Balms, Big Bucks and the Bandwagon
As mere humans there is much physicality to overcome. We have a multitude of bodily woes that must be conquered each day. From blisters, dry skin and bad breath to unruly curls, wrinkles and the need to deodorize. Armed with our age-defying lotions, hair-wrangling tools and arsenal of salves however, there isn't a personal care dilemma that can't be solved. We are vain creatures, and it's this vanity and fear that drove an age-old industry from the 19th-century days of Smith's Rose Bud Salve ("A reliable soothing salve for family and general use") to what it is today, a mega-industry valued at $40 billion dollars annually. The promotional side of the personal care industry has seen growth lately, but as with any large market surge, there are both major gains and major risks.