Miss Venezuela

The new Miss Venezuela Marelisa Gibson (C), Miss Mundo Venezuela  Adriana Vasini and Miss Internacional Venezuela Elizabeth Mosquera (L) pose for photos during a news conference in Caracas

Coming soon: Made-in-India Yardley

The 200-year-old Yardley brand—once a mustbuy for those returning from an overseas trip— will soon be made in India.

Yardley also plans to unleash a range of products like deo-sprays, perfumes, soaps, talcum powder and after-shave lotion in India.

The Dubai-based Lornamead, which acquired the Yardley brand in September 2005, sees the India’s retail segment focuses too much on its the middle class rather than the ‘exclusive customer’ market. Country head Sriram Prasad feels that the company will be able to enter the Rs 7,000-crore personal care segment successfully, due to Yardley’s exclusiveness and brand familiarity.

“There is a latent demand for Yardley’s products because of the brand and people want to try it.’’ The $220-million personal care company is launching new products including a complete new range of products for men and a new range of ‘Spa’ products aimed at the traveller.

The company has invested around Rs 25 crore for research and development for its Indian line of products. Almost all its product offerings have been customised for the Indian consumer. “People here like stronger, more flowery scents that last longer. So we have had to customise almost all the products for the Indian market,’’ Prasad said.


Lornamead expects to sell over 60 lakh units of soaps in the next 12-16 months, which Prasad said is crucial for the company to determine the localisation pattern of Yardley’s entry. The soaps are to be priced around Rs 35, with the aim to attract grey market customers who now pay double that price.


Before Lornamead acquisition, Yardley was available in India through Bond Street Cosmetics, a licencee.


“We want to buy all the licences of Yardley worldwide and make it a global consolidated brand,’’ Prasad said. The company is also planning to launch another heritage brand, Finesse (a hair-care brand) by the end of October, after test marketing the product in Delhi.

Ekta Shivangani Chaudhury

Name: Ekta Shivangani Chaudhury
Age: 22
Height: 5′10″
Location: Nivea Visage Princess (Delhi)
Profession: Model

Ekta Choudhry is the winner of the prestigious Pantaloons Femina Miss India Universe 2009 title. She is grand doughter of Delhi’s First chief minister “Mr. Chaudhary BRAHM PRAKASH YADAV“.Ekta will represent India at the Miss Universe 2009 competition on August 23, 2009 in Nassau, Bahamas.

British women spend £1.1bn a month on make-up

Despite the recession, British women are splashing out an extraordinary 1.1 billion pounds on make-up every month, according to a new poll.

The survey of more than 1,000 women by cosmetics firm Avon found that women carry an average of 57-pound-worth of cosmetics in their make-up bags, according to a new poll.

In the survey mascara was found to be the most popular item with 62 per cent of women saying it was an essential purchase, while 38 per cent considered lipstick a ''must-have buy''.