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Survey of lip care products with fragrance and flavour

5 Survey Results

• 5.1 Selection of products
  • 5.1.1 Definition of lip care products
  • 5.1.2 Product purchase
  • 5.1.3 Products
• 5.2 Sale
  • 5.2.1 Sale of lip care products in Denmark
  • 5.2.2 Product types
  • 5.2.3 Target groups and marketing
  • 5.2.4 Labelling and regulation
  • 5.2.5 Overview
• 5.3 Ingredients
  • 5.3.1 Perfume
  • 5.3.2 Pigments

5.1 Selection of products

Lip care products cover a wide range of products marketed in retail outlets and on Danish websites. The main focus of this survey is on products to children and products claimed to have lip care effects. Consequently, make-up products such as lipsticks and lipglosses are excluded as their main purpose is cosmetic, i.e. to give colourful and shiny lips. Furthermore, sun protection sticks are excluded as they are regarded as sun products.

5.1.1 Definition of lip care products

In this survey lip care products are defined as products for application on the lips with the purpose to provide care for the lips and protect them from external influence such as wind, cold weather, etc.

Lip care products include lip salve, lip balm, lip butter, lip cream and lip nectar.

5.1.2 Product purchase

5.1.2.1 Selection criteria and purchase

The purpose of purchasing lip care products is to identify and survey the product range on the Danish market. Focus is on products to children and the young but in order to get a broad picture of the market, products marketed for adults were included. Prior to purchase, selection criteria were laid down due to the wide range of lip care products for sale in retail outlets. The all-important criterion was a lip care effect (lip care, lip balm, etc.). Next, products were selected if their colour, packaging and fragrance appealed to children and the young, but also products with a more exclusive appearance without specific information on fragrance appealing to adults.

Sun sticks, primarily intended to protect against UV light, and lipgloss products with and without colour were not selected unless it appeared from the labelling or the packaging that the product has a lip care effect.

Richly coloured products or products with a powerful fragrance and with a special appeal to children and the young were purchased in all colour and fragrance variants whether it was stated that the products had a lip caring effect or just a gloss effect. Concerning products for adults, individual assessment determined whether it was necessary to purchase all colour variants or to just make a note of these.

On the basis of the above criteria, the selected lip care products are believed to be representative of the Danish market in the spring of 2004.

5.1.2.2. Shop visit

Flere typer af butikker i detailhandlen er blevet besøgt og det blev vurderet, at de indkøbte produkter reflekterer det generelle udbud på det danske marked.

Several types of shops were visited and the bought-in products are believed to reflect the general supply on the Danish market.

5.1.2.3. Internet

An Internet search on Danish websites was performed in the spring of 2004 via Google. The search was carried out for the following words: ”læbepleje”, ”lipgloss”, ”kosmetik”, ”læber” and ”pleje”. The search gave references both to well-known brands and to smaller suppliers. Lip care products have not been purchased on the Internet for this survey, as the products were not considerably different to the products purchased in shops.

5.1.3 Products

A total of 109 products were purchased in the 10 shops.

There is a wide range of products available on the market in 2004, ranging from simple products consisting of a few substances, e.g. vaseline, to more sophisticated products composed of several substances including a complex base of fats and oils, and from colourless and unscented products to richly coloured products in gaily coloured packaging containing glitter, mother-of-pearl, pigments, fragrances and flavours.

5.1.3.1 Prices

Product prices were registered on purchase. The price per kilo is calculated on the basis of the retail price and stated volume of contents. Prices range widely from DKK 10 for the lowest-priced product to DKK 265 for the most expensive product. When recalculating this to prices per kilo, prices range from DKK 1,595 for the lowest-priced product to DKK 17,778 for the most expensive product. Price ranges and average market prices are show in table 5.1. The average market price per kilo product is based on 99 products, as volume of contents was not stated on 10 of the products in the survey or the product was part of a cosmetic kit for which it was not possible to calculate a price per kilo.

Table 5.1. The lowest-priced products and most expensive products in the survey. The lowest and most expensive kilo prices are calculated on the basis of purchase price and volume of contents stated on the product.

* The average market price/product is based on 109 products.

** The average market price/kilo is based on 99 products.

5.2 Sale

To estimate the consumption of lip care products in Denmark, information on sale of lip balms from the marketing research institute ACNielsen AIM has been used.

ACNielsen AIM defines lip balms as "lip balm intended for protection of lips against frost, dryness and sun", and this definition includes the product types stick, tube, roll on, and with factor/without factor. Lipsticks, lipglosses and vaseline are not included.

ACNielsen's product group "lip balm" corresponds to the product specifications in this project and the sales figures are estimated as indicative for the sale in Denmark. Some sales figures from speciality shops and actors on the groceries market are not included. Although this project does not include sun sticks, a large number of the purchased products have a sun protection factor (SPF), but it is estimated that sun sticks will not result in large deviations in the reported figures when comparing with this project.

5.2.1 Sale of lip care products in Denmark

The sales figures comprise the grocery trade (Coop and Aldi exclusive) and Matas and Magasin. Speciality shops such as The Body Shop are not included, nor are sales figures from Illum. The received sales figures give information on sale in value and sale in numbers for the total sale of lip salves as well as specification of the three largest brands (a total figure is given for all three brands). The sales figures are estimated from week 38 in 2002 to week 38 in 2004 inclusive. Week 38 has been chosen in order to include as much of the consumption in 2004 as possible. The sales figures can be seen in table 5.2.

Table 5.2. Sales figures on lip salves in Denmark for the period week 38, 2002 to week 38, 2004 inclusive.

The total sale of lip salves from week 38 in 2003 to week 38 in 2004 has been estimated at nearly DKK 30 million and covers a sale of nearly 2.5 million lip salves. If the sale is estimated in number of bar codes sold the sale is just over 1.5 million as there are often more units per bar code.

As can been seen from table 5.2 a significant increase of approx. 30% has taken place in the sale of lip salves over two year. This increase is evident both for the total sale and for the two sales areas comprised by the survey. The increase in sales estimated in pieces or bar codes shows a constant increase of twenty-odd percentage point.

The prices in table 5.3 are reached by calculating the average market price for lip salves in 2002 and in 2004 based on the informed figures. As can be seen from the table, an increase in the sale from 2002-2004 in general has resulted in a price development of up to 10% for this product category.

Table 5.3. Development of the average price for lip salves from week 38, 2002 to week 38, 2004 inclusive.

The three largest brands have a market share of 97% in the grocery trade and 66% in Matas/Magasin. This suggests a larger selection of lip salves/lip care products in Matas and Magasin, e.g. products in the form of toys for children. Only one of the three largest brands is identical for the grocery trade and Matas/Magasin.

However, it should be mentioned that a comparison of the stated average prices (table 5.3) with the prices estimated for the purchased projects (table 5.1) gives a price difference of DKK 28 per product. Based on the information on the three largest brands, it can be concluded that very expensive products from well-established perfume houses, comprised by and bought for this project, are not included in the ACNielsen figures. In the light of the wide selection of lip care products in the shops and the fact that the products are called something else than lip salve (e.g. balm, cream, etc.), a demand for these products is assumed. However, it is not possible to estimate the size of the sale, as we have not had access to this information.

5.2.2 Product types

The 109 products were grouped in four different types according to packaging: stick, tube, roll-on and cans/jars. The types are described below. Distribution of the products according to type appears from table 5.5.

5.2.2.1 Sticks in case with screw

This group covers the majority of the purchased lip care products for children, the young and adults alike.

Packaging and appearance:
Products in this group are traditional lip salve sticks. The product is solid at room temperature and is packed in a case with removable cap and a bottom screw that gradually pushes the stick up as it is being used.

Colour and perfume:
Products come both with and without pigment and perfume.

Oils and fats:
These products contain fats whose melting point is higher than the application temperature. The stick may be damaged and no longer be homogeneous when stored at high temperatures for a long time (4).

Application:
The product is applied on the lips without finger contact, which may be an advantage.

5.2.2.2 Tubes

Tubes are used both for low-priced products for children and more expensive products for adults.

Packaging and appearance:
Tubes are made of plastic and come with a screw cap for protection of the tube opening. The opening may be dome shaped or the application end cut diagonally; both types have been purchased. Tubes come in coloured or transparent plastic.

Colour and perfume:
All purchased tubes in transparent plastic has richly coloured contents and a powerful fragrance, whereas the contents of the opaque tubes can be both coloured or uncoloured and with either a powerful fragrance or a more discreet fragrance.

Oils and fats:
The viscosity contents of the tube products vary significantly from thin liquid to a thick paste.

Application:
The product is applied on the lips without finger contact.

5.2.2.3 Glass or plastic tube with roll-on

All products give a glossy shine on application. Colour, fragrance, product labelling and marketing are assessed to be directed to children.

Packaging and appearance:
The products are liquid and applied to the lips by the roll-on ball.

Colour and perfume:
Purchased products in this group all have a strong colour reflecting the given flavour variation.

Oils and fats:
Products in this group all have low viscosity.

Application:
The product is applied on the lips without finger contact.

5.2.2.4 Cans/jars with lid

Compared with the layout of the packaging, most purchased products in this group are assessed to be aimed at children.

Packaging and appearance:
Most products are in a plastic can with a screw cap. The plastic can is either coloured or made of transparent plastic with highly coloured contents. A small number of the purchased products come in a metal can with lid. This group also includes products made as toys or key rings with special appeal to children.

Colour and perfume:
Most purchased products are coloured and with perfume.

Oils and fats:
These products contain fats whose melting point is higher than the application temperature.

Application:
Products in this group are applied with the fingers. Alternatively, products may be applied with a small brush but products with attached brush were not found during purchase.

5.2.3 Target groups and marketing

The focus of this project is on lip care products marketed at children and the young. Advertising material in the shops may be important. When purchasing the products, notice was given to the display of the products in the shops. Special advertisement boards or other eye-catching devices were noted to assess the intended target group.

In the survey 3 target groups have been appointed: children, the young and adults. Placing of products in the 3 target groups is based on the following product data: trade name, colour, flavour, number of variants, packaging, price as well as display and advertising in the shops. The products are often aimed at a broad target group, e.g. both the young and adults. In that case the product was placed in the youngest target group.

Products for children are colourful, smelling strongly of sweets or fruits and/or products in toylike packaging, e.g. packaging shaped as caramels, small teddy bears or dices.

Products for the young include both the above and products of well-know brands with a new innovative packaging and a more "young" appearance. A few expensive brands are found in this group but with a strong fragrance.

Products for adults are mainly the expensive products and more common, well-known brands without a particular specification of fragrance.

Concerning advertising in the shops, the expensive cosmetic brands are placed behind the counter together with the general range of products and with samples for product testing. Other products are exhibited in a stand or a box on the counter or on shelves in the shop, also with samples for product testing. Stands and boxes are very colourful. In some cases, fragrance variants of products for children are only mentioned on the exhibition stand. Generally, the products that are not placed behind the counter are exhibited on a stand or a shelf at a level where the products can be seen or reached by all including children.

Table 5.4. Purchased products classified according to target group and perfume and colour contents.

*: a pronounced flavour or fragrance variant is not stated on the packaging

**: a specific flavour or fragrance variant is stated on the packaging

In this survey 46% products marketed to children has been found and purchased, cf. table 5.4. Products to both children and the young make up approx. 78%. There is a predominance of coloured and scented products as this survey in particular covers these products. These make up 81% and 86% respectively of the total purchased products.

Coloured and scented products are common among products for children: 96% of the products for this target group are coloured and 92% contains perfume.

It is emphasized that the figures in table 5.4 gives the impression of a spring 2004 market with an emphasis on products for children but that the survey does not give a complete picture of this.

5.2.3.1 Outer packaging

Some of the purchased lip care products had an extra outer packaging. The most common outer packaging was a blister pack. The products are packed in transparent plastic glued on to colourful cardboard with printed information. Often the fragrance variant is illustrated with a printed image, e.g. a cherry or mint leaf, and the cardboard is in a colour similar to for instance the printed fruit. Other outer packaging is boxes with enclosed information sheets or co-packages.

The outer packaging is part of the marketing, either by adding an exclusive appearance to the product or by appealing visually with images and colours. Outer packaging was found mainly among products for the young and for adults.

5.2.4 Labelling and regulation

Lip care products are intended for care and protection of lips. Such products are covered by the Danish Environmental Protections Agency's statutory order on cosmetics, "Kosmetikbekendtgørelsen", cf. Annex 1 ”Vejledende liste over produkter, der betragtes som kosmetiske produkter” ”Make-up for lips, lip salves, etc.” (5). Consequently, lip care products must comply with the regulation on cosmetic products including labelling. All products must have a declaration of contents specifying all ingredients with their INCI name, (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients), i.e. the agreed general names for cosmetic ingredients.

In connection with the survey, the declaration of contents and any other labelling of the purchased products were examined and possible violations of the regulation on labelling were pointed out.

5.2.5 Overview

To get an overview of the purchased products these were grouped according to perfume content, flavours, colour, target group, and type (see table 5.5).

In addition, the perfume and aroma content of the products were classified as follows:

• Indefinable fragrance:
  When the INCI declaration states that the product contains perfume but a pronounced flavour or fragrance variant is not listed, e.g. orange, apple, melon, etc.
   
• Definable fragrance:
  Perfume content is listed in the INCI declaration and a specific flavour or fragrance variant is stated on the packaging, e.g. orange, apple, etc.
   
• Unscented:
  Products without declared perfume. However, some of these products contain very small amounts of extracts or essential oils giving the product a very weak fragrance.

Table 5.5. Purchased lip care products according to type. The table shows the number of products divided according to perfume content, colour and target group.

5.3 Ingredients

Every single lip care product has been analysed with regard to flavour and fragrance, pigments, and fats. Below is an overall description of the substances for all products. Oils and fats are described separately in chapter 6.

5.3.1 Perfume

According to the "Kosmetikbekendtgørelsen", any fragrance in the products can be listed on the declaration of contents by the word "parfum", perfume or aroma.

Fifteen of the 109 purchased products (14%) did not list perfume or aroma on the declaration of contents, and consequently products have been registered as unscented. Even though some of the products contain small amounts of extracts or essential oils giving the products a very weak fragrance they are, however, not regarded as scented.

Products with perfume listing a specific fragrance or flavour make up 59 of the 109 purchased products (54%). Among these are approx. 38 different variants. Perfume is added to 35 of the purchased products but a specific fragrance or flavour is not listed on the product. Totally, perfume is added to 86% of the purchased products. See also table 5.4 and 5.5.

The fragrance and flavour variants listed on the products cover a wide spectrum and includes fruits and sweets (number in brackets): apple (2), Aloe vera, pineapple (2), orange (3), banana, Brazil nut, blackberry, bubble-gum, lemon balm, coca-cola, grape, grape seeds, fig, raspberry (2), honey, strawberry (4), cocoa butter, cherry, kiwi (2), coconut (2), tangerine (2), mango, mango/peach, melon, melon seeds, menthol, mint, marigold, papaya (2), passion fruit (3), peppermint, shea nut, tea tree oil, tropical fruit (3), tutti-frutti, herbs, water melon (3), and vanilla (3).

The perception of fragrance and flavour depends on numerous factors, including the character, intensity and perseverance of the fragrance (6), but also individual factors such as age, sex and race are important (7). When applying lip care products on the lips, the product is applied on warm skin close to the nose and volatile fragrances evaporate and are perceived by the sense of smell. Thus, the sense of smell is important when perceiving the product's fragrance. In order to taste the product, the product must be in direct contact with the tongue and the sense of smell must be reasonably. As many people moisten and lick their lips, it is very likely that they can taste the lip care product including the taste of both volatile and non-volatile ingredients in the perfume. Many fragrances give off an acceptable odour but when in direct contact with the gustatory bud the taste of the chemicals may be pricking and unpleasant. A test of the different samples of the selected lip care products showed that a pleasant fragrance is not always proportional to a pleasant flavour. However, a systematic testing of the 109 products was not carried out.

Various scientific literature has been consulted with a view to tracing the chemical substances in the different fragrance variants. Over the years, many attempts to classify fragrances have been endeavoured. Some of these also indicate which chemical substance gives off which fragrance. For instance the following classification by the German chemist Hans Henning, published in 1916 in his book ”Der Geruch” and mentioned in a reference book on fragrances (8):

1. Flower-like: coumarin, geranium, heliotrope
2. Fruit-like: orange oil, oil of bergamot, citronella
3. Resin and balm fragrances: turpentine, eucalyptus oil, Canada balm
4. Burnt fragrances: pyridine, tar
5. Putrefaction/stench: hydrogen sulphide, carbon disulphide
6. Spicy: clover, fennel, aniseed

Another way of classifying fragrances is illustrated in the fragrance wheel in figure 4.1, which shows examples of chemical combinations of the said fragrances.

Figure 5.1. The fragrance wheel illustrates aroma chemicals typically associated with the depicted fragrance notes. The fragrances depicted on the right of the wheel are used in lip care products: fruity, tropical and blackcurrant. The figure is an adaptation of (9).

Fragrances used in lip care products are mainly those on the right of the wheel. The separate fragrance characters are represented by the ingredients in the figure, described in brackets below (9):

Fruit-like fragrances (e.g. esters such as ethyl butyrate and ethyl 2-methylbutyrate. In figure 4.1 is shown the structural formula of the fruit fragrance from grapefruit: p-1-menthen-8-thiol)

Blackcurrant-like fragrances (e.g. 2-methoxy-4-methyl-4-butanethiol)

Tropical fragrances (e.g. tropathiane, 2-methyl-4-propyl-1,3-oxatiane)

The following has also been used in part

Nut-like fragrances (pyrazines such as 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinoxaline (THQ))

Herbaceous fragrances (e.g. thioesteres such as sec-butyl 3-methylbut-2-enethioate)

In addition to fragrances, many of the purchased lip care products also contain essential oils or other plant extracts, which may give fragrance to the products. The following flowers, fruits, and leaves, whose extracts may result in fragrance, are among those mentioned on the INCI declarations:

Watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris)
Tangerine (Citrus nobilis)
Fig (Ficus carica)
Strawberry (Fragaria vesca)
Passion-flower (Passiflora incarnata)
Dog rose (Rosa canina)
Moss rose (Rosa centifolia)
French rose (Rosa gallica)
Musk rose (Rosa moschata)
Raspberry (Rubus idaeus)
Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)
Camomile (Chamomilla recutita)
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Vanilla (Vanila planifolia)
Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus)
Spearmint (Mentha viridis)
Papaya (Carica papaya)

Plant extracts contain many of the most common fragrance compounds. Several of the 26 fragrances listed by the EU as allergenic occurs naturally in extracts from plants, fruits, etc., particularly in citrus oil and essential oils from flowers, cf. Appendix 1. Based on the above list of plant extracts in lip care products, it is probable that several of the various fragrance variants of the products contain one or more of the allergenic fragrances.

In the last century only 150 fragrances were known, but with industrial development more than 4,000 fragrances have been identified of which approx. 2,500 are used today (3). This project focuses on the 26 fragrances listed by the EU as allergenic and which by March 2005 must be stated on the products' INCI declarations dependent on the concentration of the substance in the product.

5.3.2 Pigments

Pigments approved for use in cosmetics appear from the "Kosmetikbekendtgørelsen". The amount of pigments in lipsticks is estimated to make up 1-10% (4) and the amount of pigment in coloured lip care products is estimated to be at the same level.

In this survey, 9 different colour variants were found, see table 5.6. Uncoloured products are products with an aqueous or waxlike appearance that may vary from glassy to milk-white or yellowish.

Table 5.6. Number of products in each colour group..

The following colours are added in the form of pigments. Listed numbers are Color Index numbers (C.I.) stated in the INCI declarations for the different lip care products.

Red colours:
12150, 14700, 15800, 15850, 15850:1, 15850:2, 16255, 17200, 26100**, 45380, 45380:3, 45410, 45410:2, 45430, 73360, 75470, 77491
**Pigment 26100 is not allowed for contact with mucous membranes.

Blue colours
42090, 42090:2, 77007

Yellow colours:
15985, 19140, 19140:1, 47005, 75120, 77492, Beta carotene, Daucus carota

White colours:
77019 (mica), 77891,77947

Green colours:
61565, 75810

Violet colours:
60725, 77742

Orange colours:
11920, 45370

Black colours:
77499

All pigments are on "Kosmetikbekendtgørelsens" positive list, Appendix 4, that also includes their CAS nos. (5).

Apart from C.I. 26100 all pigments are allowed in lip care products.

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Version 1.0 March 2006, © Danish Environmental Protection Agency