Intercharm -Leading the east to the west

Published: 3-Jan-2007

The 2006 edition of Intercharm was Russia's premier cosmetics show

The 2006 edition of Intercharm was Russia's premier cosmetics show

Intercharm 2006, held at the Crocus Expo Exhibition Centre in Moscow, saw 850 companies and organisations exhibit over an area of 18,000sqm, representing a 14% rise in number of exhibitors and a 34% increase in spatial capacity. With international exhibitors making up 270 of the total, including companies from Bulgaria, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Korea, Poland, Spain, Taiwan and Turkey all represented through national pavilions, the show's international dimension was more distinct than ever.

A seminar on Doing business in Russia proved to be a highlight of the show, providing a source of information for foreign market players to eliminate difficulties while entering the Russian market. Tatyana Puchkova, chairman of the board of Perfumery and Cosmetics Association of Russia, spoke on perfumery and cosmetics legislation in Russia and challenges faced by foreign manufacturers and distributors. Anna Dycheva-Smirnoff, editor in chief of Cosmetic Market Today magazine and ExpoMedia-Group Staraya Krepost vice president reported on the profile of the national consumer and unveiled the Russian market in facts and figures. Hayk Sargsyan, general director of Arsenal Effect LLC, distributor of Aqualina, Patricia Milton and Cleo brands in Russia, commented on distribution systems and consulted on risk avoidance strategies. Anatoly Semenov, head of ingredients and the cosmetic test department of the independent certification company, reported on the certification system, while Natalia Isakova, executive director of the Fund of Economic Cooperation and Partnership, discussed local variances involved in entering the Russian regions.

Other events in the framework of the show included a conference on how to make packaging work, the Moscow international make-up Championship, and SPArallel World - a show of the leading Russian spa specialists.

A new addition this year was the Novelties Gallery, which aroused many visitors' interest. A total of 80 companies dealing in various beauty segments, including male grooming, professional equipment, skin care and aromatherapy, displayed their novelties on the Russian market. The Estel brand showed its latest products - Love Nuance tint balm and hair colourants. Solterro launched trademark Grani Sovershenstva, masks and moisturising gels for skin and body care. Galatea factory displayed tonics and gels under the Miokras trademark and Petrobio represented Biocream shampoos, shower gels, bath foams, deodorants and liquid soap, notable for their high content of milk proteins.

Forum for thought


Some 400 professionals from Russia, CIS countries, Europe and the US gathered at VII Cosmetique News Forum for the exchange of experience and ideas. Over three days the participants had a chance to hear representatives of major perfumery and cosmetics companies as well as coverage of the latest trends presented by leading researchers and the latest new technologies and marketing techniques.

Neal Whitfield, European marketing manager for life sciences at Dow Corning, presented on Hair care trends in Russia: meeting women's needs. “Shampoo is still dominating the market with conditioners and other secondary products showing strong growth for the future,” said Whitfield. He pointed out that 60% of Russian women buy the same brand of shampoo and conditioner while 75% buy different brands for styling products, noting that there is much opportunity to capitalise on and improve customer loyalty.

“Colourants is the fastest growing subsector in the Russian hair market and this will continue to grow as over 50% of Russian women dye their hair,” said Whitfield. “Shampoos are increasingly price competitive so differentiation is key. An increasing number of consumers, especially women, are looking for quality. The key for local producers is to stay out of price wars and focus on differentiation.”

He concluded by saying that as Russia follows the lead of Western Europe “we can expect hair styling products to grow in the future,” with most of the growth to be found in sophisticated mousses, balms and gels rather than hairsprays.

A man's world? A closer look at men's grooming in Russia and beyond was delivered by Briony Davies, account manager, Euromonitor. She outlined the processes of westernisation taking place in Russia, noting the escalating effect of exposure to advertising messages and the western media on Russian men. She also noted that local manufacturers struggling to compete in the major urban centres can potentially cater to local needs more effectively. “Outside of Moscow and St Petersburg different tactics are needed for consumers reluctant to spend,” she said. “This means offering several products together can be a good idea.”

Dycheva-Smirnoff attracted a large audience with Future Development of Russian Perfumery and Cosmetic market. “From an ingredients perspective there is an increasing influence of technology that shows itself in more multi-functional products,” she noted. “Naturals are more in demand and strong ingredients stories are wanted. In retail the rise of the supermarket environment means that the need for differentiation is prominent and mono-brand boutiques will increase.”

The Intercharm gold medals were presented at the Gala reception held on 27 October. Awarded for playing a significant role in the Russian beauty industry’s development, winners included the baby care specialist Nasha mama for active implementation of the latest advances in cosmetology, Aroma Academia for effective policy in perfumery distribution, and Mirra-M for high quality products and respect to the Russian consumer.

The Egyptian Exporters Assoc-iation (EEA) was honoured for producing the best national pavilion design at the show.

Organisers say that the 2007 event will continue to support the Russian beauty industry with even more emphasis on international participation and attendance as the Russian market leads the westernisation of Eastern European nations.

You may also like