COSMETIC INDUSTRY

Cosmetics help a woman to feel better about her appearance. Women have adored themselves with makeup and color for centuries. They do this are to make them more confident, more attractive and to be more feminine. It’s to express their creativity, their beauty, to hide what they don’t like about themselves and accentuate what they do like about themselves. 

Days has gone when cosmetic is only associated with women only. Now it’s official, that men are now wearing make-up. More and more men today are not shy about being fashionable and using make-up without any hesitation.  If you do not agree with this fact, next time when you visit any mall, take a look at the cosmetic section. You will find a separate section, separate selves which are now dedicated to men only. How and when this happened, it’s still mysterious. Today's sophisticated men are concerned about their personality, how they look. It is appearance that people first see and remains a major factor in how they gauge a person. Men's cosmetics are there to help him look his best.

Cosmetics are substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body. The word cosmetics derive from the Greek word which means technique of dress & ornament. Ancient Greek women painted their cheeks with herbal pastes made from crushed berries and seeds. They used to color their cheeks in red color by first coating their face, neck and other body part with a white powder without knowing that white powder  contained lead that destroy their  complexion after a certain period of time. Egyptians were the first to use cosmetics in the 4th millennium BC. Cosmetics were in wide use in the Roman Empire. Although typically restricted to use within the upper classes. Women during the middle Ages didn't wear much make-up, until Queen Elizabeth I became one of Britain's most celebrated users of natural beauty preparations.

The use of body paint for ornamental and religious purposes has been common among primitive peoples from prehistoric times. Ointments, balms, powders, and hair dyes have also been used from ancient times. Many cosmetics originated in Asia, but their ingredients and use are first recorded in Egypt. Lipsticks first appeared in the ancient city of Ur, near Babylon, 5000 years ago. 

Modern cosmetics include skin-care preparations; foundation, face powder and rouge (blusher); eye makeup; lipstick; shampoo; hair curling and straightening preparations; hair colours, dyes, and bleaches; and nail polish. Related products include antiperspirants, mouthwashes, depilatories, astringents, and bath crystals and many other types of products. 

The cosmetics industry is a multinational, multi-billion-dollar industry. The manufacture of cosmetics is currently dominated by a small number of multinational corporations that originated in the early 20th century, but the distribution and sale of cosmetics is spread among a wide range of different businesses. 

There is a fatal fact that every year, cosmetics companies kill millions of animals to test their products. These companies claim they test on animals to establish the safety of their products and ingredients for consumers. Product testing is commonly performed on animals to measure the levels of skin irritancy, eye tissue damage, and toxicity caused by various substances used in the manufacture of cosmetics. In the Draize test, caustic substances are placed in the eyes of conscious rabbits to evaluate damage to sensitive eye tissues. This is extremely painful for the rabbits, who often scream when the substances are applied and sometimes break their necks or backs trying to escape the restraints.

However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suggests that animal testing are not require for cosmetics, and alternative testing methods are widely available and lead to more reliable results. Hundreds of companies – including Avon, The Body Shop and Mary Kay – already use humane non-animal testing methods to ensure the safety of their cosmetics.

It appears that a booming economy in India would be the largest cosmetic consuming country in a next few decades. While the demand of beautifying substances are growing day by day, a large number of local as well as international manufacturers gradually extend their ranges and products in different provinces of India.

Since 1991 with the crowning of many Indian women at international beauty pageants like Shushmita sen, Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra and many other names, the cosmetic industry has come into the limelight in a bigger way. Many celebrities, actors, and models sit in a makeup chair before making a public appearance. It's no surprise that with modern society's emphasis on youth, perfection, and physical attraction, women aren't the only ones who want to accentuate their best facial features and hide blemishes  and scars.

Indian cosmetic Industry had rapid growth in the last couple of years, growing at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of around 7.5% between 2006 and 2008. While this is due to the improving purchasing power and increasing fashion consciousness, the industry is expected to maintain the growth momentum during the period 2009-2012. 

In the Indian Cosmetic Industry both electronic as well as print media are playing an important role in spreading awareness about the cosmetic products and developing fashion consciousness among the Indian consumers. Due to the development of satellite television and a number of television channels as well as the Internet in the modern day, the Indian consumers are constantly being updated about new cosmetic products, translating into the desire to purchase them. Additionally, the flourishing Indian fashion/film industry is fueling growth into the Cosmetic industry in India by making Indians to realize the importance of having good looks and appearances.

Globally now herbal cosmetics are preferred. The emphasis of the herbal cosmetic has been on the spectacular growth of the herbal and ayurvedic beauty products business as conveyed by beauty expert Shahnaz Husain who was the first to introduce the concept of ayurvedic cosmetics to the world when she launched her products way back in 1970. 

Today, the Indian cosmetics industry has a plethora of herbal cosmetic brands like Forest Essentials, Biotique, Himalaya, Blossom Kochhar, VLCC, Dabur and Lotus and many more. Today most of the cosmetics manufacturers in India cater to the domestic market but they are gradually establishing their footholds in overseas markets. In recent years, cosmetic manufactures in India have received orders from overseas markets; for example - Indian herbal cosmetic products have a tremendous demand in the international market

The Indian cosmetics industry has emerged as one of the unique industries holding huge potential for further growth. Industry sources estimate a rapid growth rate of 20% per annum. There is huge career scope in cosmetic industry. Cosmetic scientist is the most demanding position require in cosmetic industry. Wide ranges of rejuvenating products are ready to fetch the customers.  Hard-hitting competition exist in cosmetic market, so this industry give a warm welcome to smart, go getter, talented marketing people. 

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