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CATEGORY IN S IG H T S
Women benefit from innovations in feminine care
N EW YORK — T h o u g h sa le s
in th e fem inine h ygiene c a te g o ­
ry as a w h o le are declining d u e
to a n ag in g population, th e re is
g re a te r a w a re n e ss a n d a g ro w ­
in g d e m a n d for tru e p ro d u ct in­
n o v atio n , ac co rd in g to D aniela
M asaro, b ra n d m a rk e tin g m a n ­
a g e r for D iva In tern atio n al Inc.,
w h ic h h a s h e lp e d a n s w e r th is
n e e d for p r o d u c t in n o v a tio n ,
M a s a ro n o te s , w ith its r e v o ­
lu tio n a ry m e n s tr u a l cu p , T h e
DivaCup.
M asaro b eliev e s th e c a te g o ry
is o v e rd u e for c h a n g e a n d in ­
n o v atio n . “M ore co n v e rsatio n s
a b o u t m e n s tru a tio n a n d w o m ­
e n 's h e a lth are occurring, ” sh e
say s, ad d in g th a t m ore w o m en
a re b e c o m in g e d u c a te d a b o u t
a lte rn a tiv e s to tra d itio n a l m e n ­
s tru a l c a re a n d a re looking for
T h e D ivaC up a t th e ir local r e ­
tailer. “C o n s u m e rs a re n o lo n ­
g e r s e ttlin g for p ro d u c ts th e y
h a v e lo n g b e e n d is a p p o in te d
w ith ; th e y w ill s e e k o u t a b e tte r
p ro d u c t w h e re th e y c a n find it.
T his offers re ta ile rs a h u g e o p ­
p o rtu n ity to in c re ase th e ir sales
a n d p r o fits b y c a rry in g T h e
D ivaC up in sto res. ”
T o ta l U.S. d r u g s a le s in th e
fem inine n e e d s ca te g o ry for th e
1 2 -w eek p erio d e n d e d J a n u a ry
22 to p p e d $72.4 million, accord­
in g to IRI, th o u g h th a t reflects a
n e a rly 2% d ro p in sa le s from a
y e a r ago. H ow ever, sa les of T he
D iv aC u p , M a sa ro p o in ts o u t,
are u p a n d “g ro w in g a t d o u b le­
d ig it ra te s ," w h ic h is c o n trib ­
u tin g re a l g r o w th to th e c a t­
egory. “F or reta ile rs, th e b ra n d
g e n e r a te s h ig h e r sa le s dollars
a n d h ig h e r profit m a rg in s th a n
tr a d itio n a l fe m in in e h y g ie n e
p ro d u c ts ," M a saro say s. “T he
D iv aC u p also d e liv e rs h ig h e r
dollar s p e n d from ea ch co n su m ­
er, c a p tu r in g a n e n tire y e a r ’s
w o rth of s p e n d from e a c h c u s ­
tom er. T h e se reta ile rs also g e n ­
e r a te h ig h e r s a le s a n d h ig h e r
profits for th e ir b u sin e ss. ”
P ro d u c ts in th e c a te g o ry a d ­
d r e s s th e n e e d s of e v e ry a g e
g ro u p , from girls re a c h in g p u ­
b e r ty to a g ro w in g b a s e of a g ­
in g b a b y b o o m e rs in s e a r c h
of in c o n tin e n c e p ro d u c ts. T he
c a te g o ry also c o m p rise s p a d s
a n d briefs, douch es, w ip es, an d
v a g in a l tr e a tm e n ts , in c lu d in g
an ti-itch prod u cts.
A s w ith m a n y o th e r c a te g o ­
rie s, M a sa ro s e e s a g ro w in g
tre n d to b u y p ro d u c ts th a t con­
s u m e rs b e lie v e w ill n o t h a v e
a d e tr im e n ta l e ffe c t o n th e ir
h e a lth or t h a t of th e p la n e t.
“W o m en a re lo o k in g first a n d
f o re m o s t for le a k a g e p r o te c ­
tio n a s w e ll a s p r o d u c ts th a t
a re b e tte r for th e ir b o d ie s a n d
t h e e n v iro n m e n t, w h ile a lso
m e e tin g th e d e m a n d s of th e ir
b u sy lifestyles," sh e says. “Diva
I n te r n a tio n a l Inc. h a s h e lp e d
a n s w e r th e s e n e e d s w ith T he
D ivaC up.”
M ore fe m a le c o n s u m e rs, e s ­
pecially y o u n g e r o n es, a re also
m o v in g to w a r d m o re n a tu ra l
F E M IN IN E H Y G IE N E
p r o d u c ts for th e ir p e rio d , a c ­
c o rd in g to P ao la S tev an , m a r­
k e tin g m a n a g e r of h y g ie n ic
b ra n d s for C orm an SpA.
O rganic co tto n or 100% n a tu ­
ral p a d s a n d ta m p o n s a re ideal
r e p la c e m e n t for c o n v e n tio n a l
p r o d u c t, S te v a n s a y s , a d d ­
ing, “W om en h a v e a v ery clear
id e a a b o u t w h a t is g o o d for
th e m a n d for th e ir h e a lth a n d
a re m o re c ritic a l a b o u t p r o d ­
u c t offering. If th e y do n o t find
th e rig h t p ro d u c ts, th e y m ig h t
c h a n g e s to r e s or look fo r it
online."
T he fem inine h y g ie n e m a rk e t
is sta b le , ac co rd in g to S tev an ,
b u t th e s e g m e n t of th e 100%
c o tto n fe m in in e p r o d u c ts in ­
c re a s e d 20% c o m p a re d to la s t
year. “T h is tr e n d is really a p ­
p ealing, a n d m o re re ta ile rs are
s h o w in g in te r e s t in th is n e w
m a rk e t s e g m e n t," S tev an says.
“T h a t c a n really h elp th e m in
g ro w in g ca te g o ry sa les, a t th e
sam e tim e satisfying a n in creas­
in g d e m a n d for m o re n a tu ra l
p ro d u cts. ”
In te rm s of th e en v iro n m en t,
th e u s e of c o tto n in s a n ita ry
p r o d u c ts is a w a y to re d u c e
n e g a tiv e im p a c t, a s c o tto n
is n a tu r a lly a b io d e g ra d a b le
m a te ria l, a m o re s u s ta in a b le
choice, S tev an n o te s. C o tto n is
also h ig h ly a b s o rb e n t, b r e a th ­
a b le a n d h y p o allerg en ic. “For
all th o s e w o m en w ith sen sitiv e
skin, th e c o tto n p r o d u c ts b e ­
com e a g r e a t a n d v a lu a b le a l­
te rn a tiv e . Finally, th e y are m ore
affordable an d available in m ore
sto re s a n d online," S tev an says.
T his tie s in w ith m o re N o rth
A m erican w o m en se ek in g m ore
inform ation a b o u t com p o sitio n
of p ro d u c ts a n d looking for d e ­
tails online a n d on social m edia.
M ore w o m en in N o rth A m erica
h a v e s t a r t e d b u y in g o rg a n ic
food a s a h e a lth ie r ch o ice for
th e m a n d for th e ir family, a n d
t h a t c a rrie s o v e r to fe m in in e
h y g ie n e p ro d u cts, acco rd in g to
S tevan. “T hey are really a w a re
H P V re s e a rc h ra is e s q u e s tio n s a b o u t d o u c h in g
NEW YORK —• H u m an p a p il­
lom avirus, or HPV, is a gro u p of
m ore th a n 150 re la te d v iru se s
th a t in w o m en can lead to cervi­
cal, vaginal a n d vulvar HPV can ­
cers, ac co rd in g to th e C e n te rs
for D isease C ontrol a n d P rev en ­
tion (CDC). O ther p o te n tia l ca n ­
cers from HPV infection — m en
are vulnerable as w ell — include
m o u th /th ro at a n d anu s/rectu m .
HPV is tr a n s m itte d th ro u g h
in tim a te sk in -to -sk in c o n ta c t.
O ne c a n a c q u ire HPV b y h a v ­
ing vaginal, anal or oral sex w ith
s o m e o n e w h o h a s th e v iru s.
HPV is m o st com m only sp re a d
d u rin g v ag in al or a n a l sex, a c ­
cording to CDC. T he p re v a le n t
virus ca n b e p a s s e d along ev en
w h e n an infected p erso n h a s no
sig n s or sy m p to m s, a n d o fte n
th o s e sy m p to m s dev elo p y ea rs
of d o in g so m e th in g h e a lth ie r,
ta k in g ca re of th e m se lv e s w ith
a w h o le ‘m o re o r g a n ic ’ a p ­
p ro a c h to life a n d p u rc h a s in g
h a b its ,” S tev a n say s. “T h e u s e
of m o re n a tu ra l co sm etic p ro d ­
u c ts a n d a n ac tiv e life sty le —
w o rk in g o u t, ru n n in g , y o g a —
h a s a n a tu ra l evolution w ith th e
p u rc h a se of m o re-n atu ra l fem i­
n in e h y g ie n e p ro d u c ts , m a d e
w ith c o tto n ."
A lso a d d re ssin g th is g ro w in g
n e e d a n d d em an d is U b y K otex
w ith its tw o n e w p ro d u cts, S e­
curity U ltra T hin P ad s Long a n d
S ecu rity U ltra T h in O v ern ig h t
P a d s. A cc o rd in g to K im berly-
Clark, th e m a n u fa c tu re r of th e
f e m in in e c a r e b r a n d , t h e s e
tw o p r o d u c ts e x p a n d its line
of “u n iq u e , colorful a n d b old"
p ro d u cts to fit w o m e n 's “p erio d
n ee d s."
T h e su p e r-s lim U b y K o tex
S ecu rity U ltra T h in P a d s L ong
fe a tu re m o re le n g th for h e a v y
flow, a s w ell a s a 3D C a p tu re
Core to quickly d ra w in a n d lock
a w a y w e tn e ss, according to th e
com pany. T h e p a d s also sp o rt a
u n iq u e w in g sh a p e for a secu re
fit, a n d a co tto n y soft-touch cov­
e r e n h a n c e s breathability.
D escribed a s th e b ra n d ’s m o st
a b s o rb e n t p a d y et, U b y K otex
S ecu rity U ltra T h in O v e rn ig h t
P a d s h a v e a n e x tra -a b s o rb e n t
zo n e in th e b a c k to h e lp sto p
le a k s alo n g w ith th e u n iq u e ly
s h a p e d w in g s t h a t k e e p th e
p a d s e c u re ly in p la c e d u rin g
sleep.
“T h e U b y K otex b ra n d co n ­
tin u e s to in n o v a te its p ro d u c ts
w ith w o m e n ’s n e e d s in m in d so
th e y c a n b e th e b e s t v ersio n of
th e m se lv es, w h e th e r th e y h av e
th e ir p eriod or not, ’’ s ta te s L au­
r e n K ren, b r a n d m a n a g e r for
U b y K otex a t K im berly-C lark.
“T he in tro d u ctio n of th e s e n e w
p ro d u c ts is ju s t a n o th e r o p p o r­
tu n ity to p ositively a d v a n ce th e
w a y w o m e n th in k a b o u t a n d
ex p erien ce fem inine c a re .”
F irst Q uality C o n su m er Prod-
after infection, m aking it h ard to
k now w h e n infection occurred.
B ut th e re 's a n o th e r p o te n tia l
m e th o d of co n tra ctin g HPV, a c ­
cording to a stu d y from th e Uni­
v e rsity of T exas MD A n d erso n
C an cer C enter, w h ich looked a t
th e relationship b e tw e e n d ouch­
in g a n d HPV in 1,271 w o m e n
a g e s 20 to 49, w h o p articip a ted
in th e u n iv e rsity 's n a tio n w id e
survey. R esearch ers conducting
th e stu d y d eterm in ed th a t v ag i­
n al d o u ch in g c a n in c re a se th e
risk of HPV.
T h e s tu d y ’s fin d in g co uld b e
s ig n ific a n t, a s a n e s tim a te d
20% to 40% of A m erican w o m ­
e n b e t w e e n a g e s 15 a n d 44
sa y th e y u s e a v ag in al douche.
H ig h er r a te s are s e e n in te e n s
a n d A frican-A m erican a n d H is­
p an ic w o m en . B esid es m ak in g
Chain Drug Review/February 27, 2017
u c ts LLC is also cap italizin g on
th e tr e n d to w a rd m o re n a tu ra l
a n d le ss d e trim e n ta l p ro d u c ts
in th e fe m in in e h y g ie n e c a t ­
eg o ry w ith th e co m p an y ’s first
n atio n al ca m p a ig n for its Dri-Fit
in g red ien t bran d .
Dri-Fit te c h n o lo g y is u s e d in
F irst Q u a lity ’s P rev ail in c o n ti­
n e n c e , s to r e - b r a n d fe m in in e
c a re a n d in c o n tin e n c e p r o d ­
u cts; it is d e s ig n e d to p ro m o te
sk in h e a lth b y m a n a g in g th e
c o n s u m e r ’s m ic ro clim ate , th e
sm all lay er of air b e tw e e n skin
a n d clothing.
T h em ed “F eel M ore N atu ra l,”
th e c a m p a ig n aim s to e d u c a te
c o n s u m e rs a b o u t th e b le n d of
n a tu r a l a n d s y n th e tic fib e rs
fo u n d in p ro d u c ts w ith th e Dri-
F it logo, a s w e ll a s in c re a s e
k n o w le d g e a b o u t m a n a g in g
th e ir m icroclim ate to help k eep
th e ir skin m ore dry, com fortable
a n d healthy.
Dri-Fit's n e w M adeW ithDriFit.
com w e b s ite p ro v id e s in sig h t
in to th e scien c e b e h in d Dri-Fit,
w ith a d e ta ile d illu stratio n a n d
in stru c tio n a l video of Dri-Fit in ­
no v atio n s p lu s sta tistic s re la te d
to Dri-Fit perform ance.
M e a n w h ile , th e b r a n d 's a d ­
v e r ti s in g c a m p a ig n ta k e s a
“re a l p e o p le " a p p ro a c h , h ig h ­
lig h tin g th a t w h e th e r it’s a first
p erio d , first ch ild or first in ci­
d e n t of in c o n tin e n c e , th e big-
th e m se lv es feel fresher, w o m en
sa y th e y d o u c h e to g e t rid of
u n p le a s a n t odors, w a s h a w a y
m e n stru al blood a fter th eir p eri­
od, avoid g ettin g sexually tra n s ­
m itte d d is e a s e s a n d p re v e n t a
p reg n an cy after intercourse.
D o u ch in g h a s a lso b e e n a s ­
so c ia te d w ith in c re a se d risk of
y e a s t in fe c tio n s, a s d o in g so
m ig h t p u s h th e b a c te ria c a u s ­
in g th e in fectio n to o th e r a re a s
s u c h a s th e u te r u s , fa llo p ia n
tu b e s a n d ovaries.
B u t w h ile d o u c h in g h a s im ­
m e d ia te p o s itiv e a f f e c ts for
th e m any w o m en w h o u se
a d o u c h e , th e U n iv e r s ity of
T ex as stu d y , p u b lis h e d in th e
Journal of Infectious Diseases,
fo u n d d o u c h in g in c re a s e d th e
lik e lih o o d of a w o m a n b e in g
in fe c te d w ith a g re a te r n u m b e r
g e s t c h a n g e s in life a re o fte n
th e m o st difficult, F irst Q uality
say s. Told th ro u g h th e sto ry of
a fa th e r a n d d a u g h te r g ro w in g
o ld to g e th e r , th e c a m p a ig n 's
c re a tiv e c o n te n t s h o w s s n ip ­
p e ts of th e ir b ig g e st life c h a n g ­
es a n d p o in ts to h o w Dri-Fit c a n
h e lp to m a k e th e s e c h a n g e s
“F eel M ore N a tu ra l.”
F e m in in e c a re a n d in c o n ti­
n en c e p ro d u cts w ith th e Dri-Fit
s y s te m in c lu d e p ro te c tiv e u n ­
d erw ea r, b la d d e r co n tro l p a d s /
lin e rs , u ltr a - th in m a x i p a d s ,
th ic k m ax i p a d s a n d p a n ty lin­
ers; th e y a re so ld a t all m ajo r
food, d ru g , m a ss, dollar, e-com-
m e rc e a n d c lu b c h a in s . C o n ­
su m e rs c a n look for th e Dri-Fit
logo to find p ro d u c ts th a t co n ­
ta in th e technology.
“W hile M illen n ials a re le a d ­
ing th e d e m a n d for sto re-b ran d
p r o d u c ts , w e ’v e a lso s e e n a
g ro w in g in te r e s t a c ro ss o ld e r
d e m o g ra p h ic s , a n d w e w a n t
to h e lp c o n s u m e rs of all g e n ­
era tio n s feel m o re n a tu ra l w h e n
ex p e rie n c in g p e rio d s or in c o n ­
tin e n c e ,” F irst Q u ality s ta te s .
“A s a n in d u s try le a d e r in th e
m a n u fa c tu rin g a n d s u p p ly of
sto re -b ra n d fem in in e c a re a n d
in c o n tin e n c e p r o d u c t s , w e
w a n t p r o d u c ts f e a tu r in g th e
Dri-Fit logo to b e k n o w n a s in ­
novative, accessib le a n d afford­
able o p tio n s for c o n s u m e rs.”
of s tra in s b y 26%.
M o re c o n c e r n in g , d o u c h ­
in g w a s fo u n d to in c re a s e th e
risk of infection, w ith a g re a te r
n u m b e r of ca n ce r-ca u sin g HPV
strain s rising b y 40%. A ddition­
ally, v ag in al d o u ch in g h a s b e e n
fo u n d to n ea rly d o u b le a w o m ­
a n ’s risk of c o n tra c tin g o v arian
cancer, ac co rd in g to a n e w n a ­
tio n w id e U.S. su rv ey b y th e N a­
tio n a l I n s titu te of E n v iro n m en ­
ta l H ea lth Sciences.
In m o st cases, HPV g o es aw a y
o n its o w n a n d d o e s n o t c a u se
an y h e a lth p roblem s. H ow ever,
th e re are vaccin es th a t ca n p re ­
v e n t infection w ith th e ty p e s of
HPV th a t m o st com m only cau se
cancer.
T he CDC n o w recom m ends 11-
to 12-year-olds g e t tw o d o ses of
HPV vaccine.
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