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.
Where: "Store locator" option at prescriptives.com lists select Macy's and Nordstrom stores in the Los Angeles area.
My Blend
Some 225 combinations are possible in this new line, part of the Clarins group.
How it works: Clients answer questions about stress levels, lifestyle, how they react to seasonal changes. A "personal blend expert" then chooses a base -- one of eight creams or lotions that contain anti-aging peptides -- then mixes in "boosters" aimed at providing extra hydration, combating jet lag or prepping skin for a big event. Adjunct products include eye creams and cleansers.
What it costs: Base, $170 to $250. Boosters, $45 each. Complementary products, $70 to $125.
Where: Select stores, including Saks Fifth Avenue and Studio at Fred Segal
Prescribed Solutions
How it works: Only available in doctors' offices, products can be adjusted for seasonal differences as well as specific skin conditions. For someone with rosacea, for example, anti-aging cream can be customized with vitamin K, goji berry and Arnica montana flower extract. There are about a dozen base products of eye serums, facial cleansers and night creams, and 10 boosters, for scores of options.
What it costs: Boosters, $35. Other products go up to about $145. Customization is included, and most doctors do not charge a consultation fee.
Where: About 20 medical practices in the Los Angeles area, listed at www.prescribedsolutions.com
Simon Ourian M.D. Signature Series
How it works: Twenty to 25 ingredients are mixed while the customer waits. The products, with chemical and natural ingredients such as hydroquinone and grapefruit peel oil, are pharmaceutical grade, but no prescription is needed. Factors such as lifestyle, activity and hormone levels and sun exposure are addressed, and a single cream is made up, designed to last six weeks.
What it costs: $80 to $300
Where: Epione, Beverly Hills, www.epione.com
DoshaCare
How it works: This 4-month-old brand uses the fundamentals of Ayurveda, a 5,000-year-old system of healing founded in India. Customers have their "doshas" -- or physical and mental constitutions -- identified via an online quiz. The range of basic products including cleansers, moisturizers and masks are then customized using one of the DoshaCare Elixirs, which contain traditional Ayurvedic ingredients such as neem oil, turmeric and fenugreek.
What it costs: $34 to $58
Where: Currently online only at www.doshacare.com
Strange Invisible Perfumes
