Beach Life May Be Less Odious, More Glittery

Even though the goose bumps of winter are still going strong, two Southern California companies are introducing products to make beach life a little more interesting.

For those who find tanning a little dull, Jerome Russell Cosmetics of Northridge is rolling out a suntan cream containing glitter. And p.o.l.o. of Santa Monica has come up with “an exhilarating body spritzer” called Body Cooler.

Both products were introduced on a limited basis last summer by their respective companies and are now being distributed more widely in time for beach weather.

Glittering Suntan Creme was developed on the beaches in the South of France five years ago, but technical problems--the glitter kept clogging the dispenser’s nozzle--slowed development, said David Jerome, president of Jerome Russell Cosmetics, which moved to Northridge from London about three months ago.

The product was successfully introduced in Europe more than a year ago, Jerome said, and now the company is eyeing the U.S. market.

“Now they (beachgoers) can glitter on the beaches and get as brown as they like, and they look different,” he said.

With tanning comes sweating, so p.o.l.o. developed Body Cooler.

“Being aerobics and fitness nuts and having a lot of friends who like to hang out at the beach, (we found) you have a tendency to sweat--and sweat doesn’t smell all that great,” said Joe Ippolito, president of p.o.l.o., which stands for “partners organized for launching opportunities.”

Body Cooler “smells refreshing and only lasts for a few minutes,” he said. It is nontoxic and non-staining and comes in four scents: mint julep, frosty coconut, lemon ice and iced vanilla.

While demand for beach products is not that strong in January, even in Southern California, “everybody is gearing up for it,” Ippolito said.