36 February 2013 | beautystorebusiness.com

Cutler SalonsCutler Salons, a premiere New York City styling salon, was founded in 1998 with a single salon on 57th Street, later expand-ing to two other sites. All three salons are owned by Rodney Cutler and managed by Derek Reynolds. Reynolds has been in the beauty industry 15 years, starting out at the corporate offices of L’Oréal. After leaving New York for other business ventures, Reynolds returned two years ago and was asked by Cutler to head his salons as general manager.

“We are a diversified salon company with three salons in New York as well as our own line,” says Reynolds. “I’ve been the general manager since July of last year.”

As with many businesses, Cutler Salons didn’t expect much from Hurricane Sandy. “Last year, the city announced a shut down for Hurricane Irene,” states Reynolds. “There were so many precautions taken and so much panic. My team shut down all of our operations within the span of an hour, not knowing when we would reopen. Yet that storm barely caused a ripple in terms of damage or long-term effects on business. When Hurricane Sandy was announced, because of our experience the previous year, we assumed the outcome would be the same as with Hurricane Irene.”

Cutler Salons decided on an early shutdown, with many of its team members losing power early on. Reynolds says, “When the storm hit, it was obvious that this was going to be a very different storm than the one from the previous year. I had to evacuate my home, and no one was able to make it into any of our three locations to determine the extent of potential damage. Luckily, I stayed in an area that never lost power or Internet service; so I was able to maintain constant contact with the outside world. We sent updates to our team twice a day via email, hoping they would get the messages. We ended up being closed for two days.”

Cutler was able to reopen the Midtownlocation, providing services to all its clients from the one salon. “On Wednes-day, I was unsure if any of our locations would be able to open.” Reynolds adds, “The backbone of our support staff, along with Rodney Cutler, made arrangements to come in from all over. Some of us drove, despite the four-hour wait to cross the

59th Street bridge, while others walked the 70-plus blocks to the Midtown salon. Our other two [salons] were completely without power, so we decided to accom-modate all our clients at the Midtown location until we could open the other two salons. Our booking system is cloud-based, so we were able to access all our guest information. We also have a fully networked phone system that was able to take all incoming calls at the midtown location.”

Team work and a sense of camara-derie were evident all over the city, with people offering outlets for cell phones to charge and neighbors stepping in to help others. Reynolds notes, “This has brought our team together in a very special way. The Saturday after the storm our entire team of more than 50 people worked our Midtown location all day, seeing nearly 200 clients. At the end of the day, we filtered over to the local watering hole, and soon everyone on our staff was sharing drinks, laughing and congratulating each other on a job well done. It was incredibly inspiring.”

C.O. BigelowWhile most businesses didn’t anticipate much impact from Sandy, others were more cautious. Apothecary and drug-store C.O. Bigelow—in business since the 1800s and the oldest apothecary in America—is a New York landmark that has withstood both natural and man-made disasters throughout the years. President Ian Ginsberg, a third-generation pharmacist who has been president of the company since 1996, says, “Normally, New Yorkers don’t freak out about anything; but Hurricane Irene [devastated] my warehouse. So we took this storm a bit more seriously than others might have.”

Ginsberg took the precaution of rent-ing two trailers, which his team loaded up with as much of their warehouse supply as they could hold. They also moved as much of the warehouse stock up from the floor as possible, picking and choosing which items were the most important and most difficult to replace. Ginsberg states, “We rearranged and stacked up the items we cared about most. We also sandbagged the doors and

Continued on page 40

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50 March 2013 | beautystorebusiness.com

Where are NYX Cosmetics usually retailed?Friedman: NYX is usually retailed in professional beauty stores. We have [always] attended Cosmoprof [North America], and got our start and our initial growth one independent beauty store at a time. Each beauty store represents a valuable partnership for our brand. We’re also found in several beauty chains with our largest retail partner being ULTA Beauty. Our largest international part-ner is the Douglas Perfumerie chain based in Germany.

As our brand has developed and our products have become must-have items, particularly for the most knowledgeable makeup artists, we have started to sell to additional best-of-class beauty chains and stores in the past few months, including 28 Ricky’s stores, 24 Beauty Plus Salon stores, Empire Beauty, Peer-less Beauty & Barber Supply, Beauty Collection and more.

Are you currently seeking additional distributors and retailers?Friedman: We are seeking additional beauty store retail partners and poten-tially sales reps or distributors who main-tain a strong presence in those markets in which we have gaps in our coverage. We wish to add retailers that are good for our brand and our consumers. Any-one who is interested is encouraged to contact Brandyn Stugart at brandyn@nyxcosmetics.com.

What’s the best way to display cosmetics in retail? Toni K.: Keeping the focal items at eye level and well-stocked is very important, as well as keeping shelves clean. If there are any testers available, make sure they are cleaned and rotated out on a regular basis.

For stores that don’t currently retail cosmetics, what are the reasons that you feel they need to start?Friedman: Not all retail stores should sell cosmetics. If they aren’t committed to keeping them clean and well-stocked, a cosmetics display may not be for them. There are several interesting retail for-mats that draw consumers of cosmetics. In fact, several fashion chains have begun

reaching out to us. It is most important that the stores educate their staffs and provide a broad selection so that they can truly become beauty destinations.

For beauty stores and salons, the more color cosmetics the better. From our perspective, the color cosmetics business—and interest in cosmetics in general—continues to grow worldwide. Cosmetics are not going away, even in difficult or uncertain economic times. A full range of color cosmetics, such as the NYX assortment, allows salons that traditionally have not carried color cosmetics to give their customers a more complete solution to their beauty needs.

In what ways do you collaborate with makeup artists?Friedman: NYX has become a recognized and well-liked brand among professional makeup artists for the quality, color payoff, shades and product range. Our popular-ity among Hollywood celebrity makeup artists is notable with frequent partner-ships with makeup artists when preparing their celebrities for the red carpet. We also partner with makeup artists for New York Fashion Week shows, events, and film and TV.

Do you work with any beauty-sampling companies? Friedman: We do work with some beauty-sampling companies on a limited basis both in the United States and inter-nationally. Our brand has grown through word of mouth, so we always benefit when a new consumer tries our product.

Would you please talk about your social-media campaigns?Friedman: NYX has a strong presence on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, as well as on Instagram, Pinterest, Google+ and more. We value each channel inde-pendently, yet share a cohesive and consistent message, which is critical to successful brand messaging. Our fans are engaged, and it’s our priority to keep them listening. In addition to sharing product information, makeup trends and tips, specials and discounts, we share exclusive product launches and company information with our fans. People want to know about the company’s DNA, and we do our best to deliver that information.

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Clear Travel Bottle SetSoft ‘n Style’s 2-ounce Clear Travel Bottle Set comes in a convenient, reusable tote. The set includes five 2-ounce clear bottles: two with a pump, two with a sprayer, and one twist-cap. The bottles are 1 1/4-inches in diameter. SRP: $3.34burmax.com, 800.645.5118

Stackable JarsWhen space is at a premium or specific items should stay together, Erico’s Stackable ConnectingJars are the right choice. The clear jars have screw-top lids that connect together for convenience and productivity. Each jar holds 10mL. SRP: $1.99ericoind.com, 800.223.7426

A Tiny, Mighty Emergency KitThe Micro PAK Kit from PAK is a compact travel case that holds up to 16 mini travel must-haves. It features a removable strap or chain and mea-sures about 3 3/4-inches wide by 2 3/8-inches high and 1-inch deep. Refills are available and include personal-care items, dental products, nail care, first aid, pillboxes, towelettes and bottles. The internal loop and pocket system keeps everything in its place and the strong magnetic snaps keep the bag tightly closed. It’s available in green and black.SRP: $20 to $30thepakstore.com, 866.247.9026

Travel TanningBronzing 4-Faces from Norvell Skin Solutions is a 2-ounce sunless touch-up and facial spray combining the company’s proprietary sunless solution with its Natural Actives Sunless Complex. Featuring an allergen-free raspberry almond fragrance, the for-mulation is 100% vegan, paraben-free and gluten-free. SRP: $10norvellsunless.com888.829.2831 !

Leah Genuario is a Hawthorne, NJ-based freelance writer. She is the former editor of Beauty Packaging.

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78 May 2013 | beautystorebusiness.com

News

BLUEMERCURY ADDS LOCATIONS

IN VIRGINIA AND NEW YORKBluemercury—the fast-

growing “luxury beauty

products and spa retail

chain”—opened its sev-

enth location in the

Washington, D.C., metro

area in February, as well

as its first site in the

Westchester, New York,

area in March, as part of

its national rollout.

Bluemercury’s new

1,500-square-foot store

at 600 King St. in Alexandria, Virginia, is at the heart of the main shopping

district, as well as in Bluemercury’s corporate backyard.

“I’ve been waiting more than five years for the perfect location to open

up in Alexandria, and amazingly a spot on one of the best and most sophis-

ticated streets in town became vacant,” says Bluemercury founder and

visionary Marla Malcolm Beck.

The new 2,400-square-foot store at 61 Purchase St. in Rye, New York, is

the largest Bluemercury retail concept yet.

“We wanted to open our Westchester store in Rye as we love the ambiance

of this neighborhood,” she adds. “The residents and consumers in this area

are sophisticated shoppers and are not only looking for a convenient shopping

experience, but also for expert, honest advice and friendly, personalized

service that they can’t find at a department store or anywhere else.”

There are now more than 40 Bluemercury locations nationwide—and

more sites are planned for this year.

BEAUTY BRANDS OPENS ITS

54TH ‘STUDIO’ IN HOUSTON Beauty Brands opened its

54th “studio” in February,

completing the rollout of its

store-within-a-store concept

to all Beauty Brands loca-

tions nationally. The expan-

sion began with the chain’s

Kansas City flagship store

and culminated in its Hous-

ton locations.

“The opening of our 54th

and final studio brings to fruition an exciting chapter in the evolution of our brand.

But it is really just a beginning,” says David Bernstein, Beauty Brands president. “The

studio concept was a direct result of client feedback, and we will continue to grow

and evolve as a result of the dialogue we have with both clients and our associates.”

The studio features prestige skincare and makeup brands, including philosophy,

Tarte, Smashbox, Too Faced and Dermalogica. Beauty specialists are also on location,

offering customers brand-specific knowledge.

Beauty Brands says that the studio has performed above expectations, providing

explosive growth for its brand across all retail areas, beyond prestige brands.

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94 August 2013 | beautystorebusiness.com

as ‘Can’t lift more than 15 pounds,’”

poses Salazar. “See if you have tasks

that require lifting fewer than 15 pounds

that you can assign the employee to

during recovery.” There is an advan-

tage to employees who cooperate since

most employers will compensate them

at their normal salary, but only provide

partial compensation to workers who

stay home. And there’s another rea-

son: Adjustors will suspend the workers

comp claims of employees who refuse

temporary positions. “Workers comp is

there for people who cannot work for

medical reasons, not for those who

refuse to work,” says Salazar.

If you can’t find a temporary posi-

tion for an injured worker, then keep

open lines of communication with the

homebound person. “Once people are

hurt really badly, they lose their desire

to be part of a team,” says Free. “They

feel forgotten and alone. Their spouses

may be off at work while they are home

with a broken leg. So we always tell our

clients to visit them. Bring some fruit,

talk for a half hour, show the person you

care about him and want him back as

soon as possible. That really helps. The

little things that employers do make all

the difference.”

All of these steps together can com-

municate an attitude of caring. “Adopt

policies that send the right message to

your workforce,” says Ahlrichs. “Your

message should be this: ‘We have a

culture of safety. We attempt to control

the variables so people do not get hurt. If

you do get hurt, we will get you back to

work quickly.’ When that message gets

out, people who are prone to accidents

will apply at another business that does

not make safety a front-burner issue.”

GET HELPEmployers can seek help from consul-

tants who specialize in workplace safety.

“Some of these people go through spe-

cial training,” says Free, who suggests

employers look for designations such as

“Associate in Loss Control Management”

or “Certified Safety Professional.” Such

people can teach employees good work-

place practices, including lifting properly

and avoiding shoulder injuries.

Consultants can make a big differ-

ence, but lay out parameters before the

safety guru arrives. “One of the bad raps

consultants get is that they make recom-

mendations that are too expensive,” says

Free. So emphasize you want suggestions

on improvement that are cost neutral. “In

such cases, these improvements pay for

themselves as losses go down.”

A safe workplace can reduce your

accident load and thus cap or even

reduce your workers comp premiums as

your x-mod improves. That’s all good.

The cost of insurance is an integral

component in competition whether you

produce a product or a service. ■

Phillip M. Perry is a New York City-based

freelance writer.

Controlling Costs at the State LevelNervous about rising workers compensation insurance? State governments

are trying to do something about it. “Medical cost containment is one

of the biggest topics this year in state legislatures,” says Peter Burton,

senior division executive for state relations at the National Council on

Compensation Insurance in Boca Raton, Florida. “Medical-fee schedules

are being examined. States are also considering limiting the ability of

physicians to dispense injured workers repackaged drugs that can be

purchased much more inexpensively at the pharmacy.” There is also a

major initiative by legislative organizations to place constraints on the

abuse of prescription drugs, according to Burton. “More individuals die

from overdoses of prescription drugs than from cocaine and heroin abuse.

Because many injuries qualifying under workers compensation are traumatic

in nature, drugs for pain relief are often prescribed,” says Burton. “This may

be abused over time. Also, the longer workers stay on these drugs, the longer

it takes the injured workers to return to work.”

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