Cosmetic maintenance is not always convenient, but 7-11 stores are hoping to change that.
Earlier this month, the national convenience store chain added makeup to its store offerings.
Now, along with a Big Gulp and hot dog, customers can pick up some blush, mascara or faux eyelashes.
The โSimply Me Beautyโ line includes about 40 items all priced under $5.
โThe beauty industry has seen dramatic growth of cost-conscious cosmetics in the marketplace because millennial women are looking for a variety of colors at affordable prices,โ said Lindsay Robertson, 7โEleven product development category manager. โThey like to buy and try, and our goal when developing the Simply Me Beauty line was to create a line of makeup that had a quality look and feel without a high-price barrier.โ
She said beauty products are a $46 billion industry that is expected to increase by 12 percent by 2020, and makeup makes up 17 percent of the cosmetic market.
The freestanding โGorgeous on the Goโ display features everything from foundation to makeup brushes and products for nails.
โMuch of the time, makeup items like lip and eye colors are spur-of-the-moment, impulse buys,โ said Joy Pico, 7โEleven category manager. โIf the price is right, that makes it easier to justify. For a millennial working woman wanting to refresh her makeup while grabbing lunch at 7โEleven stores, Simply Me Beauty is a welcomed offering. โ
Carl Hancox, the field consultant for the Tucson 7-11 stores said thereโs been a lot of curiosity since the rollout.
โI think itโs one of those introductions into the convenience store world,โ he said. โWhen people think of a convenience store they donโt think of makeup.โ
He said the feedback has been positive, especially because of the prices.
โThereโs been a lot of looking, checking it out,โ he said of Tucson customers. โTheyโve been pleasantly surprised by the quality.โ
7-11 plans a major social media campaign during the upcoming holiday season.
