2003-09-17 - COSMEETING - Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center
(The article was placed in - A WWD International Beauty Report Advertising Supplement)

Europe flung open its borders to duty-free cosmetics imports from South Africa in 1999. But the African nation’s local beauty industry hasn’t yet made massive footprints in Europe.
When Cosmeeting’s doors open on September 17, a South African beauty contingent will enter en masse. And Carmen Botef, executive director of the South African Cosmetic Export Council (SASEC), hopes the firms represented by her non-profit trade association will strike it lucky.

“Cosmeeting is a golden opportunity to us to capitalize on the European Union-South Africa trade agreement. In fact, this is the first time we are taking a formal delegation to a cosmetics fair in Europe,” she explained. “We plan to have a long-term strategic relationship with Cosmeeting if everything goes well this year.”

With multinational corporations dominating South Africa’s $1.15-billion domestic beauty market – local companies’ market share is less than 25% - the country’s indigenous firms count on exports for survival and further development. Some of SACEC’s 170 member companies have made trading inroads on individual bases in Europe for numerous years. But structure and support from SACEC, which is partly funded by the South African government, would maximize growth potential, Botef says, allowing South African beauty firms to log minimum sales of $15 million in Europe in the next five years.

One outfit hoping to storm the continent is the up-and-coming private-label manufacturer and retailer Taylor Bathroom & Candles International Exclusives Design.

Founded in 2002 by South African native Sharon Taylor, the firm set out to fill a gap in the beauty industry’s gift design market by customizing packaging designs for upscale items. Since its initial product rollout in June last year, Taylor Bathroom & Candles has formulated eight products – ranging from bath salts to soaps to candles – and a full shower range comprising shampoo, shower gel and a hand/face wash.

Sharon Taylor said each offering features wholly unique packaging, such as moulded tops for fragrance or bath-product bottles. Caps can be crafted to resemble any object – an elephant, an African mask, or a French flag, for example – and cast in ceramic or metal.
“If any beauty company comes to me and says, “We want all our logos on these bottles,” I can do it,” Taylor said, citing her firm’s commitment to customizing each request.
Taylor Bathroom & Candle’s trademarked products have already won over South Africa’s five-star hotel chains and attracted followers in the Bahamas and North America. “Distributors have never seen products so unique,” Taylor said.

The company’s offering, including a distinctive selection of ethnic-design candles, exploits myriad natural ingredients indigenous to South Africa. According to Botef, the superb, proven track record of the country’s herb and plant extracts, from which South African beauty products are derived, presents an original proposition for the European market.
Botef touted Rooibos, a South African herb used often in skin care; Aloe Ferox, an aloe plant native to South Africa whose hydrating and soothing properties are more powerful than Aloe Vera’s, and avocado oil, of which South Africa claims to produce the world’s best, as the country’s salient natural resources.

Many of the companies (at least 15) travelling to Cosmeeting next month will show products founded on such natural ingredients. And SACEC will assist each firm with some collective brand positioning efforts. Botef said the association would base its marketing campaign on psychographics, or psychological profiles, rather than demographics in order to target specific niche markets on the continent.

“There’s a trend in which Europeans are eager to experiment with novelty products that suit a more natural and healthy lifestyle,” Botef explained. “We plan to market a healthy lifestyle with strong, exotic South African connotations.”

2002-11-25 - Dubai is a success!

Following our first trip to launch the product range and brand of Taylor Bathroom and Candles International Exclusive Design in Dubai two months ago, we could not have envisaged the success and new business opportunities that have developed as a result.

Through extensive networking in Dubai, we are now working on several international business opportunities. In addition, two local orders have recently been confirmed as a direct result of our trip. We have also started to nurture strong business bonds with several blue chip clients.

As a direct result of the extent of success from our exhibition in Dubai, Taylor will continue to exhibit internationally in 2003 in both New York and Paris

2002-09-20 - Dubai Gulf Beauty Show 2002

The first experience for Taylor Bathroom & Candles International Design is the company’s trip to the shopping Mecca of the world, Dubai. Here, they will be attending and exhibiting their complete product range in the Dubai Gulf Beauty Show 2002.

This will be the company's first real test in the retail environment, and the excursion will be used to network and launch the Taylor brand internationally. This is the first of many exhibitions that Taylor Bathroom & Candles International Design will be attending and the company anticipates excellent results from the marketplace.