Update :

Precious Magazine teams up with Yana Cosmetics to launch Beauty Survey
by Anonymous

September 3, 2004 -- Precious Magazine teams up with Yana Cosmetics to launch Beauty Survey

Precious Online (www.preciousonline.co.uk) - the magazine for women of colour - has teamed up with Yana cosmetics to launch a beauty survey, in a bid to get mainstream cosmetic brands and marketers to meet the needs of the black female consumer.

Deborah Kong, Well-being Editor of Precious Online said: "We believe that our survey will demonstrate that women of colour in the UK are extremely limited as to where they can purchase make-up - in particular foundation base coats, powder and concealers - suitable for darker skin tones. Either these products are not available locally, or they have to look to the more expensive premium brands, such as Iman, Flori Roberts and Mary Kay."

These brands all create ranges specifically for the black market, however some are only available to the UK consumer by mail order, or in specialist shops.

"The demand for affordable black-specific cosmetics on the high street is largely unmet by chemist chains, department and supermarkets. There are only limited ranges of affordable high street alternatives, and the mainstream brands have insufficient skin tone ranges. They do not seriously consider the black cosmetics
market."

In the rare cases where editors of mainstream magazines cover beauty articles on darker skins, they tend to mention premium brands such as MAC, Clinique and Bobbi Brown - all of which produce a limited range- or use the darkest product in a collection produced
for white skins.

Many brands assume that Asian and lighter black skin tones can simply use the darkest shade of foundation in their collections, yet there are four times as many black skin shades as white. Different skin types, pigmentation, and the need for powder and other products to complete a look are not taken into account.

Manufacturers such as Sleek and Yana cosmetics have made some headway in meeting the market demand for black make-up on the high street.

Yana cosmetics offers custom blended foundation that is mixed to exactly match the skin tone as part of its recently launched Yana makeup range.

Sleek have been producing an extensive range (foundations, powders, blushers, eye and lip shades) specifically for darker skins for over a decade. Their success is such that they now export cosmetics to over 23 countries in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.

But despite the fact that in some instances spending power is 2-3 times that of their white counterparts, this extremely lucrative market remains largely untapped by mainstream manufacturers.

In the UK, the Afro-Caribbean population is 1.1 million and ethnic minorities make up around 5% of the entire population. Spending on black hair products and cosmetics was estimated to rise from £57.4 million in 2002 to £80 million by 2004.

"Mainstream attitudes towards black cosmetics have changed over the years, but there is a still a mountain of progress to be made," says Ms Kong. "Black and Asian consumers feel under served. The industry needs to wake up to this lucrative market."

For further information and article queries please contact: Deborah Kong. Well-being Editor, Precious Online

Mobile: 07957 750 176 Email: deborah@preciousonline.co.uk

Website: www.preciousonline.co.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS:
(1)The survey can be taken at: http://www.preciousonline.co.uk/wellbeing/precious_beauty_survey.htm
(2)Launched in 2000, Precious Online is the only lifestyle magazine dedicated to women of colour in the UK.
(3)Yana cosmetics are available from Morleys of Brixton, 472-488 Brixton Road (opposite Brixton Tube) London SW9 8AH and James Selby Department Store, 386-402 Holloway Rd, London N7 6PR For more information about please contact Karen Nisbett, Yana Cosmetics – Marketing, divamediauk@yahoo.co.uk