Victoria Batik

Actress Kim Yun-jin tries the simulator that predicts how her skin would age at the booth of L’Oreal Paris in the 22nd World Congress of Dermatology held in Coex in southern Seoul last May. / Korea Times file

Korean cosmetics market grows a lot faster than GDP, retail industry

By Kang Chan-koo

There is nothing that can stop the Korean cosmetics market. The size of the cosmetics market grew to 8.9 trillion won in 2011 from 5.6 trillion won in 2006, an annual average increase of 10.4 percent, easily outstripping annual average retail sales growth of 6.1 percent in the same period. Even when the economy came to a near standstill, with the GDP growing 0.3 percent in 2009 in the wake of the global financial crisis, the domestic cosmetics market grew 11.8 percent, proving itself to be recession-resistant.

The rapid growth derives from new dynamics in the cosmetic industry. Rising life expectancy and desire for a better quality of life have propelled a desire for wellness and anti-aging products. Also, there is general perception that a youthful and healthy appearance will be an advantage in Koreas highly competitive society. Now, youths and senior citizens, men and teenagers are making cosmetics part of their daily routine, not just women.

The skin care segment has been a particularly key growth contributor, with consumers gravitating away from simple glamour make-up. They are more youth and health conscious, recognizing that skin impacts aging, health and physical appearance. Skin care accounts for 48 percent of Koreas total cosmetics market and growing much faster than other segments like make-up and perfumes.

Furthermore, this personal care industry is going high-tech. As cosmetics technology development accelerates and converges with various high technologies, the paradigm governing the competitiveness of the cosmetics industry is focusing not only on changes in the market conditions and trends but also technology and effectiveness. Generally, high-tech industries face considerable market and technology uncertainties. Against this background, the cosmetics industry is expected to experience major changes going forward.

Three driving forces of the cosmetics industry

The cosmetics industry will undergo a paradigm shift in the overall product creation from basic research to development to marketing. This paper examined this shifting paradigm and how the cosmetics industry will use product strategy, a staple of high technology companies.

In basic research, biotechnology will become increasingly more important due to advanced research in protecting skin from aging. In the development stage, electronics, information technology (IT), food and medical technologies will intersect, leading to the development of converged products and solutions. In marketing, as consumers knowledge increases, advertising highlighting research and development (RD) and stressing high-tech materials will be an appealing point rather than emphasis on image.

Biotechnology

Deeper understanding of human biological phenomena, including the interpretation of human genetic maps, has facilitated the shift of cosmetics technology research from formula and texture to skin aging prevention and treatment. The number of research papers on skin aging has skyrocketed. At the same time, the focus of anti-aging studies has moved from removal of dead skin cell and collagen synthesis to comprehensive approaches, including cellular life span and metabolism.

Some global cosmetics companies already have become early developers of high-function cosmetics based on biotechnology. LOreal, the worlds largest cosmetics company, devoted 10 years of research on 4,400 genes and 1,300 proteins that have the most relevance to skin aging. It resulted in gene-activating serum, Genifique, which became an instant global sensation. One Genifique product is sold every four seconds.

Korean cosmetics companies are also actively applying biotechnology in product development. AmorePacific, Koreas No. 1 cosmetics manufacturer, established a bioscience RD center, while LG Household and Health Care, another leading Korean cosmetics company, formed a technology partnership with renowned womens hospital Cha Medical Center on stem cell research.

Convergence solutions

To deliver enhanced effect and quality, medical and other technology-based solutions are being added to cosmetics. One of the most promising products is cosmetic patches. Traditional skin patches are passive; they are moistened and applied with cosmetics. Newer patches will contain active ingredients with a high degree of skin permeation ability. Advanced patches will be developed, including ones that deliver a mild electric current or drug to the skin.

Cosmetics that converge with other industries such as electronics devices, smartphones and health foods will also gain popularity. Beauty devices using electronic controls and optical technologies are increasingly being rolled out as are skin cleansing devices.

Nutricosmetics, or combining cosmetics with food, is a segment that is already having a pronounced presence. Japanese cosmetics giant Shiseido launched In On in 2010, formulated to maximize skin care effects by combining cosmetics with beauty drinks and supplements. New products are recently being added to the brand, including whitening, anti-wrinkle, neck care and body slimming.

Beauty consulting businesses that diagnose individuals skin condition for recommendation of optimal products or sell customized products are also rising. One of the companies that attracted attention at this years Consumer Electronics Show was Ahrong Eltech, a Korean small- and medium-sized facial beauty products manufacturer, which presented DermaScan, a sensor skin assessment which can deliver the results to a smartphone and is linked to a guide to online shopping sites.

Technology/ingredient marketing

As beauty-related information proliferates the Internet and TV, knowledge about cosmetics is rapidly being accumulated among consumers. On Powder Room, Koreas leading beauty community site, 230,000 members exchange beauty tips and product experiences daily. Koreas cable TV program Get It Beauty is becoming increasingly popular by broadcasting blind tests that compare only the quality of beauty products, rather than their brand or image.

Cosmetics experts and ordinary people participate to review products for various features including spreadability, stickiness and color. Products ranked No. 1 or 2 on the show become bestsellers. In this way, consumer-to-consumer word of mouth, expert reviews and product testimonials are becoming more influential, spotlighting the technology and effectiveness embedded in the product. Proctor Gambles leading brand, SK-II, has actively used the development story behind its Pitera ingredient based on yeast culture; it noticed that brewers had baby soft hands. By doing this, SK-II was able to simultaneously attract customer attention and increase consumer confidence in its brand.

Implications

The Korean government and companies need to expand investments and support for the cosmetics industry given its growth potential and value. Along with Hallyu including the K-pop boom, enhanced national brand competitiveness and upgraded cosmetics quality, Koreas cosmetics industry is transforming into a high value-added export industry from a domestic seller.

Koreas cosmetics exports climbed to $600 million in 2010 from $80 million in 2001. AmorePacific, Korea’s No. 1 cosmetics company, jumped to 16th in global ranking of cosmetics makers in 2011 from 25th in 2005.

However, Korea still lacks technologies to lead the future cosmetics markets such as dermatology, bio cosmetics and beauty convergence solutions. Domestic cosmetic firms are far behind their overseas peers in RD. For example, LOreals RD investment is more than seven-fold that of the total Korean cosmetic industry.

Koreas cosmetic companies must rapidly cultivate their technological capabilities through a choose and concentrate strategy, focusing on specific areas such as the genetics of aging and stems cells. Conducting joint research with universities and medical institutions renowned for their basic research is also advisable.

The fate of the high-tech industry is largely determined by two factors; RD and high-tech marketing. Companies must concentrate their resources and capabilities in RD. In particular, they must actively take advantage of the technological innovations in fast developing fields such as the biotechonology, advanced materials, electronics and IT industries.

Product planning strategies should change from the current passive stance of only seeking to satisfy consumer tastes to more aggressive approaches ranging from discovering potential niche markets through technological innovations to influencing consumer preference.

For this to happen, interaction between RD and marketing must be energized, and the fostering of high-quality talents who have ambidextrous skills in both technology and marketing must be made a priority.

The government must also strengthen RD investment support in basic cosmetics research, including dermatology and functional materials, and create an environment where there is a dynamic integration and convergence of innovation with other industries, including food, electronics and services.

Kang Chan-koo is a research fellow at Samsung Economic Research Institute (SERI). This report was provided by the SERI.

According to Baymard Institute, the average shopping cart abandonment rate is more than 65 percent. But while eCommerce businesses have been presented with these statistics, what they really want to know is why customers are leaving and how to get them to stay.

David Rodwell runs CreditCardProcessing.net, a site that compares credit card processing services. He offers these tips for small businesses interested in reducing shopping cart abandonment rates.

1. Make Your site secure. eCommerce has been around long enough that customers know to look for such basic security features such as https instead of http before entering credit card information. Rodwell recommends implementing SSL encryption before you even think about accepting credit card payments.
2. Use CVV verification. This additional layer of security will help prevent use of stolen credit card numbers on your site, building up customer confidence and increasing the likelihood of repeat customers.
3. Use industry standards for all credit card payment processing. Security is a must when choosing a company for credit card processing.
4. Advertise your security. Once all of these security measures are in place, make it clear on your website. By placing a security information on all of your product pages, you can give customers the security they need to continue to checkout.
5. Make it easy. Trying to get fancy only confuses customers. If clicking on a button adds it to a cart, the text should simply say, Add to Cart. The checkout option should be easy to find, as well. Keep in mind that some customers are easily distracted and you may lose them in the process of them trying to figure out how to checkout.
6. Keep buttons clickable. While you dont want buttons so large they overwhelm the page, your customers need to be able to figure out where to click. Keep your buttons simple and easy to use and clearly labeled.
7. Simple design is best. Avoid cluttered, overly complicated design that confuses the customer, Rodwell advises. If your customers are treated to photos of everything being purchased at checkout, everything else on your shopping cart pages needs to be minimal. Your header should include your company name and logo, with little else anywhere on the page to detract from the product photos.
8. Dont oversell. As a small business owner, you probably already know most customers dont like an infomercial approach to doing business. Avoid littering every page with flashing arrows and product testimonials and simply highlight a few featured products. Leave your sales tactics to the capable people handling your affiliate sales.
9. Experiment with different aesthetics. Rodwell reminds small businesses that you arent stuck with your initial theme. While leaving your shopping cart security in place, try out a variety of layouts and setups for your site in order to learn what does/doesnt work.
10. Collect feedback. If you want to know why customers are leaving, ask. Set up a prompt as they are leaving, asking them to explain their reasons for not completing the sale. If youre capturing customers e-mail addresses, you may choose instead to send an e-mail asking for feedback. Use these comments to improve your site.

David Rodwell specializes in helping businesses improve their processes through payment processing. More of his articles are available on CreditCardProcessing.nets blog.

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When Dannon decided to spend $3.5 million to air its first Super Bowl commercial, it chose an unconventional way to create it. Instead of engaging Yamp;R, its ad agency of record, it ran a competition through Poptent, a website that hosts a network of 43,000 videographers throughout the world.

The winner would get $10,000 and the chance to have their work seen by the more than 100 million people expected to watch the game Sunday, Feb. 5, between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. Thirty-one video aficionados sent in their clips, ranging from humorous sketches to family bits to serious product testimonials.

Dannon announced the winner on Jan. 19. It turned out to be a couple of brothers, Remy Neymarc, 21, and Andrew, 23, who had previously produced commercials for Poptent that had stood out. This was our first big production, said Remy Neymarc, who took a break from Lewis amp; Clark College in Portland, Ore., to pursue a career in advertising and filmmaking. It was a very challenging brief.

Like Dannon, more big consumer companies are pursuing a new approach to ad creation, tapping the so-called wisdom of the crowds through crowdsourcing, the technique of making an open call for help on a project via the Web. In the advertising business, the use of crowdsourcing is opening doors for new, young talent that may never had had a chance to land jobs the traditional way on Madison Avenue. People like the Neymarc brothers.

Where do most paid search (PPC) campaigns succeed or fail? Though it’s typical for marketers to invest more time and legwork in the mechanics of search (keywords, bid strategy, campaign structure), I’d argue that the majority of PPC campaigns are won or lost at the close: the landing page.

The rewards from making even slight improvements to your PPC landing pages can be dramatic. Improve conversion (click to lead) rates by just a percentage point or two and you can increase lead volume (and slash Cost Per Lead) disproportionately. Here are 7 tips that can make a difference:

1. Include a clear, specific call to action. Not “learn more.” No “For more information …” Make the reward specific and tangible. Information offers (white papers, ebooks, information kits) often work best because they appeal to prospects across a broad segment of the selling cycle.

2. Sell the offer. Once you’ve decided on the right offer, sell it. Remember, it’s not the company you’re selling, or the product, it’s that white paper or video or Webinar the prospect gets when he or she fills out the form. If the offer is a video, show screen shots. If it’s a white paper, include excerpts, Amazon-type page previews, even reader reviews. The more detail, the better.

3. Write a headline that reflects the ad copy. Effective PPC campaigns start with effective, action-oriented ad copy that’s relevant to the search term. They end with an engaging, easy to navigate landing page that’s relevant to the ad copy. The goal is one seamless user experience in which every step validates and rewards the prospect’s information needs. Avoid disconnects by keeping your message consistent.

4. Keep the registration form short, and above the fold. If you have a robust, systematic lead nurturing program in place (of course you do) there’s no need to capture every morsel of information from the prospect at first touch. Every required field you add to your registration form lowers your conversion rate accordingly. Ask for the minimum information possible, and keep the form high on the page where the reader can see it (and act) immediately.

5. Don’t skimp on selling copy. PPC landing pages are different in this respect from say, an email landing page, because the reader barely knows anything yet about your company or the offer. Be sure to include sufficient selling copy to a) adequately sell the offer, b) address any anticipated concerns or objections, and c) help ensure a high quality score by offering what Google calls “relevant and original content” – ie content related to the offer in the ad.

6. Don’t include external links. That means no links back to your home page, and for Pete’s sake no navigation bar. The landing page should have one purpose only, and that’s getting the prospect to fill out a form. (Short anecdote: when a former client insisted on having the logo on their landing page be a live link back to their Website, we were able to show that 15% of PPC visitors were escaping through that logo.)

7. Be cautious with customer logos, award icons, and gushing quotes of praise for your company or product. Testimonials of this type can detract from the primary offer and create the aura of a sales pitch for your company that runs counter to the information of value the reader is searching for. Exceptions to this rule occur when your offer is a demo or free trial, situations in which an extra dose of credibility helps sell the offer.

For more tips on getting more from your PPC campaign, download a free copy of our white paper: “Top 10 B2B Paid Search Mistakes: Why Your Google Campaign Isn’t Working And What To Do About It.”

Inertia is a noun meaning a tendency to do nothing or remain unchanged. Writers, painters and other artists sometimes develop a state of inertia and become artistically blocked. A woman named Learn more about Julia Cameron

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Watch Service>Julia Cameron wrote an entire book, The Artists Way, full of ideas on how to overcome artistic blockages.

However, it seems to me the same kind of thing often happens to sales professionals. So, what should salespeople do when they experience sales prospecting blockages?

Believe it or not, one thing I would suggest is reading and implementing some of the exercises in Julia Camerons book. Although the book is primarily written for artists, many of the techniques she mentions should help with any kind of blockage, or state of inertia, in any area of life.

However, for those of you who prefer a more direct path to solving this problem, try conducting an extensive study of your product and/or service offerings. The next time you find yourself stuck (the equivalent of staring at a blank canvas or sheet of paper), take a break from your staring and stuckness and turn your full attention to the following project.

First, develop what I call a Bullet-Point Fact Sheet on your product. Keep it simple: Turn on your computer, click on the bullet-point-list icon on your word-processing program, set the font to Times New Roman 10-point size and dump everything you know about your product into the document. Go for short headline statements about your product (less than 10 words if possible, definitely no more than one line per statement). It is fine to develop a headline statement followed by a series of supporting sub-bullet points. Once you have exhausted all of your ideas, find out more about your product. Go ask other salespeople, the product developer, people in accounting, people in marketing, current customers and anyone else you can think of asking. Now dump all of the information you learned from others on your fact sheet.

Next, it is cut and paste time. Develop groupings or categories for the bullet points. Here are some examples: product history/evolution, important dates, buyer profile characteristics, features, benefits, product delivery options, competitive offerings, competitive offering weaknesses, competitive offering strengths, customer likes, customer dislikes, common customer objections, product uses, how product saves time, how product saves money, how product makes things easier, product testimonials and so forth and so on. Paper is cheap, so make the fact sheet as long as you can. Think of this as a living document that will constantly be revised as you think of new things.

Next there is no next. This is one of those the process is more important than the outcome strategies. Odds are, at some point in the process of putting together your fact sheet, you will start thinking of all kind of things you can do or say to get something going with your prospects. You will no longer be in the state of sales inertia. Try it!

Learn more about Chris Crouch

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Watch Service>Chris Crouch is CEO of DME Training and Consulting and author of several books on improving productivity. Contact him through www.dmetraining.com.

The synthetic walkway, installed over the past week, is an experimental attempt at making the pedestrian crosswalk there more visible to motorists – who are legally required to stop when pedestrians are crossing or about to cross.

The application marks the Borough Councils follow-up to a suggestion brought forward earlier by Erica Pulford, at the time a Glen Rock High School senior who was one of two student representatives on the council prior to her graduation last June.

At a past council work session, Pulford recounted friends experiences of near-accidents when drivers disregarded the designated crossings where they were walking. She asked the council if anything could be done to further illuminate the pedestrian walkways, especially at night.

Pulfords observations have been repeatedly mentioned by councilman and public safety division chair Michael OHagan – along with other acts of careless driving and breaches of local ordinances by motorists – from the standpoint of driver courtesy.

According to Councilwoman Mary Jane Surrago, the idea for the brighter crosswalk material came from Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Bob Tirserio, who contacted Flint Trading Inc., a Thomasville, Ga.-based manufacturer and installer of specialized roadway and walkway surfaces.

Flint agreed to install the yellow, thermoplastic surface at the Hamilton location free of charge to the borough, provided Tirserio is willing to provide future product testimonials for the companys marketing effort.

The basic yellow street covering was put down on Wednesday, Nov. 9, and the white striping was to be affixed earlier this week, Surrago said.

According to Flints website, the surface is a durable pre-formed thermoplastic pavement marking material used primarily for streetscape and traffic calming purposes on public roads and private properties – providing a cost-effective alternative to the use of brick and stone pavers because the material is surface applied and virtually maintenance free.

It said the surfaces are designed to improve traffic safety, especially at intersections and multi-use paths; enhance visibility for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians; promote and/or revitalize community image and pride, and create attractive walkways in pedestrian and parking areas.

Going forward, officials will evaluate the effectiveness and long-term durability of the surface.

We will be watching it over the next year or so, to see how it holds up to snow, salt, plowing, etc., Surrago said. This could be something the council will consider for expanded application, Surrago said, depending upon results.

We want to thank Erica Pulford for bringing this situation to our attention, and also to let (residents) know that we are trying to come up with a creative solution, she said. Well see how this works out over the next year.

E-mail: desanta@northjersey.com

(PRWEB) September 16, 2011

Located in North Salt Lake, Utah, Wine Racks America is a full-service manufacturer of American-made wine racks. Wine Racks America covers the entire wine cellar process, from concept to rack installation. In conjunction with online chat, toll free sales and support is available from the early morning to as late as 11pm EST, even on the weekends. Although the site specializes in the design of wine cellars and the manufacturing of wine racks, it also offers a selection of accessories, such as wine bottle tags and thermometers/hygrometers to measure temperature and humidity.

In addition to the type and shape of an optional cellar door, deciding on a wine cellar involves choosing a racking style and a wood type, which may be either pine (unfinished, stained, or ponderosa) or redwood (unfinished, stained, or premium). Spanning a range of spatial and aesthetic needs, there are numerous racking styles to choose from, including commercial aisle display kits, baker style kits, diamond bins, and waterfall kits.

Wine Racks America also features other fine wine display products. This is the case for the patented metal racking catalog that offers a contemporary style that can accent more traditional wooden wine racks. The vertical and horizontal wine cabinets which come in three styles, with three possible stains, have an outsourced cooling system in place.

An attractive feature of the website is the user friendly self-educating resources, including a bottle size chart, wine storage and serving tips, along with other helpful wine links. The article on wine storage tips covers nearly a dozen factors, including light, vibration, air flow, cellar size, and temperature. The most useful of these resources is the custom wine cellar design guide that covers the following: an informative overview that distinguishes between passive and active wine cellars, an examination of a cellar’s structural components, sample designs, clients and photos, as well as the question of a cooling system and how it determines the racking. All of this information helps the user fill in a detailed questionnaire for a free quote and professional set of AutoCAD drawings received in 2-3 business days. The website also houses a digital library of all the assembly guides in PDF format.

The high quality of all the images on the site is a welcome distinction in today’s online shopping. Never is there a moment of pixilated, blurry images or slow loading times. The user will appreciate the photo gallery and professionally photographed product images, including the extreme close ups of the textures on the wooden wine racks.

The site’s interface simplifies and highlights all the important decisions of choosing the right wine cellar design. Each design has tabs that help the user evaluate the product in areas like product specs, features, available trim kits (ie crown and floor molding), stain options, and which bottles will fit.

Products are backed by a lifetime warranty and a money-back guarantee, in addition to guaranteed shipping dates. The product testimonials are noteworthy, with some customers installing everything in under 30 minutes, while others find excitement in the ability to transform a coat closet into a custom wine cellar.

For further information regarding wine cellar design, please visit MyReviewsNow Shopping.

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PORTAGE, Mich., May 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Is your dad a do-it-yourself kind of dad? A mechanic-in-the-making? Does he love the outdoors, and is he looking to save money? The LiquiVac Oil Change System is a functional and unique gift for dads knee-deep in grass clippings. Its an innovative product that sucks oil out of lawn mowers for a quick, clean, economical, and eco-friendly oil change.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110523/DE06444)

Most lawn mower manufacturers recommend changing a mowers oil every 25 to 50 hours, depending on the amount of debris in the environment, says Barry Kearns, inventor of the LiquiVac. The LiquiVac accomplishes this effortlessly and economically, as the average cost of an oil change is between 10 and 20 dollars and involves transporting lawn mowers to and from maintenance shops. Its a quick, clean, and convenient DIY project for just about any dad.

The LiquiVac efficiently extracts oil in most small 4-cycle engines within seconds, including lawn mowers, tillers, generators, as well as ATVs, boats, jet-skis and more. It creates a powerful vacuum that draws oil from an engine and into a plastic holding tank — in an easy, convenient, 4-step process. To extract the oil, simply 1) close the caps valve; 2) insert the extraction hose through the engine dipstick tube; 3) pump the handle 20 times to create a vacuum within the tank; and 4) open the caps valve. The oil is then extracted directly into a durable holding tank, which can be easily transported to an oil collection center, where recycled oil can be reprocessed for use in furnaces and power plants, or re-refined into lubricating base oils for use in formulating engine oils.

LiquiVac also just recently launched a new resource website (www.liquivac.com) for users, which includes how-to demonstration videos, actual LiquiVac user videos, an application to locate oil recycling facilities and retailers, and multiple product testimonials. All LiquiVac Oil Change System products are Made in the USA. and are available at Lowes, Home Depot, the Tractor Supply Co., Northern Tool + Equipment, and Do It Best. The product is also available online at www.liquivac.com.

Product Information: LiquiVac Oil Changing System Small Engine Model/MSRP $34.99; Large Engine/Project Model/MSRP $49.99.

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Red light treatment is a hit here at Truth in Aging, helping decrease wrinkles and age spots but there is also a blue light treatment that has been in the shadows for some time. Blue light has been widely reported to help when it comes to acne, here is how it works.

Light therapy has been used in plants for years but researchers began to realize that it worked wonders on the skin. It was found to encourage cellular metabolism, accelerate the repair and replenishment of damaged cells, and aid in the production of collagen. Light therapy took off in the 1980′s and is still widely used today, having shown strong efficacy for the treatment of inflammatory acne, rosacea, wrinkles, sun damage, and uneven skin tone.

When it comes to the treatment itself, blue light is the same as red in that it is non-invasive, drug free, painless, and you can essentially do it on your own.

It helps fight acne due to blue light wavelengths that penetrate the skin and produce singlet oxygen which can destroy acne-causing bacteria. Once the blue light treatment is delivered, this light energy is absorbed by the targeted bacteria that produce the inflammation associated with acne known as propionibacterium acnes, or P. acnes. P. acnes releases porphyrins, which are naturally occurring molecules in the body. When porphyrins absorb certain wavelengths of light, free radical damage is produced which destroys the bacteria. Without P. acnes around to cause inflammation, acne is reduced. This isn’t just snake oil, the FDA approved narrow-band, high intensity blue light for treating acne.

It sounds great but you must be wondering if there’s any proof aside from product testimonials. Well, there have been several studies that back it up.

The Dermatology Times reported in 2006 about the benefits of using blue light to fight acne. A study had males and females older than 16 years of age who had at least 20 noninflammatory lesions and at least 20 inflammatory lesions. The subjects received either vehicle treatment or ALA (a medication that increases sensitivity to light) and were subjected to blue light treatments for 15, 60, or 120 minutes. A total of six different groups were created due to these variables. The results after 8 weeks showed that for moderate acne, blue light given for about 15 minutes could help reduce acne. The topical pretreatment was photoactivated by the blue light which was believed to help treat the acne. According to Diane S. Berson, M.D, “Photodynamic therapy is a potentially exciting new treatment option for acne, and we can expect that future studies may evaluate other light sources.

However, studies have also shown that light therapy on its own can be effective.

In another study in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Otavio Roberti Macedo, M.D conducted a study with 33 patients (25 women/8 men, ages 16-35) who had inflammatory acne with no prior treatment.  Seventy percent of the patients had mild acne, which was defined as microdones and small papules, and 30 percent had moderate acne.

All patients underwent eight 20-minute sessions with blue-light phototherapy, which were done twice weekly for four weeks.

After the blue light phototherapy, researchers determined that eight patients had good results, 22 had regular results, and three had bad results. While those who had regular results improved with the phototherapy, they still had lesions that required treatment after eight sessions of phototherapy.

Skin lesions were down 50 percent after three weeks and 60 percent after five. A very substantial amount given the small time frame and invasive form of treatment.

Macedo says I was surprised because it is a therapy without oral medications with good results.” He also noted that it could be used as an alternative for people with moderate acne.

Both of these studies show positive results when it comes to using blue light to fight moderate acne. By using it in conjunction with classic acne treatments such as retinoic acid, benzoyl peroxide, tazarotene and salicylic acid, individuals may be able to see better results under the guidance of a dermatologist.

Unfortunately, results didn’t seem to change when it came to fighting bad acne. But one can’t deny the promise that this type of treatment on its own seems to hold. Traditional serums and acids can irritate skin and leave it dry and blistered so it’s good to see a more natural way to fight acne on the market. Blue light has also been shown to improve mood. As Marta noted previously, her red light treatment helped improve her mood a bit. In a study, blue light seemed to stimulate and strengthen connections between areas of the brain involved in processing emotion and language which could help improve mood in the long run.

The final verdict is that blue light is a potential way to fight mild to moderate acne with no adverse side effects but results do vary from person to person. Also, they don’t happen after one treatment, these take several sessions to see results, normally lasting 15-20 minutes each. If you are interested in buying a model for home use, the potential benefits are definitely there. However, if you have severe acne, consider meeting with a dermatologist before buying a blue light at home system.

Baby Blue, the blue light device by Baby Quasar is now on sale in the TIA shop at $349.

Related posts:

1. Go Clear 3 Step Acne and Blemish Regimen- reader reviewed
2. Osmotics Blue Copper 5 Molecular Repair Treatment- reviewed and recommended
3. Acne treatments from plants

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DTC also recognized that theres a huge and largely unaddressed market of women doing manual labor, farming and fix-it work, hence their line of womens clothes and a dedicated area on their website called Real Women featuring a test panel, true stories and product testimonials. Theyve refused to use photographs of female models and instead use only actual working women who use Duluths stuff.

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