Cosmetics firm re-launches body whitening products

CEBU, Philippines - To keep up with its high market position and sustain or increase its clientele, Intelligent Skin Care Inc. (ISCI), maker of the Belo Essentials beauty products, recently re-launched its reformulated body care line which now contains powerful whitening ingredients Glutathione, Kojic Acid, and Giga-white. 

In a press conference, ISCI marketing manager Lerma Sta. Cruz-Mendoza said that the company decided to re-launch Belo Essential products, specifically the body care line to address concerns raised by customers and to keep up with the competition.

“Although the brand delivers promise, our consumers have high expectation about our products and so we have to keep up,” said Mendoza adding that this time, with the power ingredients added to it, the brand promises faster effectivity, without compromising the price.

Mendoza admitted that the global economic crisis that results to weaken consumer up-take especially for beauty products has affected the company’s sales target.

Eduardo Martin O. Dionaldo, distribution manager for Visayas and Mindanao, said because of the financial slump stores would like to keep lesser inventory, while diminished purchasing power and declining disposal income had been noted.

Last year, Belo Essential’s whitening face wash achieved the number two position in this category, outsmarting the veteran brands in the market, including international brands.

The company’s whitening soap snatched the number three position despite the influx of herbal-based whitening soaps, while its lotion placed number six.

According to Dionaldo, in the Vismin area, sales of Belo Essential products had been affected due to crisis, specifically in the lower-end distribution networks. But it is offset by the sustained sales performance in the supermarkets.

In Vismin alone, Belo Essentials has a total of 1,400 retailers, 500 of which are in Cebu, wherein 29 outlets are supermarkets.

With the fragile consumer take-up, Mendoza said the company has increased its marketing budget to stimulate consumer interest, while bringing up the good news of assured product efficacy, without compromising the price levels.