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Health and Beauty in Fashion
Mercadies Cochran
Kent State University
810547152
Fashion Marketing- Section 4
Dr. J. Kim
October 16th, 2015

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Lately the Kardashian’s have been all over social media, but this time it is not
for their tabloid stunts but instead their health and beauty skills. Whether viewers
are following the youngest, Kylie, and her launch of a beauty app for the IPhone,
which offers makeup how-to and hair tutorials. Or one of the oldest, Khloe
encouraging others to be health conscious, through her daily motivation and
workout advice, they are the hype. It has become a trend to be health and beauty
conscious, which has had a positive impact on various health and beauty product
companies and has helped drive sales through the roof in the past few years. Health
and beauty are two of the most important product categories of all time. They make
up a large amount of all market sales in the United States, with some products
dating all the way back to 3000 BC and new products being introduced each day.
Every generation, specifically the millennia’s, use some sort of health and beauty
product on a daily basis. Through large amounts of research this paper compares
four categories of health and beauty including dental, hair, skin and cosmetics and
the type of impact they have on the millennial generation.
General Overview of the Industry
The importance of professional dental hygiene started in the 1900s when Dr.
Alfred C opened the first dental hygiene school sparking an emphasis on the
prevention of dental diseases (Bowen, 2013). According to Alyssa Picard, PhD “If
you went to the dentist office in the early 20th century, the odds that you would
receive any systematic hygiene instruction were quite low. The most important
reason for that silence about dental hygiene had to do with the shape of the dental
profession before dental hygienist began to influence it” (pg. 27). With that being

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said, the very first version of a
toothbrush dates back to 3500-3000 BC
when the Babylonians and the
Egyptians made a brush by fraying the
end of a twig (Wynbrandt 1998).
Shortly after, the Chinese brought forth
the idea of a chewing stick, which was used to freshen breath. It was not until 1780
that William Addis produced the first modern design of a toothbrush. Ancient
toothpastes were used back then for the same reason they are today- to keep the
gums and teeth clean, whitened and fresh. The modernization of toothpaste
happened around the same time as the toothbrush. The original versions contained
soap, chalk and powder. It was not until the second half of the twentieth century
that toothpaste was made to prevent and treat diseases and tooth conditions. The
most recent advances in toothpastes include whitening toothpaste, and toothpaste
containing protection against caries, gum disease, plaque, calculus and bad breathe
(Colgate, 2006).
For many years hygiene, especially when it came to a woman’s hair was not
very common. Assyrian Kings used to have their hair curled using heated iron bars
in 1500 BC. Then in 500 BC Western Africans used to set their curls using clay. In
fact, the earliest hair conditioner dates back to the 1300s and was made with dead
lizards boiled in olive oil (Sharrow, 2006). Hair care was not a popular practice until
the early 1900s. It was not until the 1920s that women used the short haircut as a
metaphor of their freedom and advancement within society. During the 1950s

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hairstyles such as the stiff bouffant reflected the women’s tightly bound and
circumscribed lives (Barg, 2001). The 1960s and 1970s brought about the long
curled or straightened hair trend, closely influenced by the Beatles and fashion icon,
Twiggy. In today’s youth everything from hair extensions to multi colored hair can
be seen walking down the streets. In terms of hair care products the first water
soluble powered shampoo was produced in 1898. It was not until 1927 that the
liquid shampoo was introduced. Then in 1970 the first rinse out conditioner was
brought into the market (Chaudhri, 2009).
Skin care products have been evolving since early 500 BC. It was then that
the Greeks practiced “health through water.” Social bathing was a common practice
and was often built near natural springs. This evolved into what is now the use of
saunas and steam baths. Skin care is the health and beauty product that has
experienced the most ups and downs due to the struggle with artificial ingredients.
A major trend right now is a return to the basics: going back to the true purpose of
skin care: health, healing and overall well being (Taschetta-Millane, 2011). A basic
soap substance, made of animal fat and wood ashes, was used as the very first facial
cleanser and dates back as early as 2800 BC. 1916 was the very first time German
scientists discovered synthetic detergents and added them to mineral salts to form a
soap scum worthy of a facial cleanser. Dove introduced the cream infused facial
cleanser in 1970, which became the foundation for all facial cleaners for the years to
come (James, 2009).
Cosmetics played a huge part in Egyptian hygiene and health. Oils and
creams were used for protection against the hot sun and dry winds (Jain, 2009). It

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was not until the early twentieth century that cosmetics became a fashionable
product in the United States. Cosmetics, according to the FD&C Act are “articles
intended to be applied to the human body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting
attractiveness or altering the appearance without affecting the body’s structure or
functions” (Berg, 2001). It was then that the cosmetic industry quickly grew into a
multimillion-dollar industry. 1906 was the first time the government finally passed
the Pure Food and Drug Act, which restricted the false marketing of cosmetics (Berg,
2001). However, this still left cosmetic ingredients unregulated. In 1960 the Color
Additive Amendment was passed and this required that all colored ingredients must
be tested for safety and then was to be approved by the FDA in order to be used or
sold. Still today, human placenta, animal amniotic liquid, fish scales, sheep cells,
beetle carapace and cattle, ox or swine brain cells are used in everyday cosmetic
products (Berg 2001).
The graph below shows market sales in percent’s for each product found in
the health and beauty categories in the United States. As you can see, cosmetics and
face care products
are among the top
sellers while shaving
products fall short
with just 1.5% of
sales. This could be
largely in turn that

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consumers are being conscious about their spending habits and using hair care
products as shaving cream alternatives.
Financial Forecasts and Current Sales
The oral care product category includes toothpaste, toothbrushes,
mouthwash, dental floss, dental accessories, dental tools and bleach or whitening
kits. According to the May 2015 Mintel report, this industry continues to increase
with each year. Between 2009 and 2014 the oral category increased by 14% with a
more than 2% increase anticipated for 2015. New product innovations as well as
strong brush head replacement drove the sales increase. While toothbrushes,
manual or electric, will always be a continuous sale, the oral care market is still
struggling with encouraging consumers to use mouthwash and floss daily, thus
ultimately hurting sales in those particular product categories. Along with that,
parents with children under five continue to have differing opinions about their
child’s recommended oral routine which is decreasing sales for the children’s oral
care market (Mintel, 2015).
According to the Mintel report the hair care category is classified as
shampoo, conditioner, hairstyling products including gel, mousse, cream, oil, putty
and other texturizers as well as hairspray. This industry experiences a steady rise
with a sales increase of 2-3% on a yearly basis. Most sales in this category are from
shampoo and conditioner as this is an imperative product in the United States. It
gains nearly 4% each year in itself but is largely driven by conditioner. Hair
products have been following the wellness trend seeing as consumers have severely
decreased spending on styling products and prefer to wear their hair all-natural.

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Along with that, consumers are having a hard time understanding the benefits of the
newer products (Mintel, 2015).
The skin care category for the Mintel report includes hand and body lotions,
body oils, anti-aging cream, hand cream, foot care and deodorant. This does not
include body cleansing products or facial care. This market has been experiencing
steady growth with around a 15% increase between 2010 and 2015. The biggest
impact on sales is driven by APDO products and then unfortunately the struggle of
the nail care market. The primary consumer is female with males and aging
consumers bringing in the lowest amount of sales. Black consumers play a large role
in the APDO product sales due to increasing incidences of skin conditions among
black consumers (Mintel, 2015).
The cosmetics category for the Mintel report includes eye cosmetics, facial
cosmetics and lip cosmetics. For this Mintel report nail care and body cosmetics
were not included. This particular industry has a slow steady rise with yearly gains
of around 2-3% predicted until 2020. This market is behind held up by the middle
aged women ages 25-44 as they buy the most cosmetic products at any given time.
Currently the industry is seeing a decline in women older than 45 and their use of
makeup. The cosmetics industry is also experiencing skepticism regarding the
advertising for color cosmetics. Specifically with an emphasis on airbrushing and
Photoshop, a growing issue in the United States. Women are having a hard time
committing to new products because the advertising might be delivering artificial
expectations about the results of that particular product (Mintel, 2014).

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Analysis of the Market
The dental care Mintel report was able to show a few ways to increase sales
in oral care products. This starts with encouraging consumers to focus on oral care
during the morning and night as well as during the day. This is where the
opportunity lays… allowing brands to introduce a middle of the day product to
reduce the risk of oral health issues. The Mintel mentions many different ways this
can be addressed including a portable product innovation, oral wipes and on the go
kits. The Mintel report also mentioned how consumers are beginning to steer away
from bleaching or whitening kits because of the damage it causes on the enamel. A
way to avoid this drop in sales is to start putting whitening enhancers in a more
variety of products so consumers can still use the products they love just with a
little update with the added whitening. Lastly the Mintel report touched on
children’s oral care one last time. To drive sales, brands could start offering
guidance to parents, which would create brand loyalty resulting in an increase of
sales (Mintel, 2015).
The opportunities put forth through the Mintel report include
focusing on the adults ages 25-34. This market segment has shown the most interest
in purchasing the heaviest amount of hair care products. This is largely due to the
fact that they are less influenced by fads and tends to stay loyal to their products.
Another opportunity is to expand into a multicultural population and offer products
that can be used by multiple hair types. Marketing wise, these product companies
should also focus on promoting the new formula benefits (Mintel, 2015). Many
times consumers are interested in the new products but they are not given enough

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information to make the switch from their original product to the newly updated
one. If companies promote the benefits better they will be able to gain sales and
build brand loyalty.
Many of the opportunities that are mentioned in the Mintel report include
advertising dermatologist recommended products. Consumers trust that a
dermatologist will support the right formula and it won’t lie about its results. It was
also mentioned to advertise more products targeted towards men. They are often
forgotten in the category but still benefit from it just as much. The idea of on the go
products are also a great opportunity to reach out to the younger generation and
their busy lifestyle. It’s a convenient format and is likely to be picked up by a vast
majority of the consumers. The last opportunity mentioned in the Mintel report was
the option of a light moisturizer (Mintel, 2015). Most consumers have complaints
about the thickness of lotions and likewise products. So it makes sense to give the
customers what they want by offering them an alternative.
There are a few opportunities for cosmetics that were brought up in the
Mintel report. One opportunity lies in using technology to help women shop within
this particular category. Tutorials, social media and beauty apps help consumers
stay on top of the latest cosmetic trends. Technology helps target the mainstream
consumer whose age ranges from 25-34. Which brings me to the Mintel reports
second point, targeting the main consumer… the women ages 25-34. Since these
women use the most products they are more loyal to certain brands for a longer
period of time. Another opportunity that is extremely genius is to appeal to the
women’s desire for authenticity in advertising (Mintel, 2014). This puts an emphasis

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on using more relatable marketing instead of the glamour infused advertisements.
This will also build more brand loyalty because women will view the product and
company as more genuine than it’s competitors.
Behaviors of the Millennial Generation
Any young American born between 1982 and 2003 characterizes the
millennial generation. Also known as generation Y, the millennia’s are said to have
the largest impact on the future of the United States, including the outcome of the
2008 presidential elections. By 2020, virtually all members of this generation will
represent one out of every three adults, which is about 36% of the population
(Winograd, 2011). Although there are many misconceptions about the lifestyle
habits of millennia’s, Laura Lundin, found that a decade of research concerning
millennia’s has shown that persons in this category are more likely to be open-
minded to perspectives other than their own, upbeat, technologically savvy…
concerned with heath, sex education and equal rights (Lundin, 2013). These
attributes in themselves, along with accounting for a huge percent of the population,
has allowed the millennial generation to be one of the most influential in history.
The recent wellness trend has spiked a huge interest with millennia’s, making health
and beauty products a high priority for them. Technology wise, beauty bloggers
have become a free source of advertising for many health and beauty product
companies. The plethora of beauty tutorials available online gives millennia’s step
by step directions to achieve certain looks and encourages them to spend money on
these products to get the look they desire. Along with that, many celebrities have
been influencing health and beauty decisions for millennia’s through their personal

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social media accounts. The access they have found through technology has allowed
them to become more informed of the benefits of health and beauty thus driving the
sales for those particular companies. The difference in spending habits between
older generations and the millennia’s is pretty cut and dry. According to a survey
from the American Institute
of Certified Public
Accountants, the spending
habits of millennia’s largely
differ from the spending
habits of past generations.
Millennia’s are more likely to spend money to have the same clothes, cars and
technological gadgets as their friends (Cussen, 2014). They are quick to invest in
something immediately rather than thinking it through; this act is also known as an
impulse buy. This graph compares the generations and their spending habits
resulting out of unplanned purchases. It is clear that the older the generation the
less likely they are to purchase products without thinking it through. This is in large
part due to the millennia’s being used to having everything almost immediately. No
matter what they want it is basically at their fingertips with today’s technology.
When looking at the data collected from the Fashion Marketing class, it is obvious
today’s generation is quick to spend an abundance of money on the health and
beauty industry. After analyzing the numbers the average peer spent $428.00 on the
health and beauty products currently in their cabinet. This is a number that may
come as a shock to older generation but seems about right for the millennia’s.

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After a vast amount of research and analyzing data it is clear that it
has become a trend to be health and beauty conscious. This in turn has had a
positive impact on various health and beauty product companies and has helped
drive sales through the roof in the past few years. Health and beauty are two of the
most important product categories of all time. They make up a large amount of all
market sales in the United States, with some products dating all the way back to
3000 BC and new products being introduced each day. Every generation, specifically
the millennia’s, use some sort of health and beauty product on a daily basis. But it’s
the consumers as a whole that keep the health and beauty industries running.

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Works Cited
Cussen, M. P. (2014). Money Habits of the Millennials. Investor, 1-3.
Colgate. (2006) The History of Toothbrushes and Toothpastes, 1-2.
Access, (2014). 28, 27-79. (3P)
Lundin, L. L. (2013). Millennial Generation. Salem Press Encyclopedia, 1, 2-7.
Bowen, D. M. (2013). Journal of Dental Hygiene. Idaho State University, 87, 5-22.
Wynbrandt, J. (1998). Toothsome Tales and Oral Oddities from Babylon to Braces.
The Excruciating History of Dentistry, 5-17.
Winograd, M. (2011). Millennial Momentum. How a New Generation is Remaking
America, 1-13.
Berg, R. (2001). Beauty, the New Basics. 12-13
Jain, N. K (2009). History of Cosmetics. Asian Journal of Pharmaceutics, 1-5.
Sherrow, V. 2006, “Encyclopedia of hair: A Cultural History”, Greenwood Press,
Westport
Chaudhri SK, Jain NK. History of cosmetics. Asian Journal of Pharmacy 2009, Vol. 3,
pp. 164-7
Tashchetta-Millane, M (2011). Skin Care. Skin Inc 23(12): 46-51.
James, S. (2009). From Soap to Facial Cleansers- An Evolution. Health Articles, 1-2.
Oral Care. Mintel Report. Executive Overview May 2015.
Cosmetics. Mintel Report. Executive Overview. December 2014.
Shampooand Hairstyling Products. Mintel Report. Executive Overview. April 2015.
Body Care and Deodorant. Mintel Report. Executive Overview. June 2015.