Summertime is the season when women use less makeup and with the downturn in the economy that could mean even lower sales this next quarter. However, by promoting the right products you can help recover, or even increase your summer cosmetics sales! Here are five products to focus on promoting this summer.

1. Nail Polish

Overall cosmetic and toiletry sales were down by 0.8% last year. But nail polish is the only cosmetic to see a double digit increase  – 14.3% since last year -  because many women are giving themselves manicures and pedicures at home and skipping pricey salon visits. Summer is also the season when nails see the most exposure, so make sure your consumers have plenty of bright summer shades to choose from.

2. Bronzer and Sunless Tanners

Sun-kissed skin is always a fashionable look and is especially sought after in summer months. Stock your shelves with sunless tanner products since consumers often want to give their tans a jump start before appearing at the beach or pool in their swim suits. Bronzers also contribute to looking more tanned and summery so be sure to have plenty on hand.

3. Lip Protection

Frequent sun exposure can cause burnt, chapped, and uncomfortable lips. Make sure you are promoting lip products with SPF, aloe, and other cooling/healing ingredients. Lip balms are among consumers’ top impulse purchases, so make sure to have a display somewhere near checkout as a reminder for them.

4. Sunscreen

Sunscreen is a must-have when the summer months roll around because skin protection is important, not just for women, but for the whole family. Have a wide variety of sunscreens to choose from and feature them prominently in your store and remind associates to suggest it with every other summer-type purchase.

5. Moisturizers

Consumers have more exposed skin in summer than any other time of year. After all of the sun’s exposure to bare skin, you can bet your consumers will want to keep their skin hydrated. Moisturizers that contain sunless tanner are great to promote because your consumers get two products in one, making them feel the great value of the product.

Most bronzers go on way too thick, leaving you with a muddy, unnatural-looking complexion. But Physicians Formula Bronzer Booster is specially formulated with Glow Activators Technology to give you beautiful, sun-kissed skin without looking muddy. Plus it contains a little sunless tanner so it even lengthens the life of your tan! There are three shades to choose from (Fair to Light, Light to Medium, and Medium to Dark) to ensure the most natural color for your skin. Simply apply product to the brush and glide over face and neck for a shimmery, sun-kissed look. We really liked how nice it looked over bare skin without makeup, which makes it great for summer when we use less. We also loved the full brush and mirror that came with it because, let’s face it, most powders don’t come with a high-quality brush!

The only thing to watch out for is that this is an ultra-shimmery bronzer, so if you are looking for one with a matte finish, this one may not be for you.

Overall, we give Physicians Formula Bronze Booster a 9 out of 10 for high quality, reasonable price, sunless tanner add-in, and great accessory brush and mirror. In our opinion paying $15 for this product is a risk-free and smart investment for your summer cosmetic bag.

Short, sparse eyelashes are never what we want, but often what nature gave us. However, there is a new way to combat limited lashes and it costs less than you’d think. CoverGirl Lash Blast Length mascara goes completely above and beyond our expectations of what an $8, or less, mascara can do. It comes in both regular and water resistant and has three colors to choose from: very black, black and black brown. To apply, place the wand at the base of your lashes and brush through to the ends. The ultra long brush bristles and the unique nylon formula equal fantastically longer and separated lashes. It never flaked, clumped, or smudged all day and when it was time for removal, it came off completely and easily. We even liked the look and feel of the packaging.

We loved how it glided on with no clumps and gave us sky-high length! The downsides were that we had to use three coats to see those great results, and it only created length, not volume.

All in all, we give CoverGirl’s Lash Blast Length mascara an 8 out of 10 for low price, ultra lash-length, easy removal and zero flaking. At just under $8, it’s a very budget-friendly option for those looking for wondrously long lashes.

South Florida Walgreens (March 6, 2010) – CosPro Agency recently held another successful demonstration at Walgreens locations across southern Florida. The event promoted and demonstrated the new CoverGirl Lash Blast Length mascara in order to amplify product sales and create product awareness.

The product was incredibly well received by consumers. Fourteen stores sold 152 pieces averaging eleven pieces sold, per store, in only four hours! The closure rate was very high; for every three makeovers done, two of those made purchases. Over sixty percent of customers made purchases that day and thirty percent said they will definitely be purchasing Lash Blast Length in the near future. In addition, twenty percent of the customers didn’t know the product beforehand so it was a great event for product awareness. With the chance to try a new product before buying, an enticing gift-with-purchase and knowledgeable demonstrators to help customers make educated decisions – this event was a hit!

Additionally, at least one beauty advisor per store was trained on the product and will be able to assist customers for future sales. And almost all (99%!) of the customers agreed that they enjoyed the event and would love to see more product demonstrations and sampling.

For additional information on samplings and demos please email Kristin Bocox at kristin@cosmeticpromotions.com or call (877) 326-7776 ext 501.

Oily, dull hair is never a look that you want, but having to wash hair every day leads to fading hair color and a lot of effort. It’d be great to keep hair looking fresh and clean between washes, but there were almost no options for a dry shampoo under $10. Fortunately, we found that TRESemmè Fresh Start Dry Shampoo was a great way to keep our hair looking fresh and shiny for an incredible price; it’s a welcome addition to our product collection. Its unique formula uses mineral clay to soak up excess oils from the scalp. At the same time, the citrus extracts neutralize odors and give you that clean, just-out-of-the-shower feeling. Just spray on your roots, let it sit for a minute or so, and comb right through. Amazingly, it didn’t leave a filmy powder on our hair, and it smelled fantastic too! Not only did it keep our hair from looking oily between washes, but it also added volume and texture. Those of us with side-swept bangs especially loved how full and clean it kept bangs looking for the entire day. Plus, decreasing the amount of washes increases the length of time your hair color stays vibrant.

The only downside was that those of us with dark hair needed to use less because our roots looked gray if we used too much. But, when using the product sparingly, it brushed out pretty easily. In addition, a benefit to using less product is that it will last longer and save you money.

All in all we give TRESemmè’s Fresh Start Dry Shampoo a 9 out of 10 for low price, delicious smell, easy application, and silky feel. So unless you really enjoy all the work that goes into washing and styling your hair every day, we think this product is great for just about everyone.