Advances in Applicators

Risdon supplies a new fatter, denser doe foot for Avon’s Glazewear lip-gloss.

Applicators are the unsung heroes of color cosmetic packaging. For, while the latest formulations and attention-grabbing marketing campaigns will make a first sale, if the brush delivers too much mascara (or not enough); if the puff feels scratchy or the doe foot doesn’t apply the lip gloss smoothly, the consumer’s experience isn’t satisfactory and repeat sales never happen.

Applicators are essential to color cosmetics and are receiving attention from suppliers trying to build a better brush, wand or doe foot.

Pearlfisher, a London and New York design consultancy, conducted research to find out what consumers’ pet peeves might be concerning cosmetic and personal care products and packaging design. Jonathan Ford, designer and creative partner of Pearlfisher, identified cleanliness, ease-of-use and portability as the three major areas that could use more improvement. Many of the latest applicator developments address these concerns.

Anisa offers a wide variety of brushes for beauty products.

Always Room for Improvement
Alcan Packaging Techpack has witnessed an increasing demand for portable, functional and multi-purpose products, according to Jean-Paul Imbert, company president, business unit Make-Up Americas. “The emergence of two-in-one products, development of airtight packaging and the necessity to secure transportation and functionality of the products are all variables that we have to take into account when developing new products,” he stated.

Research that takes ergonomics into account is resulting in advances as well, according to Imbert. “The ergonomics of the brush head, applicator tip or puff can guide the customers to make the right gesture, becoming a self-instructional make-up tool,” he noted. For example, a fine and precise tip for application of a dark eye shadow and a large tip for application and blending of a light eye shadow make it easy for the consumer to apply the product correctly.

Imbert added that the use of flexible and rubbery materials to ensure a better grip is one way applicators are changing. And, Alcan Packaging Techpack has created the first applicators with shock absorbers by adding a flexible section between the handle and ferrule. According to the company, this design variation can protect the product’s surface and improve application on the skin. The brushes are suited to every type of bulk but are especially recommended for pressed powders. Imbert explained, “The flexible brushes apply gentler pressure on the bulk than conventional applicators. This avoids putting a shine on the surface and damaging its mother-of-pearl and pigments, which would make skincare formulations less effective. On the skin, the flexible brushes deliver a lighter, more diffused and more even application for a naturally soft make-up finish.

Alcan Packaging Techpack’s Ring applicator is held between two fingers for precise control.

Building a Better Lip-Gloss Applicator
There is an on-going effort to improve lip-gloss applicators, according to Lou Della Pesca, president of 3C Inc., Hawthorne, NJ. “3C has Flexi tip, a new flexible doe foot applicator that, because it bends, can follow the shape of the lips better and more comfortably,” Della Pesca noted. “The stem doesn’t bend; there is flexibility where the doe foot meets the stem.”

CROWN Risdon has developed lipstick and lip gloss applicators that offer advantages, according to Stephen T. Pearlman, company president. Avon uses the company’s Trimline stock mechanism for its My Lip Miracle line. It is taller and slimmer than a traditional lipstick and shorter than the slim line lipstick. “It also has an air tight cap that goes to cleanliness of product (the cap doesn’t come off by accident) and integrity of product (it doesn’t dry out),” added Pearlman.

CROWN Risdon is also working to improve the doe foot-type applicator, having developed a new flocked tip for Avon’s Glazewear product that is denser/fatter to carry more product.

Cosmopak’s new, larger flow-through pens can be equipped with a shut-off valve.

New Flow-Through Pen Choices
Cosmopak, New York, NY, specializes in flow-through pens for color cosmetics, according to Walter Dwyer, company president. “The first generation dispensed product by twisting through a brush, then we added a doe foot end, then a plastic wedge with tiny holes. The system uses a piston that pushes the product out and is good for medium viscosity products including foundations,” Dwyer explained.

In the past 12 months, there’s been a lot of interest in oral care systems for which Cosmopak has supplied a push button applicator that puts the formula on the teeth.

New variations of Cosmopak’s flow-through pens include smaller and larger versions of the basic 2ml barrel. “The average size lip gloss holds 8ml, so the 2ml was too small. We have a 4ml package available that is esthetically pleasing and holds enough product to be appropriate. There is also a smaller 1ml version available,” he noted.

Dwyer said that the lack of a shut-off valve has been an issue with the pens as consumers had to experiment to find out how much twisting dispensed the right amount of product. Cosmopak has now developed a version with a shut-off valve that can dispense a specific amount of product, even a liquid ink precisely. “We are working on different applicator tips including a rubber tip,” he noted. Other recent innovations include a double-ended pen with a retractable pencil at one end and a bottle or wand at the other and a true side-push-button pen that can be used one handed. Dwyer stressed, “With a major launch this month, it’ll be great for lip gloss and concealer products. It gives much better control.”

A new automatic lip pen is also available from 3C. “It started out as a lip brush, but we’ve added a choice of multiple heads, including one with an angled tip that features dispensing holes,” Della Pesca noted.

Precision Application
“Successful make-up application means having the best formulations and the most effective tools for precise movements and flawless results,” stressed Imbert. “Alcan Packaging Techpack has developed new ergonomic applicators that free the hands to ensure comfortable use and accurate outlines.” Ring, for example, is held between just two fingers. The applicator’s flexible material and ergonomic shape make it extremely comfortable to use, according to the company.

Précis is a breakthrough applicator in make-up, according to Imbert. He explained, “This applicator fits onto the forefinger like a thimble, becoming a natural extension and providing maximum accuracy, as the hand is free to rest on the face for optimum stability. Thanks to its flexible material, “Précis” is highly comfortable and fits every finger.”

Both Précis and Ring are available with stock or custom applicator tips that can be chosen from the company’s very broad range of materials and shapes, depending on the specific application.

Dedo from Alcan Packaging Techpack is a mini-dispenser.	Alcan Packaging Techpack’s Powder Puff Pot features a built-in applicator.	Super Brush offers a variety of foam tip applicators.

When the Package Is the Applicator
Dedo from Alcan Packaging Techpack is a portable, stackable mini-dispenser that looks like a thimble and is designed for semi-liquid, fluid or gel bulks. Dedo fits onto the finger for a comfortable and fun new make-up gesture, in contact with the application area.

The company’s Powder Puff Pot is another in which the container is directly involved in efficient application. An all-in-one package, the powder is housed in the base and flows with precision through a custom-designed and patented system directly onto the puff for loose powder application with no mess. The Powder Puff Pot is refillable and can be equipped with a mirror built into the cover for added convenience, making it ideal for travel.

Alcan contributed to Secret Gold, Guerlain’s latest package for Terracotta, a powder for face and body. The company made the compact and a wide brush that is custom-designed to deliver the product’s glow. The cap is topped by a PE ring with a notch that makes it easy to snap on the brush. The brush handle is ABS with a metallic finish that is engraved with the brand logo and a new arabesque ring. The wide, concave tuft of goat’s hair is slightly hollowed out in the center for more generous application of powder.

Specialized Mascara Brushes
Geka-Toly USA Corp., Edison, NJ, has developed a host of innovative packaging concepts, including numerous applicator possibilities, according to Jerry Sapienza, company president. Known for smart packaging solutions, Geka-Toly offers numerous variations of mascara brushes and lip product applicators for the various formulas and consistencies of bulk as well as compacts and containers with clever design twists.

Foam-Tip Applicators Are Multi-Purpose
“Our newest applicators are dual purpose, incorporating either two different foam tips or a brush/foam tip combination,” said Peggy Wilson, director of sales of Qosmedix, Edgewood, NY. “They are excellent for multi-purpose packaging. Another new item is a terrific miniature vial with doe foot applicator, that is a great way to sample lip glosses, gels, fragrance, makeup and lotions,” Wilson added.

Qosmedix also offers: a slim lip applicator with the clear handle that fits most vials and bottles; an extra-thick bristled mascara wand that is value-priced; and point/flat oval swabs that are tightly wound for precise makeup application.

Super Brush, Chicopee, MA, began as a blush brush supplier in the mid-1950s, but has been focused on foam applicators since the 1990s, according to Ron Boring, marketing manager for the company.

“One time use, ’pre-loads’ are popular right now,” Boring said. “The marketer supplies the powder or formula and Super Brush embeds it into the foam applicator. These applicators are used for sampling or when there are sanitary concerns.”

Most of these foam applicators are polyurethane and are also used for spa treatments such as smoothing on self-tanners. All Super Brush manufacturing and development are done at the Chicopee location. “We even make the handles,” added Boring. “Most are standard, but because we make our own tools and mold the handles, we can customize them too.”

Puffs Slim Down
Topline, Wayne, NJ, is a major supplier of cotton velour puffs for cosmetics, according to Charles Chang, company president. “Traditionally, they were pretty basic, but now we are putting product, perfumed body powder for instance, inside the pad. We can make and fill all sizes, from small to palm-size,” Chang explained.

Topline has also developed a new flocked foam puff made of polyurethane foam that is very thin for use in compacts with tight headspace. Chang noted, “It is a good applicator for pressed powder and is becoming more popular, replacing velour puffs.”

A compact style that was in vogue years ago is back, with changes that make it a better choice, according to Chang. “Credit card compacts (size and shape of a credit card) were a fad about 15 years ago,” he said. “They were especially popular in Japan and with some of the major marketers, but they lost favor because they were so thin, they couldn’t hold enough product. They are coming back in a thicker form that is still sleek. It’s an improvement that provides portability and fashion as well as a practical amount of product.” These compacts will use a flocked foam puff or a brush applicator.

Yukilon Sponges from The Penthouse Group are anti-bacterial treated and available in custom sizes, textures, densities and colors.

Hi-Tech Sponges
“The story on applicators today is to find something different,” said Steve Ostrower, vice president sales and marketing for The Penthouse Group, Freeport, NY. “If you can’t get the product properly applied to the face, what have you accomplished? Applicators need to be durable, long lasting and able to evolve with changing trends in products,” he explained.

Penthouse has developed new polyurethane Yukilons (trademark sponges) that were specifically engineered for use with the newest water based products, according to Ostrower. “These applicators have anti-bac treatments that have established new standards throughout the cosmetic industry,” he added.

Ergonomics is also really important and is something that Penthouse considers. “Consumers face challenges as they age and an applicator needs to be adaptable to their needs,” Ostrower said, adding, “New ergonomic shapes that meet these needs (ie arthritis) are key. The consumer needs to get complete coverage no matter what her particular ‘handicap’ may be.”

Avon Astonishing Long & Rich Mascara is equipped with specialized brushes from CROWN Risdon.

Two-in-One Packs Double Applicator Use
The popularity of two-in-one color cosmetics has increased demand for specialized applicators too, according to CROWN Risdon’s Pearlman. Avon’s Astonishing Long & Rich product is a dual-ended package holding two formulas with two different applicators. Also from Avon, Astonishing Lengths Mascara features a new brush made with nylon bristles that are three times the width of a human hair. The brush has fewer bristles, but “It carries more product and has a better combing action,” noted Jerry Fagan, director of sales and marketing for color at CROWN Risdon.

Other variables that make a difference in mascara brushes are the length of the bristles and the secondary cut, or the final shape of the brush. “It all depends on the formula and what the marketer is looking to achieve,” Fagan said, adding, “Mascara brushes are custom for virtually every major launch.”

Watch for another variation soon—a brush for bottom lashes that is very thin and small, according to Fagan.

Anisa offers a variety of brush head shapes as well as molded handles in a range of colors.

Upgraded Brushes Deliver Luxury
Anisa International, a private label manufacturer of cosmetic brushes for a clientele that includes Avoa, Bath & Body Works, Elizabeth Arden, Mary Kay, Smashbox, Victoria’s Secret and many more, is the only American company with its own factory in China, according to Anisa Telwar Hunt, company president and founder.

Both customers and consumers are more savvy today and are looking for high quality brushes, according to Anisa, who has over 20 years experience in cosmetic brushes. “They understand that the applicator must work with the product, especially for luxurious loose powders,” she added, “The trend is to upgrade and be creative. Brands want to make a statement and part of that is to use different head shapes such as flat heads and double domes to be distinctive.”

There has been increased call from prestige brands for larger, high quality foundation brushes, according to Anisa. “It means that the brands are willing to educate the consumer as to how to use a brush and invest in providing a better brush with their products.”

Anisa is strictly a private label manufacturer; all of its products are custom made for a particular brand. Its brushes can be made of natural or synthetic materials or various blends of both, depending on the product to be applied, Anisa noted. The company supplies brushes from small, fine eyeliner brushes to large ’funky’ brushes for body powders. It has a new patented handle available that is a molded acrylic with a color core. “It makes a beautiful statement and adds more interest to the category,” Anisa emphasized.

“People should invest in good tools and know how to keep them clean,” Anisa stressed, adding, “For marketers, it’s the same advice. Quality is important for the long term. If a brush is going to be part of the line, make sure the factory is up to American standards. There are some brush factories in Mexico but virtually all the hair and the brush heads come from China, then the brushes are assembled in other countries.”

All brushes are not created equal, even if made from the same materials. “Shaping the head is very important. It is an art,” Anisa explained. “Anisa has some craftsmen working in its two-year-old factory that have 50 years of experience.