Everyone’s heard of Superdrug, right?

It’s certainly been a staple part of my shopping experience since I was in my teens – from Collection 2000 and Exclamation body spray in year 9 to miniature perfumes and Oxy cleanser in year 10.

So here’s the thing, what about the people who are too young to have really heard about Superdrug yet? What if I could get to them, before say, Boots did?

Then I would be creating a loyal breed of consumers, just ready and waiting to shop ’til they dropped…

And so that’s what I decided to do.

RAISING MONEY

Calling on four of the fabbest girls I know – the ‘Fab Four’ – I invited them, and a host of other people, to a Superdrugloves.com Blog Benefit Sale in aid of UNICEF’s Pakistan flood relief fund. 

I’ve been trying to think up a way to raise money for Pakistan since the flooding happened and UNICEF’s appeal really struck a chord with me as it looks after children, who often cannot look after themselves. I thought if we could make the even the tiniest difference, then that had to be better than nothing, right?

And now, about the girls – all gorgeous, and all beginners with the concept of make-up, facemasks and other such girly things. And quite rightly so, because they’re all under 12.

However, there’s nothing to say that in applying make-up they have to end up looking like baby beauty queens. I wanted them to explore, have fun, spray things, spritz things, paint things and
enjoy themselves so that when they are finally old enough to think about make-up and beauty stuff seriously, they’ll think of Superdrug.

So, let’s get to it shall we.

THE SALE

Included in the sale were all the fabulous goodies sent to me in my last brown paper package tied up with string, minus the shampoos and conditioners from the Scandalous range because, honestly, I was desperate to try them out myself – a review of which will feature later this week.

Also included in the sale, was a collection of things from Superdrug that I had stored carefully after the initial testing, plus a few little bits and bobs I’d bought for the occasion.

And, just so I could keep track of everything, and also find out a little bit about my consumers, everyone had to fill in a questionnaire relating to Superdrug and the sale.

LONDON COUSIN 1

First up, was London Cousin 1. She’s 10 and on the Superdrug Blog Benefit Questionnaire listed her staple beauty brands as TRESemmé and Pantene. She pounced on the Barry M Emerald Green nail polish, listing her reason for buying it as, ‘I loved the vibrant green – it’s so cool!’

LONDON COUSIN 2

London Cousin 2, who’s 8, has never shopped at Superdrug, and listed Colgate toothpaste as her beauty staple! Teehee! When she’s older I’m going to teach her how brilliant that is for spots as well as teeth, but in the meantime, she was much too interested in the 2True Glitter Mascara, and a face pack…

MINI BLANCO

Then, there was Mini Blanco – she’s 10 and likes Pantene, but soon declared that she’s moving onto bigger and better things with the Superdrug’s new Scandalous range – she pocketed the Intensively Glossy Rescue Treatment because she loved the smell of it and as her hair was always knotty this might solve the problem. She also enthusiastically got to grips with the Barry M Glitter Lashes (available in store), which she thought was, ‘funky and cool’. She then stumbled across a face mask, which for some reason became her foundation! Perhaps the most enthusiastic of my Superdrug Protégés, this was her finished look!

MIDI BLANCO

And the final member of the Fab Four was Midi Blanco. She was a (shhhh) Natural Collection fan, but I soon changed that! Keen to make sure her money was well spent, she tried out five different nail polishes before choosing the Revlon Nail Enamel in Red Hot Tamale because it looked the smoothest. She also chose the Revlon Va Va Violet Super Lustrous Lipstick because, she said, ‘It looked surprisingly good on me!’ So that’s that then – move over Natural Collection, Revlon’s here!

Honestly, my four Superdrug protégés took to the task with more enthusiasm than I could ever have imagined. They backcombed and set their hair in place with Scandalous Flaunt It Firm Hold Hair Spray, they applied face masks and eye shadow and bright red lipsticks with glee, and they discovered the art of applying mascara and nail polish with care so that it didn’t go everywhere – well almost everywhere.

SPREADING THE WORD

And then, they declared, they wanted to take the campaign to the streets. Spread the word about Deafinitely Girly and Superdrug, and show off their new looks.

And so, we did.

Armed with my advertising board, and with Maxi Blanco filming, we hit the main road near the sale venue and what fun the Fab Four had.

‘Shop at Superdrug,’ they told passers-by, grinning with enthusiasm. At one point they actually stopped traffic, which they then used as an opportunity to spread the word even more.

It was amazing. I had succeeded in finding Superdrug’s future customers today, and I had raised a total of £75 for UNICEF!

And, so long as Superdrug has plenty of hair spray, glittery things and nail polish, these four are going to be very happy customers!

Look out Superdrug, they’re on their way…

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*Special thanks go to London Aunt, Mrs Blanco, Riddles of Mind and Danish Pastry for their amazing enthusiasm on the day, too! Mainly Clarins fans, I had them ooohing and aahing at the new Scandalous Haircare range, fighting over GOSH Velvet Touch Foundation Primer, Superdrug Mango & Papaya Body Polish,  and Superdrug Cocoa Butter Body Butter, and enthusing about T-Zone’s Instant Action Spot Zapping Stick and Instant Fix 6 Nose Strips, the latter of which, I’m afraid I won the fight for, as I had been wanting to try them for ages! And of course, let’s not forget the wonderful Maxi Blanco who was a brilliant help – she’s 14, and went away with the biggest beauty bag out of everyone. Originally an ‘occasional’ shopper at Superdrug, she’s now a fan of the 2True make-up range, the Scandalous Haircare range and the Vitamin E Illuminating Cream.