Different colours, same brands.

As consumers, I think we should keep our eyes wide open and have a better idea of how the beauty industry operates.

And that’s where good reporting from publications like WWD come in.

The paper has published its annual beauty company ranking list, which gives readers the big picture on the conglomerates and how they have fared in the past year.

The story/ list also gives consumers a good idea of which brands are owned by who, and the musical-chair movements of certain brands.

Here, I’ll try to summarise and break down the report for you.

I will be focusing on the brands that are more popular in Southeast Asia. Just because I’m more familiar with them.

So, we spent loads on beauty products from the Top 100 brands last year.

Sales churned out by these companies was up 10.6%, year-on-year.

The (summarised) roll call:

1. L’Oreal (!!!)
Amongst others, they own: Maybelline, Kerastase, Redken, Lancome, Biotherm, Shu Uemura, Kiehl’s, Giorgio Armani, Yves Saint Laurent, The Body Shop.

Super Powerful.

2011 Beauty Sales: USD$28.33 billion

2. Proctor & Gamble Co.
Amongst others, they own: Pantene, Cover Girl, Olay, SK-II.

SK-II, the cash cow, busted the USD$1 billion sales mark globally.
Why am I not surprised?

2011 Beauty Sales: USD$20.7 billion

3. Unilever
Amongst others, they own: Dove, Simple, Pond’s

Personal care products; everyone needs ’em.

2011 Beauty Sales: USD$18.58 billion

4. Estee Lauder
Amongst others, they own: Estee Lauder, Clinique, MAC, La Mer, Bobbi Brown, Smashbox, Aveda, Good Skin Labs.

They own so many of your fave brands right?
And Estee Lauder is now the number one luxury brand in China. Mm-hmm.

2011 Beauty Sales: USD$9.44 billion

5. Shiseido Co.
Amongst others, they own: Shiseido, Cle de Peau Beaute, Nars, Bare Escentuals, Tsubaki.

The only Asian brand in the top 5. The brand also celebrated its 140th anniversary this year.

2011 Beauty Sales: USD$8.53 billion

6. Avon Products
Amongst others, they own: Avon, Herve Leger fragrance

The power of direct selling. I’ve always fantasised about being an Avon lady. Maybe I should give it a try someday :)

Coty tried really hard to buy this baby, and now you know why Avon won’t budge. (Coty is at no.11 by the way.)

2011 Beauty Sales: USD$8.07 billion

7. Kao Group
Amongst others, they own: Biore, Asience, Molton Brown, Lunasol

I’ve never thought much of Kao, because its Biore products clog my pores.
But here it is in the Top 10.

2011 Beauty Sales: USD$6.45 billion

8. Beiersdorf
Amongst others, they own: Nivea, La Prairie, Eucerin

Nivea held 155 number one positions worldwide. Wow.

2011 Beauty Sales: USD$6.17 billion

9. Johnson & Johnson
Amongst others, they own: Neutrogena, RoC, Clean & Clear, Korres

Those humble Neutrogena towlettes gave the company a good push.

2011 Beauty Sales: USD$5.9 billion

10. Chanel
Amongst others, they own: Just its eponymous skincare, makeup and fragrances.

Not bad. But I’m not surprised if the sales of their 2.55s alone can trump the earnings of one category.

2011 Beauty Sales: USD$5.25 billion

11. Coty
Amongst others, they own: OPI, Philosophy, celeb fragrances like Jennifer Lopez and Lady Gaga, Rimmel

2011 Beauty Sales: USD$4.56 billion

12. LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton
Amongst others, they own: Christian Dior, Guerlain, Kenzo parfums, Benefit cosmetics, Make Up For Ever, Fresh. SEPHORA.

2011 Beauty Sales: USD$4.45 billion

The rest:
16. Mary Kay
17. Amorepacific Corp. (Laneige, Sulwhasoo, Etude)
18. Groupe Yves Rocher
21. Kose Corp.
25. Groupe Clarins
28. Elizabeth Arden
30. Revlon
32. L’Occitane en Provence
35. Nu Skin Enterprises
39. Sisley
40. Mandom Corp. (Gatsby)
41. Boots
48. Fancl
51. Lush
61. Fujifilm Holdings Corp. (Astalift, Nanofilt)

As the big moneyed firms buy up profitable beauty brands, we can only expect a more and more homogenised beauty industry.

Do you think that’s a good thing? Or not?

Read the full story here.

picture source: Andy Warhol’s Monroe