety of benefits from turning back the clock to busting
blemishes. They can also lighten skin, provide UV protection and even reduce the appearance of cellulite.

Consumer trends are driving innovation in active ingredients, according to Carrie Mellage, director, consumer products, Kline & Company. After all, consumers want products that deliver on their claims, so R&D teams are hustling to keep up with the latest developments and incorporate these novelties into future formulations.

"Hot ingredients right now include botanicals, hyaluronic acid, stem cell-related ingredients and marine ingredients," she said, noting that specialty actives in personal care target a wide variety of performance benefits although  anti-aging  functionality dominates.

Sales of skin care as a whole including acne treatments, body anti-aging, facial anti-aging, facial cleansers, facial moisturizers depilatories and fade/bleach products in food, drug and mass-market outlets (excluding Walmart) rose 2.1% to nearly $2.3 billion for the 52 weeks ended Oct. 7, 2012,  according  to  data  from SymphonyIRI Group, a Chicago-based market  research  firm.  Sales  of  facial moisturizers alone rose 4.9% to $266.1 million; however, facial anti-aging products fell 1.4% to $807.9 million, demonstrating that mass marketers are adding a multitude of benefits to their standard SKUs as opposed to targeting a specific niche of consumers.

Prestige skin care sales climbed 12% to $3.3 billion for the year ending September 2012. And sales within total prestige anti-aging skin care market also rose 12% to $1.7 billion, according to The NPD Group, a market research company. Will mass market sales rebound? If recent rollouts in drugstores are any indication, sales may already be on an upswing.

Critical Mass

As a leader in skin care with an eye for emerging trends, Olay brought the first-ever mass market CC line of products to the US this season. CC, or Color & Correct, Creams have started to emerge in Asia as a new category and are designed for women who love BB Creams for their ability to provide
a quick, flawless finish but are seeking skin care solutions that deliver long-term benefits, according to the company. The products are fueled by Olay's unique set of actives, the Glucosamine Complex containing N-acetyl glucosamine and niacinamide.

The Olay Total Effects CC Tone Correcting Line treats seven signs of aging, while also providing  immediate color correction with tinted formulas that include UV protection or tone correction over time. The multiple, must-have instant and long-term benefits leave skin luminous and even-toned with  the reduced appearance of discolorations, fine lines and wrinkles.

Another pioneer in the  anti-aging category, RoC Skincare, developed a new, two-step regimen that  helps deliver maximum benefits from an anti-aging skin care routine. The new RoC Max collection is
the latest addition to the brand's portfolio of effective,  wrinkle-fighting  solutions. Designed to optimize the performance of the Retinol Correction Max Wrinkle Resurfacing System, the RoC Max Resurfacing Cleanser preps skin to achieve the maximum results. Using beads to exfoliate dead skin cells, the Cleanser helps prime the face for the Max System treatment, all while making skin smoother and more radiant. Post-cleanser, finish the routine with the RoC Retinol Correction Max Wrinkle Resurfacing System a lightweight, two-step moisturizer that combines RoC Retinol with an E-Pulse Resurfacing Serum.

Sister J&J brand Aveeno is putting its formulas into wipes with the new Ultra-Calming  Makeup  Removing&nbNike Hypervenom Phantom III Low