Walking into a department store and picking up a jar of cream or a bottle of perfume from a cosmetics counter might be the conventional way to shop for beauty products. But increasingly, shoppers are looking past traditional "one size fits many" formulations and turning to brands that let them choose custom blends, made for them.
Some companies position such products as the "couture" version of beauty, tailored to a person's exact requirements for the best fit. Others say they're responding to a demand arising in an age of blended ethnicities, when the composition and color of skin is radically different than it was even a few decades ago. And in these cash-crunched times, some consumers figure that, for the money they spend, they might as well get personalized products.
"There are so many reasons this is happening," says Jane Buckingham, founder and president of the Intelligence Group, a market research firm. "This next generation of consumers is generally brought up to believe that they are special, unique and different, that it's all about having it their way. So if they can customize their songs on their iPods, eliminate the bad pictures on their digital cameras and design their own dresses online, it's no surprise the trend has found its way into beauty categories."
Looking for a fragrance that recalls a cherished time in Spain and reflects an abiding love of French lavender and fresh-roasted coffee? An extended consultation with a perfumer such as Alexandra Balahoutis of Strange Invisible Perfumes will capture it all in a bottle. A custom-blended cream at My Blend can address issues such as skin that's affected by frequent travel or hormonal factors. At DoshaCare, a new Ayurveda-based skin-care offering, customers are asked in-depth questions about their sleep habits, digestion and how they process emotions before a product is formulated.
Below is a sampling of the burgeoning made-for-you lines.
Prescriptives
The pioneer in customized beauty, Prescriptives offers a comprehensive array of custom-blended cosmetics.
How it works: A Prescriptives staffer determines a customer's skin tone and blends foundations, powders, concealers, lip glosses, lipsticks, bronzers and moisturizers on the spot, testing them on the customer every step of the way. Details of each blend are kept on file.
What it costs: From $26 for a lip gloss to $62 for foundation.
