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The Democratization of Beauty "Prestige-light" beauty, hair and skin care lines are filling the shelves of the once "cachet free" HBA aisles at drug and discount stores. As Wendy Liebmann explained in O, The Oprah Magazine in October 2004, "[a growing masstige category] is a democratization...with everyone working harder at both high and low ends to earn the shopper's dollar." The growth of exclusive beauty brands at discount, drug and mass retailers reveals "a fundamental shift in the way retailers counter perceptions that there is tremendous sameness in products from retailer to retailer. Consumers have seen it all, done it all, shopped it all, so they're always asking, 'What's different about your store and why should I come back?' This becomes an important strategy for retailers to differentiate themselves. Despite the potential benefits, the new store labels can be tremendously risky. Retailers have to...really understand how to market these brands." "Store brands are stepping out," |