Biddiscombe Laboratories
Conquering Tanning Plateaus
by Scott Eric Barrett
"It doesn't matter if we are manufacturing one of our lotion lines for the indoor tanning industry or one of our pharmaceutical products--our goal is to create products according to the highest standards and strictest quality control. This means a customer can be assured that our products are fresh and pure," Gayheart says.
With three new additions to Biddiscombe's popular Conquer Tan line and the continued popularity of its contract-manufacturing program, the St. Petersburg, Fla.-based company is wrapping up another successful summer.
Gayheart says each lotion in the seven-product Conquer Tan line features state-of-the-art tanning agents, skincare products and fragrances to suit the needs of tanners looking for something new and uniquely different. The line hit the market last year with Conquer Tanning Sensation, Conquer Revive, Conquer Triumph and Conquer Victory. The three 2002 additions--Conquer Valiant, Conquer Enchanted Ice and Conquer Blazing Cool--help the line offer something for everyone.
"Valiant is fortified with high levels of glucose tyrosinate and bronzing complex that deliver immediate results with a lavish, soft feel to the skin," Gayheart says. "Enchanted Ice chills you with a blend of exotic oils, rich multivitamins and botanicals. Blazing Cool is a hot- tingling and cooling product with virgin hemp oil, herbal extracts, nutrients and powerful antioxidants that will tantalize and protect your skin."
All three include Biddiscombe's innovative proprietary delivery system, the M.D.E.7, which provides aloe vera-based lotions to take to the skin faster than standard blends.
"It absorbs almost instantaneously on application," says Tom Conde, Biddiscombe's head lab technician. "This delivery system is hydroscopic, which means it is attracted to your body's natural moisture, instead of applying moisture topically. The results are amazing. When used with bronzing or tingle lotions, it amplifies the effect up to 40 percent more."
'Our Lab Is Your Lab'
Biddiscombe is able to manufacture most of its products with customized labeling, and Gayheart says the crux of Biddiscombe's business is contract work for other companies. By pooling a salon's resources, and concentrating on marketing, Biddiscombe allows the salon to focus on its expertise.
"The idea here is expressed in our slogan, 'Our Lab is Your Lab,'" Gayheart says. "If salons have products that need manufacturing, packaging, warehousing or fulfillment, we can do it all. We have the facilities and experience to make sure that custom products are made, packed and delivered to the highest standards, including all federal requirements."
Biddiscombe also can provide all of the assistance salons require to get their products created, tested and sold. He believes salon operators will appreciate Biddiscombe's talent in terms of matching the requirements of any formula as well as labeling, design and marketing of the products. Operators also will like the fact that the company is making its M.D.E.7 system available to current and existing private-label customers.
Standing out in a booming industry like indoor tanning isn't easy. For Biddiscombe, success boils down to three key variables.
"In this business, everything is about availability, quality and cost," Gayheart says. "If you don't have the first two, the third one doesn't matter that much. We run everything under the same standard operating procedures for our lotions as if you were manufacturing a tablet or capsule. It's a higher standard. It's one that is not required, but one we adhere to in order to ensure our quality."
