The latest in the alphabet craze - 'EE' cream makes its way to Europe

The ‘alphabet’ trend helped more than just skin care manufacturers; boosting cosmetic packagers as well and becoming a worldwide phenomenon as they blurred the boundaries of conventional skin care products and provided consumers with multi-functional benefits.

After taking stock of the opportunities this segment offers, Estée Lauder has created an ‘Enlighten Even Effect Skintone Corrector’ SPF 30 cream.

The launch is part of the brand's Enlighten Skintone Correcting collection, a regimen the company says promises naturally glowing, even-toned skin.

The cream, available in three shades and priced at £34 is described as the first line of defence against daytime damage, featuring Baicalin, a high purity, high potency extract of Scutellaria baicalensis, which helps minimise the visible effects of irritation from pollution.

According to Estée, based on new insight into the cycle of pigmentation, the formulas are designed to break the cycle of daily assaults and irritation which leads to hyperpigmentation and dark spots.

The smooth, fluid cream also includes colour correcting pigments that create a more uniform tone and a blend of fine optics that add instant radiance.

The alphabet craze - lucrative but be careful not to overuse the term!​

With product convergence continuing to accelerate, consumers now expect their skin care to combine almost all the benefits of a serum, moisturizer, base cream, foundation and sun block.

And while consumers are the ones driving innovation for more advanced formulations in the category, Euromonitor's Irina Barbalova, Global Head of beauty and Personal Care research says the industry needs to take note of the overuse of multi-functionality and alphabet labeling.

She tells Cosmetics Design that this can lead to the dilution of the original concept of the products, and as a result causes more consumer confusion.

"BB creams are being used by a lot of brands to signify multi-functionality, while others are using it to tap into the media buzz around the product. ​The overuse of which could really lead to diluting the original benefits of products and what they stand for," ​she says.