Clear As Day

Customization. Flexibility. Individualization. These are the buzzwords making an impact in the color cosmetics market these days. Driving the trend toward customized products are consumers who are looking to do more with fewer, more integrated and more versatile products that they can mix and match. Meanwhile, packaging suppliers are doing everything they can to offer their customers creative designs and materials as well as flexibility in manufacturing at the lowest possible cost.

“Customers want upscale packaging that is flexible and creative,” commented Louisa Kamelhar, vice president international operations for Arrowpak, a Queens, NY-based cosmetic container supplier that has recently expanded its offerings for lipstick, eye shadow and blush. “Packaging systems are not as simple as they once were,” she said. Kamelhar pointed to lipstick cases and compacts as areas where packaging options are no longer just round or square, standard or luxury. She described color cosmetics as an increasingly complex, ever changing market where price remains a key concern. “Customers don’t spend as much on color as they do on fragrance, where there is very high loyalty. People always want creativity, but price is important,” she said.

What’s In A Name?
Consumers aren’t the only ones demanding customization. Marketers want to stand out from the crowd through the use of uniquely individualized packaging systems, often involving logos and company-specific color schemes. The need to incorporate textures, colors, and complex decorations has increased as marketers are determined to provide line-image looks on every package.

“We are seeing an increased demand for the incorporation of debossed or embossed customer logos on plastic caps in lieu of screen or stamped images. By incorporating the customer’s identity as a permanent image in the plastic, costs and compatibility concerns associated with applied decorations are eliminated,” said Michael Warford, vice president, sales and marketing for Colt’s Plastics, a jar packaging supplier based in Dayville, CT. He added that the ease with which an unauthorized party can replicate products is hampered with embossed or debossed images, as they are not easily achieved without experience and the required technologies.

Arrowpak is addressing the issue of flexibility through a new line of packaging designed to serve a wide range of market needs. Available in new shapes and sizes, the jars can be used for powder, skin care, blush, eye shadow and even hair products. Now offered in a 3-oz. size, the line is available in translucent packaging that can be made in elegant silver matte or in a variety of colors. “The new line offers us the flexibility of serving both mass and prestige markets without the expense of multiple product lines,” explained the company’s Kamelhar.

For other suppliers this trend has translated into a continued need to customize stock pieces in order to achieve the look of private designs. This is the case for 3C, a supplier of plastic containers and components headquartered in of multiple product lines,” explained the company’s Kamelhar.

In addition to its array of stock components for color cosmetic products, the company offers new compacts that can be customized by changing the cover insert at very little or no cost. “The flexibility of changing the finish of a component, as well as the insert, cover and base, allows a new company to enter the color market without incurring the very high cost of building new molds,” explained Lou Della Pesca, company president.

Colt’s Plastics is answering requests for clear pack-aging with PETG jars in a range of sizes.

Dennis Anderson, executive vice president of Bedminster, NJ-based packaging specialist HCT Packaging, drew a connection between an increased use of stock packaging and promotional sales. “Color cosmetic companies have been relying more and more on stock packaging to keep up with increasingly savvy customers,” he explained. “More money has been spent in recent years to introduce younger girls to cosmetics at an early age. Targeting this demographic has meant a proliferation of short-term promotions and products with short life cycles. Consumers want the latest greatest. Companies want to control their brand images, but there isn't always time or money available to custom design every package,” he said.

A similar idea was expressed by Bob Reinhardt, executive vice president, sales for World Wide Packaging, a cosmetic case specialist based in Livingston, NJ. “There is still use of ‘entertaining’ packages, but the problem is that for the most part the life span for these items is relatively short. Therefore not all packaging companies are willing to spend the money for all the tooling involved for an item that may only last for six months,” he said.

According to Chris Baker, director, research and development for DMI, a packaging supplier based in Wharton, NJ, some marketers are rolling out more promotions and executing limited runs to “test the waters.” “Product and packaging innovations that produce visual impact at point of sale are now a must,” he stressed.

The Trend Is Crystal Clear
When it comes to hot, new looks for packaging, clear components made of heavier gauge plastics such as lucite and acrylic are high in demand. Jeanine Recckio, a “beauty futurologist” and founder of Mirror Mirror Imagination Group, a New York-based marketing and trend forecasting company, sees the future of packaging heading in the direction of invisible containers that convey integrity, simplicity and honesty. “It’s all about the new reality. We see it in fashion, design, food, everywhere. Now keep in mind, it is not the bland minimalism of the late-1990s. It has warmth and meaning. It’s a new reality, mixed with some pretending and youthful fantasy,” she said.

Recckio pointed to the use of better quality plastics that are clearer and more substantial, saying, “The new packaging is futuristic and modern, so that all you see are chunks of fabulous color and product. Sometimes the simple frame, almost invisible, is best.”

Eastman Chemical Company has benefitted from the shift to plastics in the cosmetic market with its sales in the category growing in excess of 20 percent a year since 1998, according to Scott Rook, business market manager for Eastman.

A good example is a crystal clear cap made of Eastman’s Eastar copolyeser AN004 that was chosen by Zermat, a Mexican cosmetics company that worked with Spatz Labs, Oxnard, CA, to create a package for Eleganzza brand lipstick. AN004 not only has the clarity to display the color of the lipstick, but it has properties to protect and preserve the contents as well.

“The crystal clear packaging look has exploded over the past several months with major improvements and innovations in the clarity of raw materials such as acrylic,” commented HCT’s Anderson. “We are now able to design and produce new components that stress the colors of the products to attract consumers at all levels of retail distribution.”

Colt’s Plastics is another supplier answering requests for clear packaging options. “With more requests than ever for package clarity, we continue to increase our offerings for jars in PETG resins. We have modified many existing molds and are building new ones to expand our PETG jar offerings,” said the company’s Warford. He added that transparency in color shades is also an increasing demand that is requiring the company to work closely with its colored material suppliers. “While our see-through window caps continue to provide point-of-purchase cosmetic color recognition, improved jar clarity is becoming increasingly important to the cosmetics industry,” he said.

Zermat, a Mexican cosmetics manufacturer, chose Eastman’s Eaststar AN004 copolyester for its Eleganzza brand lipstick caps.

Colt’s Plastics recently introduced two PETG jar package lines. One is a 100-mm Low-Profile jar, which is designed to provide cosmetic companies with upscale plastic jar options in larger diameters. “The traditional jar venue in the 100 mm diameter arena was glass, and the new plastic jar options have been well received by the industry,” said Warford.

The use of clear and translucent materials is also on the rise at World Wide Packaging, where Reinhardt described the effect that can be achieved with such materials as “extremely dramatic.” He added that although black remains popular, it has been overshadowed by the availability of spray and UV coatings that can transform plastic into the look of metal. “We have found that many marketers are asking for metal cases or part metal cases with variations and combinations of finishes. Clear plastic with frosted sprays are also very popular and the look is quite elegant,” he said.

A gray metallic case from Arrowpak has gentle curves for a softer look.

Black Tuesday
While for many marketers in the color cosmetics arena, black remains a signature color with a classic, upscale image, many companies are now choosing to pursue the other end of the rainbow. Prior to fall 2001, some manufacturers were already moving away from shiny or matte black packaging and toward specialty finishes and coatings. However, following the catastrophic events of Sept. 11, many packaging designers are steering even further away.

“Black is out,” commented Michael Druce, vice president of sales and marketing for Stratford, CT-based ATP (Applied Tech Products). “Post-9/11, the trend is natural, pastel effects—soothing and cocooning.” He added that the company has introduced automatic UV spray lines into its Nadel Chinese facilities, a move that follows its acquisition of jar, compact and kit supplier Nadel Industries in 2000.

Mirror Mirror’s Recckio has also seen the effects of 9/11 on beauty trends. “White is the new black in fashion,” observed Recckio. “Gucci made a big white statement hot off the runways. White is full of purity and freedom. So get ready to see pure white compacts with delicate plays of sheer sprays in delicious and delicate washes of illumination.”

Although black continues to represent the company’s number one packaging color, 3C is adding a second color for extra decoration and/or part of the cover insert.

In addition to continued demand for matte silver finishes, the company is also using more iridescent colors. “Upscale marketers are increasing the value presentation of their products by adding metallization, spray frosted finishes, soft touch and special coating,” said 3C’s Della Pesca. “The special finish can be added to the entire line or for individual promotions within the line.”

New finishes have also been a key focus at HCT, where a fifth manufacturing spray line was recently added. “Our customers are able to capitalize on our designs with the latest in surface finishes available,” said the company’s Anderson.

Colt’s Plastics is still seeing very strong interest in shiny and matte metallic looks, especially on caps, according to Warford. “The stronger of the two is the matte metallic finishe at this point in time. We find trends in this area to be very cyclical, and based on this, we expect shiny metallized coatings to increase in popularity again in the very near future. Bright colors in frosted appearance still continue to be strong and we have been successful in achieving these looks via spray color technologies,” he said.

Not only are some marketers introducing lines with more soothing packaging colors, shapes have become less harsh as well. “A couple of years ago, Calvin Klein’s CK makeup line was sharp. Now the shape is rounded, softer and more comfortable,” explained Jean Paul Imbert, president and chief executive officer of packaging specialist Cosmetech Mably International (CMI), New York.

Recckio of Mirror Mirror said, consumers are looking for products that are not only comfortable but actually comforting. “Packaging is full of form and function. The form and function is the ‘reality’—the solid feeling that comforts us, gives us security.” She added that heavier packaging translates into a sense of integrity and comfort that consumers can feel, a trend that holds added significance in the wake of 9/11. “The ‘click’ of the compact takes on a whole new importance. It’s all about new emotions and sensations, a trend toward renewed freedom and power as well as a will to be more inventive,” she added.

You Better Shop Around
On the economic front, the color cosmetics business has not been immune to the impact of a struggling U.S. economy and decreased consumer spending. But, according to some suppliers, consumers are not necessarily looking to purchase less expensive products. “Despite the slow economy, customers are actually returning to nicer products than they were purchasing in the 1990s,” explained CMI’s Imbert. “Even if they know they will pay more, they are willing. Customers are spending more time to find better quality.” He pointed to the fragrance market as an example, where, he said, most of the new product launches have been expensive, complex and highly technical.

According to Arrowpak’s Kamelhar, customers are being conservative due to the current economic conditions. “Cosmetic products tend to be the last to be affected, but they are feeling it also, as expected.” She added that inventories have been impacted, but that demand should return by the next quarter. “How much investment we will see in upgrades, I don’t know,” she cautioned.

It’s A Small World
Beyond color and shape, another key market trend is size. On this topic, most suppliers agree that smaller is better. But even as components are shrinking in size, more is being demanded of them. Many consumers are asking, “Can my makeup multitask?” In response, marketers continue to roll out dual, multi and all-in-one products offering nearly endless combinations of lipstick, powder, blush, eye shadow, mascara and lip gloss.

“For the most part, big is out and small is in,” stated Reinhardt of World Wide Packaging. “Large size cases just do not make sense in today’s market,” he said.

“Small, portable cosmetic products will definitely continue as a trend,” agreed Chris Baker of DMI. He added, “The teen market has been the focus of much creative effort in recent years and teens love portability…as they say, ‘follow the money.’”

“This is a trend that has always been in existence and will always be,” commented 3C’s Della Pesca. “Some present smaller sizes as a way to sample their products. Some companies present smaller sizes as part of a blockbuster promotion to reduce their cost. Still others use smaller sizes for travel products,” he explained. Della Pesca has noticed a trend toward new thin line cases for assorted color products. The products could number from three to 18 pieces, covering lip, eye, blush or powder.

Makeup packaging should follow fashion bags, which are getting smaller, and more precious, according to Mirror Mirror’s Recckio. “We love minis, minis, minis. Color formulas are getting more condensed and powerful. Color chunks and slivers release high impact color, so we see the future of small packaging that provides multiple options such as compacts that can hold more than one color.”

Changing Consumers: Challenges
As consumers continue to expect more from their products, marketers continue to challenge packaging suppliers with increasingly technical formulations and innovations, often demanding shorter lead times and increased performance. On the rise are crème powder products and new, water-based foundation formulations requiring hermetically sealed components. “We foresee some creative and very interesting developments in the packaging area to accommodate these new product launches,” explained Anderson of HCT.

From 3C’s perspective, new ingredients can usually be handled by materials currently available, according to Della Pesca. “The long lasting products that require air tight components continue to be an issue,” he said. “When is a component 100 percent air tight and what are the exact air tight requirements?”

“Many of the new color cosmetic formulas that are being developed are challenging traditional benchmarks for containment,” commented Colt’s Plastics’ Warford. “We are seeing more volatile formulations in lipsticks and glosses, and a reduction in particulate size in powders,” he said, adding that both of these changes have required the company to re-evaluate, and where feasible, upgrade its sealing and dispensing systems to meet the needs of some of the products.

“The trend to more natural ingredients and the concurrent use of volatile oils will bring about necessary improvements to lipstick packaging, which we expect to see translated to stick blush, stick foundation, leg makeup and so on,” said DMI’s Chris Baker. “Volatile oils and ‘new’ naturals continue to create challenges for everyone in packaging. New resins and new designs will both be in demand to address these needs,” he said.

Michael Druce of ATP predicted that new treatment formulae will be introduced in the powder and foundation segments. “Chemists will continue to innovate formula, exciting material suppliers and molders with new challenges,” he said. “Liquid foundation will continue to seek a cleaner package throughout its useful life. ATP Nadel is working on a drip back feature to maintain a clean surface.”

These kits are designed and produced exclusively by HCT Packaging for Boots in the UK.

If Fashion Is First, What’s Next?
Many companies are keeping a close eye on the fashion industry as a harbinger of things to come in color cosmetics.

At HCT, an in-house design team located in its London, U.K. office is charged with identifying new trends in fashion and reacting quickly. “Cosmetic companies are always looking for new packaging ideas and color schemes. We believe strongly in the link between the latest fashions and the relation to cosmetic packaging,” commented the company’s Anderson.

CMI stays ahead of the curve by working 18 months in advance on trends in color, fabric and texture. “We use these trends in our packaging,” explained Imbert. The company forecasts trends through its own team as well as consultants in order to predict what will be on the cutting edge by the time its next new products are rolling out at market.

So what’s next? Mirror Mirror’s Recckio said, “We predict the future compact will go beyond (today’s norm). It will talk to us, play music and depict our mood. I want my lipstick to buzz when it’s time for a touch-up. And I want my powder compact to light up in my bag and change colors when I touch it (all possible with thermochromatic crystals).” Recckio noted that label supplier, Dow Industries, Wilmington, MA, is already underway with such state-of-the-art technology in the form of labels that change colors as you touch them and release secret messages.

“The future is here,” she added. “Are you ready?”