• by Christine Bittar , October 24, 2006

Johnson & Johnson will launch a line of anti-aging products under its successful Aveeno brand starting next year.

Sales of Aveeno's skin care products grew 20% to $68 million over the past 12 months, according to IRI. The drugstore brand, which focuses on natural ingredients such as soy, will continue that natural positioning for the Positively Ageless line. The new products will contain shiitake mushrooms to promote skin vitality.

Positively Ageless will be touted for its ability to accelerate skin's "cellular regeneration" without the irritating side effects sometimes caused by such anti-wrinkle ingredients as retinols and alpha hydroxyl acid.

Aveeno's line will include a serum, a night cream, a daily moisturizer with SPF, and an exfoliating cleanser. Products roll out in February and retail for $7.99 to $19.99.

Cosmetics and skin care products containing such "naturals" as food extracts, vitamins, minerals and sea extracts, are growing increasingly popular, especially in the prestige area, with the growth of cosmeceuticals (brands mixing cosmetics with pharmaceutical-like ingredients), such as Dr. Perricone's line of skincare products.

Other than cosmeceuticals and dermatologist brands, beauty companies such as Lancome, Estee Lauder and Nars have been introducing products containing vitamin C, white tea, and antioxidants.

Aveeno, for the past couple of years, has been talking up its use of "Active Naturals," which are essentially "natural" ingredients intended to be gentle and beneficial to the skin, in its various lines. For instance, oatmeal (for dryness), is contained in Aveeno Daily Moisturizer, feverfew (an herb to help redness) is contained in the Ultra Calming products, and soy (to "even skin tone") is found in its Positively Radiant and Positive Smooth products.

While Aveeno will be the first mass brand to promote mushroom extracts, Estee Lauder's Origins brand markets a seemingly similar line through its partnership with Dr. Andrew Weil, the holistic physician. Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins' Plantidote Mega-Mushroom launched last fall with packaging carrying the tagline "To optimize skin's defenses." Retailing for $25 to $65, the line includes cleanser, moisturizer, serum and an ingestible Mega-Mushroom supplement.

J&J has marketed a mass anti-aging product line under its Neutrogena brand for several years.