CVS is at it again.
After adding a slew of items late last year, such as Wunderbrow and Nip + Fab, the drugstore chain is making further penetration into on-trend brands. Many of the new items represent CVS exclusives in the mass beauty business.
Rolling out next will be Tigi Cosmetics, Vinylux, Wunder2 and Mineral Fusion. Moreover, the chain promises this is the first in a series of premium and niche launches slated to be revealed throughout the year.
Tigi will bow in April in 2,000 doors, marking the first time the brand will be sold outside of the salon industry. More than 40 items will be available, such as Glow Brush, High Density Eyeshadow, Precision Black Eyeliner Pen, Diamond Lipstick and Luxe Lipgloss. “The wide assortment of Tigi Cosmetics will be present on our “trend wall,” which is new this year, featuring the hottest new brands and products,” said CVS’s vice president, merchandising manager of beauty, Alex Perez-Tenessa.
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CVS stocks the 72-shade range of Vinylux Weekly Polish, from the makers of CND Shellac, in 2,000 stores and cvs.com. The line is also positioned on the trend wall. Offering top-of-the-line, at-home manicures, Vinylux features seven-day chip-resistant wear, a two-step application, fast-drying formula and durability said to be increased with natural light.
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“We will continue to carry national brands and cult favorites and are excited to bring this additional offering to our customers who are looking for long-lasting, accessible beauty solutions at affordable prices,” Perez-Tenessa explained. Vinylux is housed on the trend wall, but CVS also makes a big statement with a nail bar called Nail HQ.
Based on the success of Wunderbrow in 500 doors, CVS is expanding that count to 2,000 sites and introducing eight more items that are part of the Wunder2 collection. Rolling out this month, the products take the franchise into the brow, lash, lip, base and skin categories. A hero item is the Wunderkiss Lip Plumping Gloss, which will be sold Stateside for the first time exclusively at CVS.
The final line slated for CVS shelves is Mineral Fusion. CVS Pharmacy will be the only drugstore to carry new product extensions from the coveted natural brand, a leader in mainstream natural beauty and personal care with products verified to be safe for all skin types and eco-friendly. Mineral Fusion products are also free of gluten, parabens, SLS, phthalates, artificial colors and synthetic fragrances and are vegetarian.
“As a health and beauty destination, CVS Pharmacy is extending our promise to help people on their path to better health in every aisle, and in the beauty aisle, that means we’re bringing in brands with greater skin health benefits to our customers,” Perez-Tenessa noted. “We also offer some of the best naturals and nonharsh ingredient brands on the market. Our newest exclusive naturals brand is Mineral Fusion, which joins this growing category as we expand our healthy beauty offerings.”
CVS is the only drugstore to carry new product extensions of the brand, which will launch on end caps in 300 stores and cvs.com. Previously it was only at specialty health stores and Whole Foods.
“With the explosion of beauty online and on social media, customers are much more discerning on what true innovation is, what the hottest trends are across the globe and they know what they want — and it’s often coming from new brands,” said Perez-Tenessa, adding 100 percent of the company’s growth over the past several years has come from new or smaller beauty brands.
“We are better able than ever to respond to the demand of our customers wanting to try the latest in beauty, and new and smaller brands are driving much of our growth. We are continuing to respond to the ‘new factor’ and we’re always in search of premium lines and niche products that can be difficult — or impossible — for our shoppers to find until they shop our aisles. This focus on innovation and trends will continue and increase,” he said.
Looking ahead, he portends holistic health will gain traction with consumers striving for healthier lifestyles. To address that CVS will increase its emphasis in skin care such as preventative and proactive lines with increased SPF and dermatological approved options. There will also be more natural and organic lines in beauty aisles.
There will be top-notch staffing to help introduce the new brands. “As part of a two-year effort to completely redesign our beauty service model, all of our beauty service stores now include newly recruited and trained Beauty Consultants. We have freed-out their time so they can be truly focused on helping the customer, and they will be trained on the new launches to guide shopper discovery on the latest in beauty. We’ve also been working to equip all Beauty Consultants with iPads to provide even greater advice to our customers by allowing them to leverage new technologies,” he said.