Features

MakeUp in Paris Exhibits at The Louvre

MakeUp in Paris attracted thousands from the global beauty industry with a curated selection of cosmetic suppliers featuring innovative products from packaging to powders.

Jamie Matusow, Editor07.29.13

The Red Parade assembles for its sweep through the aisles.

When show co-director Jean-Yves Bourgeois described the MakeUp in Paris show as “a perfect cocktail,” he was not just referring to the colorful fresh juice bars that flanked the perimeter of the fourth edition of the trade show highlighting the color cosmetics industry. He told Beauty Packaging that it was how all the components blended together: the specialized suppliers, the qualified attendees from high-end beauty brands, the venerable venue, the creative excitement—as well as the “reasonable costs associated with the show.” The state of the market also added to the successful blend. “Makeup is going even better than perfume—especially in Europe,” said Bourgeois.

And indeed, the mix at the Carrousel du Louvre, on the lower level of the famed museum, proved highly satisfying as 90 exhibitors, along with a dozen well-attended conferences, roundtables, presentations and workshops, combined for two days (June 20-21) filled with client meetings, demonstrations and education. Adding to the fun—and providing a look at the level that makeup artistry has reached—were twice-daily spectacular parades through the aisles featuring models decorated in eye-popping cosmetics and costumes. More than 60 students from three makeup schools participated along with independent makeup artists.

Sandra Maguarian, co-director of the MakeUp in… shows, told Beauty Packaging that the show works well with“a good balance between packaging and formulation.” She said this 4th edition had tripled in size since the beginning, and now also includes more exhibitors from Korea. This year, Maguarian noted that two new countries were represented, with manufacturers from Japan and Spain. Also new this year, said Maguarian, was a floor plan marked with 22 innovations for viewing creative products on-site.

Global Attendees

Attendance this year was up 18% over 2012, with more than 2,500 professionals gathering to survey the latest achievements in areas of formulation, packaging and makeup accessories; this year a special area with ingredients suppliers was also added. According to show organizers, marketing and R&D managers accounted for more than half of the show’s visitors. The number of foreign visitors rose 110% with a surge in attendees from Italy, South Korea, Japan and Germany.

First Impressions

Colorful packaging continues to match the intensity of the brilliant cosmetics contained within, and bursts of fluorescent color punctuated the inventory shown, highlighting products from sponges and applicators to nail polish and cosmetic cases. Some sponges were even dead ringers for macarons, the colorful and delicious French meringue-based cookies. Luxurious embellishments were also in supply from elegant brush handles to highly polished caps. The trend toward metallics and metallized components was evident throughout the show floor. Quite a few innovations were introduced, including new forms in samplers and dispensers, as well as advances in decorating techniques. And the alphabet formulations continued with DD and EE coming on the scene.

A collection from Libo Cosmetics featured rose gold-colored compacts with a lace silkscreen design.

Luxe Embellishments

At Pennellifaro SRL, brush handles stole the spotlight. This third-time MakeUp in Paris exhibitor manufactures primarily private label synthetic and natural brushes, with 100% production in Italy. Applicators dazzled with handles made of polished wood, Murano glass, sterling, crystals and jewels. Customers need just add a logo for a personalized premium line.

Stones were also glinting at Libo Cosmetics, especially with its Diamond Series of compacts and lipsticks. The company, with sales offices in New Jersey, produces components for mass, masstige and prestige brands, and does its own metallizing and anodizing in-house in factories in China and Taiwan. One beautiful collection that illustrated the company’s techniques featured rose gold-colored compacts with a lace silkscreen design. Among the company’s many packaging options on display was a ring that pops open with a mirror inside and a small well for solid fragrance or cosmetics.

HCP recognized the allure of metal, and created a new range of round, stock packaging for eye shadow, blush and pressed powder, known as Magnum. The compacts feature a magnetic opening system and a mirror. Jackie Mantle, president UK, says, “We think metal will be key for the future in masstige and prestige.” HCP had a wide variety of stock packaging lines on display, but also offers lots of custom items, and provides finishing across all categories. Mantle says the company follows trends in shapes, etc., and then creates graphics that go with the trend through techniques including silkscreen, gradient spray and milky metallization.

Environmentally Responsible

OekaBeauty’s new stainless steel caps were also taking a shine with attendees at the show. Not only are they beautiful and sleek—they’re environmentally responsible, too. Frank Bierkandt, director sales, marketing and innovation, told Beauty Packaging that they’re now offering the stainless steel caps as an alternative to anodized aluminum as they’re more substantial—about three times the weight (so no heft needs to be added)—and the material can be brushed, lacquered, sandblasted and colored. Another new item at OekaBeauty was its Click ’n’ Go line, in which two different products (lipgloss and mascara, for instance) can be combined on one connector—and selected by the consumer at the point of sale. Three shape options are available for the bottles, and all can be decorated for further customization.

Beautiful caps at Technicaps Luxury Closures were available for makeup or fragrance applications. Not only were they organic looking, the thermoset Bakelite material used is derived from cellulose, so it’s renewable, too. The closures are designed to fit on glass or plastic jars and bottles.

Leoplast’s componentry can also be good for the Earth. The company perhaps best known for producing Cargo’s Plant Love lipstick case, featured its Cosmos pack, which is an Eccocert approved 100% PP lipstick case that’s described as eco-friendly, cost effective and heat resistant. It’s available with transfer foil, hot stamping offset, silkscreen and other decorative techniques. Leoplast’s biodegradable corn-based PLA packaging boasts renewable, compostable and food grade as its attributes, and is available for cases for lipstick, eye shadow, pressed powder and mascara. The company also offers cellulose acetate packaging and a complete FSC–designated cardboard range.

Bioplan’s snappable blister makes on-the go nail polishing easier than ever.

Sampling Kits

Sampling expert Livcer was on hand to describe the 120 sampling kits they offer for customers to choose from, for products including color cosmetics, skin care and lip care.

Bioplan combined sampling with the ever-evolving nail category via an innovative nail varnish sample, which can also be sold as a single-use pack. With its integrated applicator, the sample designed by Bioplan is ready for an immediate and complete nail varnish session. The transparent shell, snappable blister, releases a brush and contains the required amount for applying nail polish to hands and feet—enough for 23 nails, in fact, leaving room for a do-over or three. Mess-free, on-the go polishing now becomes easier than ever.

A joint development between Aptar Beauty & Home and Bioplan brings Cosm’in—a multi-use thermoformed sachet packette that can be bound into a magazine. Users can open the plastic top and press; then reseal for another application—or share with a friend.

Baralan International displayed a “double barrel” nail polish bottle with a single over cap.

Bottles and Jars

A full-sized nail polish bottle that caught my attention was on display at Baralan International. It was a “double barrel” nail polish bottle with a single over cap. Each bottle had a single piece with a brush, and the over cap “tied” both together for a perfect twin set. The concept can also be used for other size bottles and categories. The double cubic was also a cool design for nail products. And several families of bottles were available for products from nail polish to body care.

Yoshida is a 60-year old packaging company, which manager Shohei Yasunaga told Beauty Packaging, grew up with Shiseido. He said the company’s bottles, jars and tubes “are strong in the Japanese domestic market as well as with key global players.” The company displayed its innovative technology in which an inner PP bottle is decorated and overmolded with Surlyn. The bottles, said Yasunaga, are good for high-end skin care, and are now being introduced as a standard line. An advantage: Since there’s never any decorating on the outside of the bottle, it can’t rub off.

Decorative Techniques

Decorative techniques continue to advance as a way to add glam and glitz to both custom and stock packaging—and to make brands stand out on shelf and at counter.

SGD was highlighting several of its decorative techniques used to enhance glass jars and bottles. The glass can be printed with QR codes

SGD introduced its Color Stream technology.

in a variety of colors to then link to websites for additional information. SGD was also introducing its Color Stream technology. Erwan Pian-Rouzard, marketing project manager, explained that this is based on makeup technology—mixing eye shadow pigment base with lacquer to create a color stream. An opaque look can create optical illusions. SGD also offered a double layer bottle: glass coated with a plastic solution for extra protection—and no leakage, making it “travel-proof.”

Full Service

Topline Products was drawing attendees looking at a vast variety of components from sponges and brushes to mascara and travel palettes. Sandra Hutson, sales and marketing director, Topline Products, told Beauty Packaging that they’re doing lots of turnkey in color cosmetics, and that metallics are also a trend. A new version of Lancôme’s Magic Voyage traveler’s makeup case, Magic Voyage in Love, features two palette levels: the case’s upper level tray contains six pressed powder eye shadows and two applicators; the bottom level slides out to unveil three lipglosses. The case also features a luxurious magnetic closure and includes a mirror. “It’s all about sliding these days,” said Hutson. She also pointed out the amazing textures on sponges and brushes that Topline had on display.

Magic Voyage in Love, from Topline, features two palette levels.

Geka introduced its brand-new lashBAR—developed with two-time Oscar winning makeup artist Michele Burke—which consists of two different mascara sets: Classic and Special. Pilar González Gómez, VP marketing, Geka Group, also spoke at a well-attended session at MakeUp in Paris regarding the technical challenges of producing mascara, and the importance of considering the whole product development and production phase.

Dispensing Systems

At Crystal International, Dede Yoder, director of business development, showed Beauty Packaging what she called “a new dispensing system” that can customize/adjust shade of various products including lipstick, eye shadow and concealer, according to seven different mixing ratios. Different mixing ratios are available in airless and non-airless packages. Down the line, said Yoder, will be refillable models, in which you can pull off the empty cartridges—and even a version for fragrance, in which consumers can mix and match two scents from 100% of one to 100% of the other.

Formulations by the Letter

ABC Texture, from Dinard in the Bretagne region of France, exhibited different textures for lipstick, gloss, primer and foundation. They had it covered for eye, lip and face—including their new Energy Enhancer (EE) formula developed to “energize skin.”

A “Day Defense” (DD) formulation promises to guard against pollution and wrinkles.

Next for MakeUp in…

The next edition of MakeUp in Paris will be held June 12-13, 2014.

But in the meantime, across the pond, MakeUp in NY will take place for the third time this fall, September 25-26, at a new venue with increased space: The Center 548, at 548 West 22nd Street in Manhattan. MakeUp in…’s Maguarian reported that the well-received event has doubled the number of exhibitors to about 67 for this highly anticipated sold-out edition, in which the organizers also have cooperative agreements with CIBS and CEW.

Beauty Packaging’s editor Jamie Matusow will be moderating one of the roundtables scheduled for MakeUp in NY on Wednesday, September 25th, as part of the show’s popular educational component.