Revlon's Vital Radiance Flop

Revlon's Vital Radiance Flop
Beauty in Seattle on Jul 15, 2006

One of Revlon's most important product launches has been a total failure.

Revlon Vital Radiance is a color cosmetics line for women over 50 (the fact I'm explaining this probably tells you the magnitude of the problems with the brand).

Consumers haven't flocked to it in droves. Instead it sat on store shelves this Spring which, in part, led the company to report very disappointing financial results for the past quarter.

If you're like me, you're in the dark to the Vital Radiance product line. I don't know anyone who's tried it. What are the product benefits? Do they help with skin aging? I can't describe the packaging. There's no buzz.

A great silence surrounds the brand. For instance, when looking for reviews on drugstore.com and the "most popular" Vital Radiance product (Vital Radiance Rehydrating Line Softening Makeup) I got this:

Customer Reviews


There are currently no reviews for this item.

The marketing team at Revlon has a big consumer challenge and is sure to earn their paychecks. Beyond stealing share for other market leaders (like P&G which frankly seem to advertise more often and effectively at that) they need to convince women over 50 to come back into the market to purchase color makeup. I imagine you'll see a flood of free samples coming in the next few months to get trial.

If you like the Radiance products, be aware that it's getting pulled from many drugstores and probably lots of shelf space elsewhere.

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Mandy
unregistered guest

16 Jul 2006

I received a coupon in the mail for this product. I am not yet 44 but thought cool, I can get some lip gloss or eyeliner right? No, the coupon expired 2 days after I received it and I found the product to be very expensive (at wal-mart too!)

Ageless in Seattle
210 posts
16 Jul 2006

My biggest Vital Radiance critique is that products that are marketed to a pre-described age tend to over-generalize our needs. Why 50...is that some magic number that where our needs coverge? ~Lisa

Spring Chicken
4 posts
16 Jul 2006

They're positioning stars (Kate Bosworth, Eva Mendes, Halle Berry, Julianne Moore and Susan Sarandon) as different types of "stars" and asking us to identify with one of them and buy the corresponding product line. Great except, what if, god forbid, I identify with Eva's "Sultry" line and I'm more in Halle's demo. Will the Rite Aid checker prevent me from buying it?

Brandi D'Amore
unregistered guest

16 Jul 2006

The reality is that the skin needs of women do change. The undertones change, the skin is usually paler, less resilient, larger pored. Women who are in their 50's now did not necessarily grow up knowing NOT to avoid the sun or smoking, so don't necessarily look younger at their age. Regular makeup settles in the lines and pores. So, yes, after a certain age--and especially as close to menopause and after--do need different makeup. It's just too bad that it wasn't marketed well.

Brandy
unregistered guest

27 Oct 2006

I love this foundation and I am around 30 years old. I am a professional model and untill now I could not wear any foundation so I would wear just under eye cream. Every foundation or powder I tried or make-up artist used on me made me look older dry fake and to top it off broke out my skin.Not to mention the photos would come out horrible. I naturally inherited a strong forhead line from one of my parents and this foundation does not set in this line.I highly recommend this to make-up to women of all ages and I sure would hate to see this line go. Sincerely, Brandy Moon

Disappointed
unregistered guest

9 Mar 2007

I am very disappointed that Vital Radiance is gone. I loved the makeup and the primer. The price was higher than it needed to be. I have gone to Amazon.com now to find what is left of the makeup. Wonder if Revlon would sell their remaining stock to us who liked the makeup at wholesale prices?

Maxine
unregistered guest

28 Mar 2007

I agree with liking the makeup, especially the primer and the foundation went on so smooth and left no tell tale lines. Would like to buy at discounted price also, can't find in stores (florida).

mamburgy
unregistered guest

5 Apr 2007

I have been using Vital Radiance since its introduction and LOVED the product. I was very disappointed when I went to Walgreen's a few days ago to replenish my stock and found it is no longer available. Revlon could, and should, have done a better advertising job. I loved it because of the smoothness and the SPF factors -- my skin feels great when using these products. The skin feels better and my pocketbook definitely felt a lot better than buying the super-hyped Lancomb, Clinique, etc. products at the malls. By the way, I am pushing 60! And, my skin is definitely not as good as it was 40 or 20 years ago.

darlenem
unregistered guest

27 Aug 2007

I am with mamburgy and a few others. I loved the Vital Radiance products. Granted, it was a bit more expensive than the typical drugstore makeup, but it beat the others by comparison in the way it made me feel and look. Revlon did themselves a disservice with the marketing to a specific age group. Also, by not marketing enough. I didn't learn of the products until I came upon them in a store. I was out of my regular brand and needed a filler until Clinique had my usual back in stock. Needless to say, Clinique lost my money and Revlon got it until Pooof!! it was gone. Let us hope that they bring it back under different marketing. They need to realize that it was not the product that failed.

Barbara Flowers
unregistered guest

10 Sep 2007

I read an advertisement in a magazine about the vital radiance makeup. I tried it and loved it! When I went back to the store to buy more, I couldn't find it! After several trips to numerous stores, I gave up. I decided to look on the web for places to purchase it. That is when I found this page. I too hope it will be brought back!

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