06.10.09
Apply in Style
As consumers become savvier than ever about makeup trends, cosmetic applicators have evolved to create a multitude of looks and finishes.
By Lindsay Elkins, Contributing Writer
Beauty and fashion trendsetter Coco Chanel once famously said, “Wear makeup. It’s so conceited not to.” While a touch of blush, lipgloss and mascara can enhance a woman’s beauty, if makeup is applied with the wrong applicator, the effect can be less than aesthetically pleasing.
According to Steve Ostrower, vice president, sales and marketing, The Penthouse Group, based in Freeport, NY, a cosmetic applicator is an integral component to the success of a makeup product.
“Formula has and continues to break new ground with technology and performance; however these products cannot deliver the result without the proper applicator.” Ostrower says that applicators should provide perfect pickup and payoff of the color product and should also be long-lasting, safe, visually appealing and provide brand identity.
Fortunately for brand marketers, the days of basic sponge-tipped eyeshadow applicators, tiny, sparse blush brushes and one-size-fits-all mascara wands are a thing of the past. “We have a much wider range of options using synthetic fibers/hair with better prices than were possible only a few years ago,” says James Perry, executive vice president, chief operating officer, Eluci International, East Rutherford, NJ.
With the information age in full swing and the emergence of blogs, social media sites such as Twitter and the answer to any question available at the click of a mouse, consumers are well-versed when it comes to learning the basics of using cosmetic applicators properly and what to look for in an effective tool.
“Consumers are becoming savvier than ever when it comes to application of foundation, blush and eyeshadow, and they understand that they need the proper tools,” explains Leslie Houck, marketing manager for Anisa International, Atlanta, GA. “There has been a real evolution and a dynamic change in applicators because women are now very aware of their products and tools associated with them.”
Bat Those Lashes
While consumers may not be able to quickly distinguish the difference between blush brushes, one area of the cosmetic sector where the difference in applicators is visible is the mascara category. Mascara has been the one bright spot in the U.S. cosmetics industry’s lackluster sales. While prestige makeup industry sales fell 4% from year-earlier levels to $251 million, sales of prestige mascara rose 4% to $22 million, according to market research firm The NPD Group.
Since the launch of makeup artist favorite mascara Great Lash, Maybelline continues to be a driving force in the mascara category with the recent introduction of Lash Stiletto, a mascara that promises to make lashes look a mile long with a black patent shine, in the same way that a killer pair of stiletto heels aims to lengthen legs. Lash Stiletto, which rolled out in food, drug and mass outlets in January, features a Grip and Extend Brush with crisscross bristles to grasp each lash and coat from every angle, according to the company. The brush is a shade of vibrant red, keeping in line with the outer packaging that is meant to resemble a stiletto heel.
| World Wide Packaging created an applicator with a flexible texture and curved surface to ensure comfort and ease of use when applying lipgloss. |
Givenchy’s Phenomen’Eyes brush may look like something out of a sci-fi movie, but according to the company, it is ideal for high-precision application. The spherical brush is comprised of an elastomer that helps it glide over lashes for a precise application and lashes that are separated without clumping. Carefully distributed bristles offer well-controlled application of the product and ideal separation of the lashes, sans clumps. The unconventional rounded shape aims to create a full fan of lashes by allowing the freedom of 360° movement as opposed to the traditional “coat the lash and wiggle from root to tip” application.
Pucker Up
While many lipglosses come in pot form, where the consumer has to dip their finger in, scoop out the gloss and apply it to their lips, Sally Hansen found that most consumers actually prefer an applicator to gloss their pout. They enlisted World Wide Packaging to design an application concept for their new Comfort Shine Lip Glaze.
World Wide Packaging created an innovative contoured applicator tip with TPE resin to give it a flexible, rubbery texture. The curved surface of the Comfort Shine Lip Glaze applicator makes the application of lipgloss more comfortable and user-friendly, with special grooves on the sides designed to enhance flexibility. Although it was a challenge according to World Wide Packaging, the company was able to design a snap on the membrane in the jar to hold the applicator in an upright position, while still having the flexibility to reach every last bit of product in the jar.
Alcan Packaging Beauty recently debuted a new generation of innovative applicator tubes with Artist Brush, which was chosen by Sephora for its new Nectar Shine lipgloss. In a pencil format with a soft, precise brush, the Artist Brush features an on/off automatic valve that cuts off flow in the brush when the cap is screwed on, ensuring consumers never open their purse to find that a sticky mess leaked out of their lipgloss tube.
Twice as Nice
Dual-ended applicators are still king with the on-the-go consumer, or for those who aren’t quite sure how to match their liner to their lipstick. Capitalizing on this longstanding trend, nourishing cosmetics brand Tarte added a new summery shade dubbed Sandstone, a matte nude cream and shimmery bone powder to its portfolio of Lock & Roll Creaseless Eyeshadow duos, dual-ended sticks with a non-budging vitamin E enriched cream eyeshadow on one side and matching mineral-based loose powder shadow on the other.
| Alcan Packaging’s Artist Brush features an on/off automatic valve to prevent leaks. |
Fashion designer and perfumer power player Vera Wang piggybacked off the success of her 2006 Princess fragrance to launch Princess Perfect Pair, a lipgloss and fragrance duo. The dual-ended stick is portable and mess-free with the perfume applied with a rollerball for on-the-go application and the lipgloss applied with a sponge-tipped applicator so fingers stay clean.
Back to Basics
Mineral makeup has officially spilled into every category—from prestige to mass—and according to The Penthouse Group’s Ostrower, mineral makeup has returned applicators to their roots.
“Years ago when the dusting bath powder market emerged, dusting powder was applied with a large, fluffy and often natural hair applicator. Today’s mineral makeups also require the same type of applicator, be they natural hair brushes, as well as today’s fluffy acrylic puffs.”
Ostrower says that these types of applicators are the only ones that can achieve the sheer, luminous and weightless application that mineral makeup is meant to deliver.
According to Eluci International’s Perry, many of the new natural and mineral makeup products use a micro-fine powder, which doesn’t always work with traditional applicators in the same way that conventional, larger-sized particle powders do. “This makes the use of cheaper, coarser hair much less satisfactory in performance. We recommend a finer quality hair for brushes and higher density puff and sponge materials when working with mineral powders.”
World Wide’s Catino says the fullness of the brush, density of the hair and the kind of hair used to make the brush are all important factors to consider when choosing the right applicator to apply mineral makeup. “All these factors determine how well the powder goes on.”
Clean Sweep
Caring for brushes and applicators can be tedious, but makeup artists and dermatologists recommend washing applicators weekly. Many consumers tend to let this step slide, which can cause brushes and applicators to become a breeding ground for bacteria, which is detrimental to both the consumer and the applicator.
| Tarte’s small-tipped brush applicator provides a sheer wash of color, while a loose mineral powder is applied via rollerball for a mess-free finish. |
“We have produced a patented antimicrobial treatment of natural hair for several years now and recently we began adding antimicrobial protection into our injection-molded parts,” says Eluci’s Perry. “Ultimately, our goal is to allow antimicrobial protection of our customer’s formula through the applicator and package, allowing the creation of safe, gentle, preservative-free formulas in makeup and skin care.”
Anisa International’s Houck also sees a trend toward not only keeping tools clean and cutting down on the spread of bacteria, but also multifunctional and retractable applicators. “We see more people who are learning to use brushes properly and becoming more comfortable with their tools.”
To keep up with consumer demand, Anisa International offers a dual-ended magnetic set that features six removable brush heads for easy cleaning and convenient travel. “This gives consumers maximum usability, great quality and simplicity,” notes Houck.
Anisa International has even taken cosmetic application one step further to launch a 5-Step-Skincare Brush System, a brush set consisting of brushes that aid in the application of cleanser, exfoliant, moisturizer, eye cream and blemish treatments. “Skin care brushes promote a more precise application, which cuts down on product waste and eliminates bacteria transmission that is common when using fingers for delicate skin application,” explains Houck.
On the Horizon
According to several suppliers that spoke to Beauty Packaging, the next big trend will be application tools integrated with the package, which can be seen in Revlon’s new Age Defying Spa Foundation, a squeezable tube with a smooth, flat brush built in.
| Multifunctional tools, such as this dual-ended magnetic set with six removable brush heads, from Anisa International, offer consumers cleaning and travel ease. |
Eluci International offers a broad range of liquid dispensing products in the form of tubes, pushbutton, reverse piston and 90-degree twist. “Our flow-through packages for both liquid and powder formulas provide the consumer with intuitive function and convenience,” says Eluci’s Perry, who cites integrated application tools as by far the biggest trend of the moment.
World Wide Packaging’s Catino agrees that sleek, modern looking applicators are the latest design direction. “The latest applicators will also improve product performance by helping product adhere better and release the correct amount of product.”
According to Alkos Cosmetiques’ Flori Schwaller, to answer the demands for more innovation from customers, the company has teamed with designers to develop pencil items that do the trick with a different applicator. “We believe consumers want a product that is efficient and easy to use, store and especially, use on the go.”
Recent add-ons Alkos has developed include a smudger to help blend eyeliner and an eyebrow marker with a mini comb applicator for a natural look.
According to The Penthouse Group’s Ostrower, today’s product developers aren’t satisfied with the same old sponge or puff material.
The Penthouse Group’s new patent pending Silicone Applicator hit the street earlier this year and has provided the biggest wow factor for the company, according to Ostrower. The Silicone Applicators are comprised of a new, skin-like texture that enables complete and flawless coverage without the typical pull or drag of other materials. The applicator can be used in a wide array of products ranging from lip to eye to face. “The sky is truly the limit,” says Ostrower.
An interesting application tool not only communicates value and a desire for the consumer to purchase, but influences loyalty and repeat purchase. A consumer may not realize right away if the product they just purchased will deliver on its claims, but they will know upon first application whether the applicator itself will create the desired cosmetic effect. “The application tool is one of the least expensive ways for a brand to set itself apart from the competition,” says Eluci International’s Perry.
