Young girls morph into makeup mavens by their tweens these days, and mom's matte powders and classic color palates won't do. For the younger set, shimmering shadows and glosses are the derigueur cosmetics. With this in mind, Wal-Mart and Kmart this month rolled out exclusive lines of cosmetics that cater to young girls' discerning tastes.
After much success in the juniors apparel department, Wal-Mart made room for the Mary-Kate and Ashley brand in the cosmetics, hair care products and hair appliances categories. The 165-product line is manufactured by Dualstar and Nu World and is marketed under the slogan "Real Beauty For Real Girls." This June, Wal-Mart will roll out mary-kateandashley-branded hair appliances in 2,200 stores nationwide.
The Love Always Magenta collection is Kmart's answer to mary-kateandashley cosmetics. The line, which includes cosmetics and accessories, such as glitter and body jewels, relies on a cast of nine "beauty cats" led by pink-furred Magenta to appeal to girls of all ethnicities. Kmart will display the products, with names like Feline Magic Mood Lipstick, on endcaps for spring and back-to-school.
Both of these offerings follow the launch of Hello Kitty cosmetics at Target stores three years ago. While the entire line is not exclusive, cosmetics manufacturer Townley has sprinkled a handful of exclusives into Target's offering. Townley ceo Abe Safdieh said the overall Hello Kitty line has grown 20% over the last year, and has seen double-digit growth since its launch in 1996. It would seem today's tweens are outfitted with more than fashion sense, they're sporting heavy purses, as well.
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COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group
