Spoilt for choice

In the race to be the women's luxury brand of choice, cosmetics companies are outdoing themselves in every aspect, from exclusive ingredients to unparalled customer service. It's no longer enough to offer extracts from the depths of a distant rainforest, or a one-of-a-kind facial treatment designed to replicate the effects of plastic surgery.

"Nowadays, customers are looking for the whole package, not just high-end products made with luxury ingredients, but impeccable service, one-on-one consultations, head-to-toe pampering and speciality VIP treatments," says Anita Yuen, director of beauty for Harvey Nichols, which sells high-end brands including Dior, Guerlain and Valmont. "Customers are getting spoiled."

As consumers become more demanding, brands are responding in kind. "A number of market studies have shown that women of today expect more attributes from their skincare and are willing to invest more in the future of their skin," says Jennie Ma, marketing manager for Clé de Peau Beauté. "We foresee a continuing increase in demand for superpremium skincare products from increasingly demanding and well-informed consumers."

Clé de Peau Beauté's premium line is Synactif, launched in early 2010 to target the health of the skin's lymphatic function. It is sold in a limited-edition box set for HK$3,500.

Estée Lauder can perhaps lay claim to creating the first luxury skincare product, says brand general manager Lisa Chow. "Re-Nutriv launched in 1938, and at the time it was selling at US$113. To give you a benchmark, most of the skincare products in the 1930s sold in the median price range of about US$10," she says.