Our recent advertisements which have appeared in the national and trade press have led not only to new customers discovering Queen but to old customers coming back into the fold. The problem of having done little to no marketing for some 30 years is that clients who may have used the range many years ago – buying our beauty products for sensitive skin from small independent pharmacies which were subsequently swallowed up by the big chains – think we have gone out of business!
‘Are you the company which used to sell its products in a store in Wigmore Street in London?’ one lady asked yesterday. I told her that yes, we are and we still do sell our products in John Bell & Croyden. ‘I knew it,’ she said. ‘I used to work in the fashion business in London and a colleague of mine swore by your Suntan Lotion and used to make pilgrimages to John Bell & Croyden to buy bottles of it each summer.’ She was interested to try the products herself and was keen to pass on our details to a friend of hers who suffers with sensitive skin.
Another lady from Worksop in Nottinghamshire writes by email:
“I have just discovered (with pleasant surprise) that Queen cosmetics are still available. I won't bore you with a long story, but in 1947 I developed a very severe allergy to lipstick and was directed (by my doctor) to a chemist - Boutall's in Lambs Conduit St, London, where I became a sort of guinea pig. Eventually, Boutall's solved my problem by identifying the substance – Eosin – that I was allergic to. Unfortunately, the choice of lipstick colours available in those days, was very limited.
“Many years later, a few more cosmetic companies came on the scene, and I drifted from one to another and finally ended up with Almay. I am now finding it difficult to locate Almay, (I believe they have been acquired by an American company and I am, consequently 'lipstickless'). I am delighted to see your web page but do not find it easy to get a clear idea of the colours available. Would you be good enough to send me a colour chart so that I can place an order, which hopefully will answer my (desperate) need. Innoxa 22 was successful, but disappeared years ago. Boots No.7 range, Clinique and Dr.Hauschka do not work for me at all. I do have quite a problem.”
Far from being bored, we just love to hear these stories. Queen has an interesting history and it is great to hear from people who were part of this. The company was started in 1927 by three Harley Street dermatologists who, along with a pharmacist at Boutall’s (a pharmacy which had a branch in Southampton Row which overlooked Queen Square, hence the Queen name, and a branch in Lambs Conduit Street at the other end of Great Ormond Street) began to develop, and sell via the pharmacies, products for very sensitive skin. Boutall’s, in conjunction with the dermatologists, worked with clients to identify the substance(s) to which they were allergic and were able to recommend existing products or develop suitable new products. The forties and fifties were Queen’s heyday and the range had a large following among wealthy young women. Oh, that lady from Worksop has ordered her lipstick. We hope she doesn't stray again!
One of these young women was Raine Spencer, then the Countess of Devonshire (and who later on became Princess Diana’s stepmother). She has remained a loyal customer. In fact, she sent us a lovely note a few months ago, saying ‘I am such a fan of Queen. I have used it for over 30 years – the Foundation Cream, Skin Food and Eye Cream are essential. Thank you making creams really non-allergic.’ Skin Food was the old name for Skin Cream. It had to be changed when trading standards officials of the day said case people might think it really was a food!.
Back to the present day, it was time to visit John Bell to do our weekly promotional stint where we give out samples of products such as our Queen Medicated Cleansing Lotion and Queen Moisturiser and tell unsuspecting shoppers about the range.
I was rather worried that the large consignment of products we sent up last week to fill the empty shelves might not have made its way onto the shop floor. I need not have worried. All the shelves were beautifully stocked and stacked. Despite having sold Queen Cosmetics skincare and make-up products through John Bell for 60 years, the range has for many years been bought by loyal, longstanding customers alone. With no advertising or PR to alert the uninitiated to the benefits of the range, new customers have come via word of mouth or luck. As a result, until two years ago the products didn’t really have their own shelf space but were kept in a special drawer. Now, however, all that has changed. With our recent promotional activities, sales are up by 50% on the year and now, not only do we have a decent amount of shelf space, but we have just been allocated a special cupboard for surplus stock! What can I say?! Previously, products would languish down in the cavernous warehouse where they were impossible to find. Irate customers would be told that the system showed stock was available but that no one could locate it. But not any more!
For the second week running, I was unable to spy any famous faces. What a shame. Still, with plenty of nice customers to chat to and Queen products selling well, I can’t complain.
Right, it is time to get the orders dispatched. We are frantically filling jars of Moisturiser and bottles of Medicated Cleansing Lotion as we have had a run on these and have had to make new batches.
Have a good weekend.
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