Magic Cream. Magic Elixir. Magic Skin Care. Magic Facial. And Magic What Nots. The word ‘magic’ seems quite common in the cosmetic industry. I’ve come across a couple of products using this word as a prefix and I wonder if these products generally do well. I mean, the word does conjur images of miraculous performance and instant results doesn’t it? Or is it abracadabra and then poof?
Marketing gimmick?
I agree that products using the word ‘magic’ as a prefix do draw some attention; at least I do pick up such products to check them out and some times even purchase them if the sucker in me is strong that moment. However, I always wonder why companies want to coin their products with the prefix ‘magic’. It’s too gimmicky to me and most of the time, such products actually raise both the skeptical antenna in me and my expectations of the product.
Magic products I have tried
Granted, there are products that work like magic but these are few and far between – I haven’t come across one that worked magic for me so far. For example, I was so excited when I first purchased the Egyptian Magic Cream but I have still have three quarters of the cream in the container unused. It didn’t do much for me, although it works magic for my son. So calling something ‘Magic XX’ is not a good marketing positioning in my opinion. In fact, people can become exceptionally critical of products coined as such and the strategy can backfire.
Share your views!
So what about you? Are you drawn to products that bears the prefix ‘magic’ in their names? Do you find yourself wanting to check the products out? And do they fulfill your expectations or disappoint you most of the time? What are those that have worked for you?
fwy
23 Feb 2011 at 9:30 amSKII labeled their toner as a “Miracle Water’. A few years back, I had bought a sample size bottle from SaSa. After a few usage, my skin does looks and feels clearer, however, I loathe the scent that reminds me of sewage water and thus, I banished the idea of using this product. Moreever, it is too expensive for my budget.
sesame
23 Feb 2011 at 4:55 pmSewage? Oh dear…I have never tested the miracle water and have no idea. But heard many raves though…
Soos
23 Feb 2011 at 5:16 pmAn Avon product called Magix. It wasn’t. But they had a body wash called Magic that I wish I had more of. It WAS heavenly.
sesame
23 Feb 2011 at 8:40 pmOh…the body wash sounds interesting. We don’t have that brand here though. 🙁
Natalja
24 Feb 2011 at 1:36 pmAvon is stuffed with chemicalls and toxins, so it could smell and feel like Magic but when you realize WHAT you are putting on your body – magic disappears 🙂
sesame
24 Feb 2011 at 3:00 pmHmm…I see. We don’t have Avon here at all I believe so I have no idea what they contain.
Cristina
23 Feb 2011 at 11:58 pmI don’t like when products have the word “magic”. I usually run away from anything that is presented as “magic”, “better”, “miracle”, “this works”…it sounds like false advertisement and conceded.
sesame
24 Feb 2011 at 11:41 amThey do raise more doubts…
Eve
24 Feb 2011 at 12:50 amI don’t buy “magic” products as a rule but I’ve just tried the Dead Sea Spa Magik mineral shampoo which was pretty good. It’s paraben free too, which is a big plus also!
sesame
24 Feb 2011 at 11:41 amGood to hear you have one ‘magic product’ working for you. I suppose there are some exceptions.
angel
24 Feb 2011 at 8:46 amThe “Magic” word do draw much attention. But still i’ll doubt it. So far i’ve not been trying any product with magic prefix yet. So.. i think it’s basically a marketing strategy, the product don’t usually work like magic thought. lols
sesame
24 Feb 2011 at 11:43 amHaha…I am always afraid it’ll go poof. 😛
Jasmine
24 Feb 2011 at 12:14 pmI’m from Singapore and I’m currently studying in the UK – I got samples of the Egyptian Magic Cream and was unimpressed in Singapore, but here in the middle of winter, my hands were so cracked and inflamed the magic cream worked. My hands are still scarred but at least I have a skin over them now … the magic cream really works by sinking into the skin rather than forming a barrier, especially on skin burnt by ice and heat (from cooking). I tried all sorts of expensive moisturisers and oils, gels, gel-creams, shea butter, E45, *nothing* worked so I’m vouching for the Egyptian magic!
sesame
24 Feb 2011 at 3:01 pmSo it’s good for cold weather! That’s something to bear in mind. 🙂
Natalja
24 Feb 2011 at 1:42 pmI would say that using word “magic” or “miracle” is something to draw attention, but oftentimes the product advertised like that IS better than the one sitting next to it on the shelf. There are so many products on the market and English language is running out of words for describing, to differentiate. So “miracle/magic” still would get your attention and desire to research than another “moisturising lotion”. And hey, we all would like to believe in miracles.
sesame
24 Feb 2011 at 3:00 pmThat’s true too…but I wish most of them really work miracles. Problem is many don’t and that’s why the word has become such a cliche.
Stephanie/Yukaeshi
24 Feb 2011 at 6:17 pmIMO, the use of the word “magic” in any product is truly misleading, e.g. the Egyptian Magic cream.
I personally use it and it works wonders on my skin (It’s sensitive and dry mostly), but because of the word “magic” many have high expectations of it and when it doesn’t work it’s a huge disappointment. I think the trick is to not expect too much of anything.
sesame
24 Feb 2011 at 9:45 pmAgree! The word comes loaded with lots of expectations and usually the product end up below par cos of the higher than usual expectations that come with the name.
LatestGirls
24 Feb 2011 at 6:49 pmInfact I am so much scammed in past with this kind of tag lines that I am afraid of them now. I just stay away from this kind of labels that has magic or best or greatest words in it. 🙁
sesame
24 Feb 2011 at 9:44 pmYup, that’s the trouble. You start having doubts more than anything with such names.
Lucy
4 Mar 2011 at 5:57 amEgyptian magic worked wonders on eczema. After an allergic reaction i was on the strongest cortisone cream prescribed. Egyptian magic worked 100 times better than what I was prescribed.
sesame
4 Mar 2011 at 8:30 amOh, that’s really great to know!