LIPSTICKS sell well during times of crisis, L’Oreal Malaysia managing director Andrew Stanleick reveals.

Stanleick, who came on board L’Oreal Malaysia in June, says in uncertain economic times and when one’s job security is on the line, “putting on a brave face, holding your head high and looking sharper than the next employee becomes paramount.”

“It’s a case of wanting to look good and feel good in difficult times, if nothing else,” he says.

L’Oreal Malaysia is looking good itself despite the challenging economic environment. The company’s performance has surpassed the industry growth in most segments.

It is the leading company in the mass skincare segment in Malaysia, with a year-to-date (YTD) July growth of 27.9% against the mass-market skincare growth of 14.4%.

“Consumers are more willing to invest in the long term appearance of their skin, and the ageing population has created an opportunity for us,” Stanleick says.

Stanleick is quick to point out that the health and beauty market is recession-proof and a market that would grow by 10% every year, despite the economic situation.

L’Oreal has much room to grow, as the group has a portfolio of 23 international brands but only 15 are present in Malaysia. “So we have many opportunities to grow via expansion in consumer targets,” he says.

The men’s segment is also tipped as having significant potential with the emergence of the metrosexual male. “The men’s market growth is also accelerated with L’Oreal Men Expert growing at 85.1% YTD July ‘09 against men’s market growth of 38.8%,” he said.

“Our current growth in the men’s category is more than double the current market leader’s. Hence, we are poised to be the leading men’s skincare brand by year-end,” he predicts.

Meanwhile, Garnier, a health and beauty brand for skin, body and hair that was launched in March 2007 and is widely distributed in pharmacies and hypermarkets, has also gained 6% market share with a double digit growth of 51.1%.

“In the luxury segment, Biotherm Homme remains strong, dominating about 40% of the men’s luxury market,” he says.

He says there would be room in the consumer’s purse for a greater proportion of smaller luxury items as the economic crisis rolls on and consumers defer expenditure on big-ticket items and home improvement projects.

With a 13% market share in the total health and beauty product market, inclusive of the luxury and salon markets, the company is expected to expand in tandem with the industry.

“The Malaysian health and beauty business for the mass market is expected to grow to RM2.5bil this year,” he says.

A British citizen, Stanleick joined L’Oréal in Britain in 2000. Following various roles in Britain, he was appointed marketing director for Russia in 2002. In 2005 he became the general manager of the consumer products division in Poland.

Since late 2007 he had been the general manager of the L’Oréal Paris brand in Britain.

On the Malaysian market, he says: “It is the unique ethnic diversity of Malaysia that makes the beauty market both an exciting and extremely challenging market in which to operate in.”