Features

HBA Global 2010: Business Is Back

New trends emerge at the beauty industry�s biggest show, as suppliers report high attendee interest.

10.21.10

New trends emerge at the beauty industry’s biggest show, as suppliers report high attendee interest.

By Jamie Matusow, Editor

More than 600 international industry suppliers and educational partners united at the 18th annual HBA Global Expo and Conference, held September 28-30, at Manhattan’s Jacob Javits Convention Center, to present their latest products, innovations and expertise. Exhibitors from around the world showcased raw materials and ingredients, packaging, private label capabilities and services. This year, HBA featured 150 new exhibitors, as well as returning flagship companies, including Arrowpak, which set up shop for its 17th year.

Wide Range of Sessions

Leading edge educational offerings included more than 50 sessions grouped according to vertical areas of interest: Trends Conference, Green Conference, Marketing and Technical Conference, and the new Global Perspectives Conference. Beauty and personal care experts included anthropologist Dr. Birute Mary Galdakis, Orangutan Foundation International; Susan Akkad, Estée Lauder; Carmen Bauza, Walmart; Dr. Liliana George, Estée Lauder; Paolo Giacomoni, Clinique; Nirav Mehta, Coty Beauty; Jason Harcup, Unilever; Howard Kreitzman, Bloomingdale’s; Peggy Lee, Maybelline; Ido Leffler, Yes To Carrots; Jenny Rushmore, P&G; Maria Sansotta, Tarte; Jill Tomandl, Stila Cosmetics; and Jasper van Brakel, Weleda.

For the first time at HBA and in North America, Organic Monitor presented natural cosmetics workshops. Mintel once again featured its Innovating Trends Showcase.
This year’s Trend Spot Theater featured live makeup demonstrations by Emmy-award winning celebrity makeup artist Eve Pearl. Aside from showing the latest trends in high-def cosmetics, of which she has developed an exclusive line, Pearl showed manufacturers exactly how customers use their products, so they could better understand the end goal of what they produce.

Inspiring Keynote Speakers

Pamela Baxter, president and CEO of LVMH Perfumes & Cosmetics North America, welcomed the crowd, telling of her rise to executive levels, from a modest start at the beauty counter in the ’70s (when, by the way, she pointed out, there was a raging recession going on), where she learned just what the customer wants. She went on to spend 25 years at The Estée Lauder Companies, working with brands including Aramis, Hilfiger, M-A-C, Aveda, La Mer and Jo Malone. She joined LVMH six years ago when she seized the opportunity to enter fashion after 30 years in beauty. She now handles the Dior brand from top to bottom. Her circuitous—and highly successful—path prompted her advice to the crowd: “If you want to be a cosmetics executive, get as many different experiences as you can.”

HBA Education Gets High Marks

Written by Steve Katz, Associate Editor

HBA Global 2010 was chock-full of educational opportunities. With a plethora of topics that ran the gamut from international growth and expansion to materials and design innovation to marketing and social media, there was truly something for everyone. With so much going on, the problem was trying to decide which programs to attend.

From Inspiration to Execution

Celebrity fragrances have never been more popular. And during the session “Trends in Celebrity Fragrance Packaging,” presented by Beauty Packaging magazine, the segment’s growth, as well as the packaging design process, was discussed in great detail by Nirav Mehta, director of Packaging Concept Development and Innovation, Coty Beauty.

The session began with a video montage of myriad celebrity and celebrity designer fragrances that Coty has brought to market. And the percentage of top-selling fragrances that are celebrity brands is staggering. For example, nine out of the top 10 launches this year are celebrity or celebrity designer brands.

Mehta then led the audience on the design journey—from “inspiration to execution.” The inspiration part of the process, Mehta said, includes capturing “the unique elements of a celebrity’s lifestyle and personal qualities.” And turning the concept into a reality involves 3D modeling and prototyping, and a review of the tooling development that will be needed for the project, followed by testing.

Mehta then engaged the audience with a “hands-on” presentation, detailing the packaging of some of the most successful celebrity fragrances he’s recently worked on. He focused first on McGraw by Tim McGraw, a huge mass market hit for Walmart. Mehta showed how the rope in the fragrance bottle’s cap was inspired by the rope that the singer wears in his trademark cowboy hat, and how the shoulder shape of the bottle was inspired by the brim of the hat. The bottle’s leather finish, Mehta said, was developed using a photochemical transfer process to etch the pattern and create a soft touch finish. And the guitar pick is embossed in the glass mold, an obvious reference to the singer’s guitar playing. The bottle was a 2009 FiFi winner for Best Packaging-Men’s Fragrance.

Mehta also discussed the inspirations behind fragrance packaging he developed for Halle Berry, Beyonce and Faith Hill.

Intentionally Provocative

Nica Lewis, director of consulting for Mintel Beauty Innovation—and a member of Beauty Packaging’s Board of Advisors—was “intentionally provocative,” as she began the session titled “Design Innovations: Working Magic With New Materials.” She stated her strong feelings toward the world’s dwindling supply of oil, and added that it’s been estimated that it will run out in 30 years. “As lovely as beauty products are, we have to take this very seriously,” she said, and then offered three ideas for exploration: new products, new materials (that are sustainable) and new concepts to reduce waste.

Lewis emphasized the trend toward the use of tactile elements in packaging, but asked, “What can we use that’s tactile, but also natural?” One answer to this is wood, and Lewis cited a recent limited edition bamboo case from Edun as a great example. And among new materials with green potential, she talked about tree-free materials and, in particular, PLA usage for cosmetic packaging.

Next, Lewis highlighted new concepts to reduce waste. She reminded the audience that she was being “intentionally provocative” in this session, as she discussed the potential benefits of hybrid, cross-category products, referring to skin care plus cosmetics products, for example. Other new concepts she discussed were flexible, stand-up pouches, and refillable and reusable packaging.

Andrew Dent, VP of materials research for Material ConneXion, spoke candidly about the new materials, or perhaps the lack thereof. “There aren’t that many new things,” he said, adding, “but it’s how you use what we already have.” Dent said promoting your products is of paramount importance. “You can have the best material in the world, but it’s all about how you market it,” he said. He also suggested that beauty packaging designers look to other industries for ideas, as there are more than 5,000 commercially available materials, and “it’s okay to borrow from other industries. Look around, and you will get inspiration,” he said.

Tips From Winners

During the session titled “20 Tips on Design from Past IDPA Award Winners,” attendees were treated to an opportunity to hear firsthand the thought processes and design strategies that have gone into winning packaging. The three panelists, all from leading packaging and design firms, answered specific questions following their presentations, and those in attendance left with some valuable tips to apply to current and future projects.

Russ Napolitano, VP business development and brand strategy for Wallace Church, gave an in-depth overview of the design of the RGX body spray. “Male body spray was a growing category, and going into it we knew were going to be behind Tag and Axe.” Targeting the 16-25 year old demographic, Napolitano said one of the challenges was moving away from Right Guard, because “Dad was using that,” he said. “The lugnut look that we used appealed to our target audience, as did the brushed metal, which has a ‘techno’ look. We wanted to understand the conceptual hierarchy, which we determined to be colors, shape, numbers and words. Customers loved the new icon, and the very few words that we used implied simplicity and being fresh.”

“Innovation is a real dark art,” said Rebecca Goswell, creative director, HCT Packaging. She discussed sustainable innovation, which, she said, is “not just innovation for the sake of it. It must encourage consumers to repurchase.” She also suggested taking ideas from other markets, and implores her design team to “be a sponge” when working on a project and to think about social issues and the economy.

Maesa Group’s Scott Oshry discussed the recent challenges he’s faced in designing a new product line for Payless ShoeSource. “We decided that we needed to play off the mindset of the customer,” he said. With that said, he described how Maesa developed items like hand sanitizer and nail polish—SKUs that go with shoes and handbags, the company’s signature products.

For more on this year’s HBA Global sessions, please go to www.beautypackaging.com.

Baxter stressed the importance of a cross-functional capacity. “Learn about marketing, sales, finance, a lot about HR,” she recommended. Her style: “Once in an executive management position, find the best talent you can, let them flourish—and above all, be passionate about what you do.”She added, “Beauty is one of the most passionate businesses there is.”

For those looking to rise to the top of the corporate ladder, Baxter recommended that they find a mentor “either in your own company or in another.”

When hiring, she says she looks for three qualities: passion, not afraid to take risks and flexibility.

In the new world economy, Baxter stressed the need to look at customers as global consumers.

Following Baxter’s motivating speech, supermodel Christie Brinkley, known for her fabulous smile, was presented with HBA Global’s 2nd annual Positively Beautiful award for her work with The Smile Train (www.smiletrain.org), an organization dedicated to providing free cleft surgery for millions of poor children in developing countries and free cleft-related surgery training for medical professionals. Brian Mullaney, founder of the group, explained that this devastating and disfiguring malady can be corrected by a simple surgery that takes just 45 minutes and costs just $250. The Positively Beautiful Award was established by HBA Global to annually recognize a celebrity who uses their name and talents to further a cause that supports inner beauty and self-esteem building.

Emerging Trends on the Show Floor

As Beauty Packaging’s publisher, Jay Gorga, and I toured the show floor, most exhibitors that we spoke with said they were experiencing a great show and that business was good—with qualified attendees looking to purchase. They also observed that “Everyone’s looking for new and different,” and so their most innovative items were garnering the most attention.

Particular trends noted included texture and 3D color; decorative labeling techniques; dispenser “families;” eco-friendly alternatives; flexible packaging; and advances in brushes.

Textural Appeal

Eye-popping color cosmetics and packaging that incorporated everything from brilliant jewels and shiny metallics to earthy raffia and grainy paperboard splashed across the Expo booths, providing an emphasis on decorative dimension.

John Rebecchi, senior vice president, Disc, explained that textures bring value to packaging. “Everyone wants to differentiate their product on shelf,” he said, “and ‘touch equity’ (our new favorite term) is becoming a keystone for what they’re doing. Not only does it catch the consumer’s eye, but they don’t want to put it down.” Rebecchi mentioned various trends in this area, including using the uncoated paper surface for the outside of a carton. He also noted the growing interest in “soft touch” packaging.

The soft touch tubes at Viva Healthcare Packaging underlined the tactile trend. Alfred Choi told us that the softness of the tubes can actually be adjusted to accommodate customer preferences. And the vibrantly colored tubes displayed at Viva’s booth have other visual and cost-effective features as well. Rather than using the traditional extrusion process, Viva’s tubes are injection-molded with in-mold labels. They print on the label first, then the injection molding is done all in one step. What’s more, the tube, printing and closure are all made from the same PP material—so the entire package can be recycled.

At World Wide Packaging, 3D popped on a number of cosmetics components. Many finishing processes were on display, such as a dipped process, which offers a gradated look. A new crinkle-finish, a spray process applied over plastic or metal, added dimension. Innovative digital printing of an image on a flat surface, such as a compact lid took on new depths as lifelike portraits and effects that resembled a spinning disc. Jeweled compacts gleamed and purchasers’ eyes shone when they learned of the economically priced production.

Perhaps nowhere on the floor was the 3D message more prominent than at Topline’s booth, where visitors were welcomed with a pair of 3D glasses to not only view the posters that jumped out at you from the wall, but to emphasize the company’s enviable success in developing multidimensional, textural color palettes in vivid hues that look like mini pieces of artwork. From bows and knots to florals and abstracts, gradient effects with no dividing lines in the fill, and the availability of mineral, organic or vegan fill, the 3D options for lips, face and eyes seemed endless. In addition, packages can be created to match the fill.

Topline puts an emphasis on 3D color.

“Everyone’s desperate to be different,” commented Topline’s VP product development, Bill Hagan. “Our products are like a Chinese menu; you can mix and match as you please.”

Recently Topline added dimension in a new way, now providing coordinated bags for gift with purchase and value-added promotions, as well as for creating brand recognition.

Swan de Mexico, which also displayed a number of innovative 3D color cosmetic designs for 2012, also stressed the importance of offering a complete range of services, but in a different way. According to Swan’s Joel Rosas, “Consumers are not looking for just a cosmetic anymore—they want an active ingredient as well.”

Swan was exhibiting its new swirl technology, in which new filling capabilities can combine up to three active ingredients into each formula—creating a double- or triple-duty cosmetic and treatment such as an exfoliant, a cleanser and an anti-aging treatment.

Badger introduced “Flash Color” for brighter, more vivid color, with a pearlescent quality.

Pearlescent color provided dimension at Badger Color, where Eileen Linek showed us the company’s new “Flash Color.” Badger developed new 3D molds so customers “can really see the opacity of mascara tubes, etc., instead of just relying on flat chips; they can even fill the tubes with the actual product.”

Sometimes the absence of color in secondary packaging works to a brand’s advantage, allowing the consumer to make an emotional contact with the primary package held within. That’s part of the appeal of HLP Klearfold, where Patrick McGee, director of marketing, showed us the plastic folding carton that the company views as having a lot of potential. HLP bought the Klearfold brand name from MWV. McGee said the design has a higher image than traditional clamshell packaging, and also includes a twist-off cap feature. HLP can provide all printing services, as well as a variety of plastics and content.

Decorative Labeling Techniques

Creative multidimensional effects can be made possible through labeling techniques, too. These advances especially enhance bottles that are uniquely shaped.

Kaufman Container has added two new decorating options to its capabilities, which include roll stamping as well as a steam tunnel for heat shrink labeling. Roll stamping is an alternative to hot stamping, and can encompass a variety of foils to enhance the container or closure depending on the look the customer is trying to achieve. It is also a more cost-effective option and has 360-degree graphic capabilities, even allowing the closure to be decorated. The company’s new steam tunnel shrink labeling option enables the customer to standardize their package choice and provide a variety of label graphic options depending on the product or brand being marketed. The advantages of using heat-shrink labeling include the ability to label over compound curves, to decorate very uniquely shaped bottles, and to offer 360-degree display area with graphic interest. Kaufman says it is able to label virtually any material—including plastic, glass, and metal—and the product can be filled or unfilled on the line.

Avery Dennison, a newcomer to this year’s HBA expo, featured its new breakthrough in label application. A spokesman for the company said the new technology frees package designers to create more distinctive packaging shapes to catch and hold consumers’ eyes as they choose products from crowded store shelves.

Curve Appeal is a patent-pending system encompassing special Fasson Curvy film labels that work together in a machine application process to label complex curved surfaces. The new film label combines a wraparound look with the shelf appeal of pressure-sensitive graphics. It creates up to 30% more space for primary labeling than current flat surfaces and, because it reduces the need for two-ply label constructions, enables larger back panels to carry more product or multi-language information.

Focus on Families

Fusion’s airless Reveal line was designed to alert the consumer to buy more of a product she loves before she runs out.

Fusion, which won the HBA IPDA, Skin Care Prestige, for Arbonne’s line, specializes in airless collections, with families from 15-50ml. Reveal was their big launch for the show. The PP bottle features an aluminum actuator/collar and a PETG overcap. Available in 15-, 30-, and 50ml, Fusion says it’s the first airless pump with a clear window for viewing product volume—thus alerting the consumer to buy more of a product she loves before she runs out. One focus of the company for next year: minis to jumbos—from 7- to 120ml.

Mega Pumps recently teamed with two partners to enhance its families of airless dispensers. Alex Silberstein, regional sales manager, showed us several new lines. A new airless bottle featured an aluminum overshell, in a gloss or brushed finish provided by Seidel. It’s available in 15-, 30- and 50ml.

A second line, with Micro and Mezzo families, was created in collaboration with Louvrette, and features a SAN overshell.

Alpha Packaging also puts a strong emphasis on families. In front of a dramatic booth graphic of a metropolitan skyline comprised of bottles available from the company, marketing manager Marny Bielefeldt told us how the company is focusing on producing full families of bottles, which are also available in recycled content. Its new HDPE Cylinders in three sizes and two neck options, drew lots of interest. Ideal for personal care, and available in stock in white and natural, they can also be custom colored for a 50,000-piece minimum. Recycled HDPE is also available.

Eco-Friendly

Alpha was not alone in offering eco-friendly packaging options, but one company aimed to get rid of a large amount of paper packaging altogether.

One Source Industries produces NatureStone, limestone-paperless packaging that’s extruded in sheet form for bags and cartons. An alternative to paper and plastic for displays, bags and boxes, it prints and is treated like traditional papers. It is 100% free of wood fiber materials and water consumption.

Putting the reins on water consumption was also the idea at Diamond Wipes, where their corporate motto was “Blue is the new green.” The company’s products include makeup remover wipes, nail polish remover pads, lotion, shampoo, hand sanitizing wipes, personal hygiene wipes, and multipurpose cleaning wipes—all of which cut back on water usage. Packaging options include single-use packets, pouches, tubs, jars, and canisters. Its line of La Fresh biodegradable wipes serves purposes from removing nail polish and makeup to applying body lotion.

Flexibility Counts

As Pamela Baxter said in her keynote, flexibility counts for a lot in the beauty world, and on the show floor, that was evident in packaging options as well as executive management qualities.

At Celeste Health & Beauty, which specializes in turnkey packaging, Dominick Montano told us how they’ve gone beyond just sampling, providing retail packaging, single-use packaging, contract packaging and limited use options.

Amcor’s stand-up pouches are designed with high-burst strength.

Amcor Flexibles featured a number of innovative flexible packages. The TearStick is a single-use packaging solution offering an easy tear opening and convenient dispensing directly from the pack. It is suitable for a wide range of personal care retail, product sampling and promotional applications in cream, gel, liquid, powder or crystal formats. Amcor also specializes in laminates for peel open pouches, packettes and lidding for personal care and sampling—illustrated with its Peel Open Packs.

Karen Reagan, commercial business manager, U.S. home and personal care, said Amcor is seeing a strong migration to flexible packaging from rigid packaging. Adhesive laminations for stand-up pouches offer shelf presence and lower cost versus rigid containers, she explained. Amcor’s stand-up pouches are designed with high-burst strength and high seal integrity to withstand multiple sealing, as required to create the stand-up feature.

Brushes of a Different Color

Brushes were applicators of interest at this year’s show, as the conversation about natural versus synthetic continues.

Anisa takes a middle-of-the road approach, noting the benefits of each. Its patent pending dual-sided brush contains both natural and synthetic hairs—so users can take advantage of the distinct qualities of each. Different earthy shades, from mauves to browns distinguish the hairs to get the message across right away. The dual-sided brush is available in three different sizes. Also of interest: a stackable magnetic brush holder with five brushes.

At Kanseido, a 60-year old Japanese brush manufacturer that claims to produce more brushes in Japan than anyone else, they explained their manufacturing technique in which they can actually make each strand of a synthetic, nylon brush a different length to simulate animal hair, thanks to their special Snowflake cut, which provides a wavy cut to allow all different lengths. Available in various sizes, shapes and colors, the brushes are manufactured in Thailand.

3C showcased a brush of a different type—a nail polish brush with an airtight cap so it won’t leak in the consumer’s purse. The brush is part of 3C’s line of automatic click pens, which now includes 14 different heads to choose from, with pushbutton or twist options. Also on display was the company’s innovative plastic sifter container for loose powder; a sifter with an adjustable cover locks to protect and seal powder in the plastic jar.

Expert Show Barometer

The Arrowpak/Baralan crew celebrates its 17th year at HBA.

Nail polish packaging was also a popular draw at Arrowpak/Baralan, an exhibitor at HBA Global Expo for 17 years, and therefore, an expert barometer of the industry as well as the show. Jim Slowey, VP sales, told us: “ It has been a good couple of days—we’ll see some good results. He added, “We’ve had major customers—people interested in buying.” He reported that there was a lot of interest in the mass/masstige skin care market, adding that “the higher end hasn’t returned yet.”

Both Slowey and Roland Baranes, owner of parent company Baralan, spoke about a feeling of cautious optimism that still runs strong in the industry. “It’s more cautious in the U.S. than in Europe,” added Baranes.

Slowey said that one of Arrowpak’s specialties, nail polish packaging, is still “hot,” and that the company is now working on mascara packaging in glass. In fact, he said, soon to be released will be “an all-around the body line with rollerball, dropper and mascara for the masstige market.”

Next year, HBA will be held June 28-30.