American International Industries: The One-Stop Beauty Shop

OTC Beauty Magazine - February 2008

It's difficult to find a need or trend in the beauty industry that American International Industries doesn't meet. American International is parent company to more than 30 brands, from the eyelash and depilatory brand Andrea to the nail polish brand China Glaze. This company was started in the 1970s when American International's president and CEO, Zvi Ryzman, began selling human-hair eyelashes and then moved on to acrylic nails. The products were so successful, Ryzman decided to acquire more brands and create a company from which beauty retailers could buy all the products they needed.

Today, if you need it, we have it, said Ryzman. Most companies are either nail, or spa, or hair, but we have something for every niche in the industry. And those niche products are specialized, yet affordable. We bring the science of professional items to OTC products, said Art Davis, regional sales manager. A lot of salons are not product distributors, and part of what makes our brands so popular is that we provide products that are an economical way to get professional results that might cost a consumer a lot more in a salon.

American International's philosophy and growth has made the company a dominate force in several markets and expanded distribution from their headquarters in Los Angeles to include more than 100 countries. Ryzman, Davis, and Anne Moratto, director of public relations, recently offered insights to OTC Beauty Magazine on some of the company's most popular OTC brands, and they shared advice to help OTC retailers keep them moving.

Clubman

One of the first brands American International acquired almost 30 years ago was Clubman, a brand that mostly caters to the hair care and skin care needs of men. Clubman includes grooming products for shaving needs, facial hair care, shampoos, conditioners, treatments and styling products, and colognes. The Clubman brand has traditionally been used in neighborhood barber shops, attracting loyal customers. Currently, the Clubman brand includes the hair care lines of Pinaud and Jeris.

Considered a long-time favorite by consumers, Davis said, Clubman Talc is a terrific seller, along with Jeris Hair Tonic. Clubman Talc smoothes skin by relieving itchiness, dryness, and by absorbing excess moisture. What makes the talc so popular is its finely milled quality that gives such a fine dusting, said Moratto. Most talcs today are cheaply made and they clump, but not ours. The powder is available in a variety of skin-tone colors and formulas including one for a close shave and one to use after bathing.

Jeris Hair Tonic is formulated for consumers in the multicultural market and keeps hair in place while providing a healthy-looking sheen. Jeris has a light, unoffending scent and a simple, classic formula, said Moratto. The product also prevents hair and scalp dryness and is available in formulas with or without oil.

GiGi

Moving from hair treatment to hair removal, American International acquired the GiGi brand of waxing products. GiGi has products for pre- and post-waxing needs, as well as soft and hard waxes and waxing accessories. The GiGi formula was developed on the concepts of American and European waxing techniques and today is recognized as the No. 1 selling wax in the world, said Moratto. In addition to having waxes for hair removal, GiGi has paraffin waxes for skin care.

The most popular buyers of GiGi products are estheticians, but retail consumer also buy them because they can get professional products without the professional price, said Davis. Most GiGi buyer: are loyal to their brand, said Moratto. If a consumer is a GiGi user, then they probably have been using the brand from the beginning of their career and see no reason to change.

GiGi's most frequently top-selling item is their Honee Wax All Purpose Honee which is an all-natural wax that utilizes the vitamins and minerals found in honey. The product's versatility, in that it can be used on all types of skin, from delicate to less sensitive areas, contributes to its popularity.

But waxes aren't all that GiGi does. The brand recently unveiled two innovative products for the bikini area: a haircolor product called Colour Down Under and a decorative product called Beekini Shapers. This move is reflective of American International's long-time goal to be aware of needs, issues, and trends in the beauty market, and offer products to meet them, added Davis.

SuperNail

SuperNail established American International's dominance in the world of nail care and started with acrylic nails. SuperNail products include everything that is needed by professional nail technicians, from sculptured nails and nail tip kits to glues brushes, tools, and accessories.

In the 1970s, on the cusp of the acrylic nail trend, American International developed this nail brand. Unlike many of their competitors who reached out to the retail customers, we marketed acrylic nails to the professionals, said Ryzman. This strategy was highly successful for the company and for OTC retailers. To increase sales, when acrylics really took off, we started adding other nail-related products - such as emery boards - by labeling them as special items to be used with acrylics, said Ryzman. Davis said, American International is one of the leaders in the nail industry today because SuperNail is such an easy-to-use system, and the company offers so many other brands and products related to nail care, like China Glaze polishes and 5 Second nail cosmetics.

ProLinc: AII's Newest Brand for OTCs

American International recently acquired the ProLinc brand, which is a leader in the development of skin, nail, and body care products. Women who wear heels will find many of the ProLinc products useful in eliminating calluses and other issues relating to dry skin. The brand features extensively researched and tested, professional quality formulations for treatment of cuticles, heels, elbows, knees, and any area of the body that is afflicted with severely dry skin.

Good Press, Good Sales

The ingenuity and marketing savvy American International has channeled with these brands is still prevalent today. Part of what makes American International's brands and products so popular is that our products are well-tested, professional quality, and extremely effective, said Ryzman. Those qualities are often recognized in the press and can be a sale-inducing asset to retailers.

We grow our brands, build our business, and increase awareness of our products through strong, consistent publicity and advertising, said Ryzman. American International frequently advertises its brands and products in well-known magazines so consumers are more likely to recognize the products from the advertisements or search them out to try. Also, customers seeing our products featured in a magazine like, O, the Oprah Magazine can be very impactful, said Ryzman. When OTC retailers see these product mentions, they could make copies to put at the register or create standees to greet people entering the store; we think that is a great help in marketing our products.

Educating Retailers

American International recognizes the importance of educating retailers about their products and provides many resources to OTC retailers. We have an extensive budget that goes toward product education, said Davis. GiGi has an instructional manual and DVD, and the SuperNail catalogue includes a great deal of information on the products, said Moratto. In addition, several of American International's brands, including Clubman, have their own websites which contain educational information about the brand and its products.

The Future of American International

American International Industries is a well-established company with a proven record for success and a modern outlook on the needs of the beauty industry. We want to keep increasing the range of our products, so look for more to come, said Ryzman. Specifically, we are developing natural and organic offerings in our existing brands, said Moratto.

Beauty is a terrific business, said Davis. Even when the rest of the economy is suffering, beauty does well. If the past is any indication of the future, and American International continues to expand the breadth of its beauty offerings, the company will stay as strong as the brands it has acquired and developed.