Herbalife launches cosmeceutical skincare range in 23 countries

As an established manufacturer and supplier of nutritional supplements, the company says it has relied upon its expertise in vitamins and botanicals to develop the skin care line using the same ingredients that are already known to benefit the body, to protect the skin.

The US-based company claims that an important fusion can be achieved when vitamins taken both internally and externally converge, providing the body with both Inner and Outer Nutrition. This is a claim that has been widely used with regards cosmeceutical products in recent years, but one that has also been backed up by scientific studies.

Currently the growth of the cosmeceuticals category has proved to be one of the strongest in the industry. Although still relatively small, the value of the segment is estimated to be $5 billion by 2007 - against a global cosmetics and personal care industry that is currently valued at $230 billion.

The 23 countries where NouriFusion is initially being launched include the US and Canada, all the major western European countries, as well as South Africa and Hong Kong.

This new line will replace the company's Dermajectics Nature's Mirror line. Each of the 12 products contains levels of Vitamins A, C and E which are claimed to have positive effects on the skin as antioxidants and as moisture protectants. Individual products contain botanicals including avocado, cucumber oil, sunflower seed oil, berry seeds and sweet almond oil, for additional therapeutic benefits.

Vitamins A, C and E have long been known to have skin rejuvinating properties. Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant that helps skin renewal, while helping to maintain moisture content as well as skin growth and cell division. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin E is known to help protect the skin's moisture barrier, smooth the skin and promote the well-being of the skin by helping to reduce inflammation and promote healing.

Since skin condition often changes due to environment, the company says that it has formulated the NouriFusion line with six 'All Skin Type' products in addition to a cleanser, toner and moisturizer with SPF 15 with UVA and UVB protection for Normal to Dry or Normal to Oily skin.

The line includes a moisture mask with a mousse texture, a clarifying cream, an exfoliating scrub with strawberry and raspberry seeds skin, eye cream, an eye gel aimed at reducing the appearance of puffiness and dark circles and a night cream.

Herbalife's​ move into the cosmetics field is part of the plan to make up ground after a poor financial performance in 2004. Expenses relating to recaptialization meant that the direct sales company recorded losses of $14.3 million for the year.

At the time the company said its recapitalization had significantly reduced its debt level, allowing it to extend beyond the supplement market, into both the personal care and energy drink categories.