Everyday Luxuries
By Joanna Cosgrove, Managing Editor
A satisfying bath doesn't always require the ambience of candle light and rose petals. Personal care product marketers are using packaging to create products that are more accessible to the growing number of consumers who want to enjoy the benefits of bath and body products without having to carve extra time out of their already busy lifestyles.
To most, the notion of a massage conjures up two distinct connotations: a refined spa experience or its more "intimate" opposite-perceptions that Robyn Statman and Brian Rott have set out change for the better.
Friends since childhood, Statman and Rott created Hey Slick(tm) massage oils to replace massage's sensual and professional stigmas with the importance of contact, communication and fun as tools for daily stress relief. "We wanted to create a line that cut right down the middle, something more fashion oriented so people wouldn't feel strange buying a bottle of massage oil," says Rott, co-founder of Rubb Inc. and a massage therapist.
Statman created the company's first bottle of Hey Slick out of dissatisfaction with traditional heavy-scented, sticky massage oils. The line has since grown to seven scents, one for each day of the week: Green Tea Monday, Natural Tuesday, Rain Wednesday, Lavender Thursday, Wild Juniper Friday, Cactus Saturday and Apple Sunday. "The fragrances are unique and complement the concept of daily use," says Rott. "The oils are FUN-ctional products that aren't just for the serious masage enthusiasts, but also for those who want to apply a little joy in their daily routine." The multi-purposed oils can also be used to moisturize dry skin, mend split ends and scent and soothe bath water.
The oils are formulated with professional quality ingredients and are housed in packages that appeal to the masses. "We chose French Square glass bottles because they conveyed an upscale looked that underscored the high quality of the oils," says Rott. "The glass fits in the hand, gives a better grip then a round bottle and is also more sturdy for shipping purposes." The bottles are provided by Berlin Packaging, Chicago, IL. The bottles are accented by brightly colored labels featuring a different female head shot for each scent. "We selected seven women of different culturally diverse nationalities to represent the line," notes Rott. "This helps our customers relate to the product by selecting images that relate to them." The graphics were developed by Blk/Mrkt, San Diego, CA.
Sleep Well
Research has confirmed the importance of sleep to the human body. The bedtime rituals of putting on pajamas, brushing our teeth, and bathing give the mind and body necessary cues that begin the process of falling asleep-what's called a state of sleep readiness. But daily stresses can take a toll on valuable sleep quality and quantity, shaving away the decompression time associated with sleep readiness.
Just as a personal care ritual does wonders for waking hours, The Thymes Limited realized that creating positive bedtime rituals could have the same beneficial effect on sleeping hours. "We designed three formulas that correspond to different sleep stages: Relaxation, Deep Sleep and Sweet Dreams," says Christiana Kippels, marketing manager, The Thymes Limited, Minneapolis, MN.
Each formula has a distinct essential oil blend to help induce sleep. Relaxation is formulated with a blend of thyme, clove and lavender essential oils that help relieve muscular and mental tension to lay the groundwork for deeply restoring sleep. Deep Sleep is infused with lavender, geranium and clary sage to help get the most out of each night's sleep. Sweet Dreams invites clear, pleasant dreaming with insomnia-blocking rose oil, chamomile and valerian to unlock sleep's active dream stage."
Fragrance plays the most vital role in the bedtime ritual," says Kippels. "It's unrealistic to believe that we have the same amount of time each night to prepare for bed. On some nights we can take a luxurious bath. On others we may only have time for a little lotion. The fragrance is the one constant in these activities, acting as the cue the body is seeking out to begin entering a state of sleep readiness. The result is that we fall asleep more quickly and experience more restful sleep."
The collection is centered on bathing and features Epsom Bath Salts, Foaming Bath and an Effervescent Bath Tablet. Other products in the line include an AHA Body Lotion, Tension Spot Relief (a massage balm for pressure points), Mist for Body and Bed, Atmospheres and an Aromastone diffuser. The packaging is designed to reflect the tranquil, soothing images of sleep. "The background pattern is reminiscent of the night sky," says Kippels. "The use of white invokes a clean, clear feeling-how we hope our mind and body feels as we drift off to sleep." Bottles are provided by Continental Glass & Packaging, Columbus, OH, Twin City Bottle, Minneapolis, MN, and Waterstone Glassware, South Yorkshire, England. Robinson Special Packaging, Mississaugua, Ontario, Canada, supplied the canister package.
Well Baby Care
The Gerber baby face is a highly-recognized, time-tested image parents look for when choosing food for their children. After more than 70 years in the infant nutrition business, the company is branching out its quest for baby care with the launch of Gerber Wellness(tm), a comprehensive line of infant personal care products.
"Our objective with the brand is to help parents raise happy healthy babies and to extend the franchise beyond infant nutrition to well baby care," says Henna Inam, director of marketing for Gerber Wellness, part of the Novartis Consumer Health Life Sciences Co., Summit, NJ. "We want parents to see us not just as baby food experts, but as baby experts." Stocked in the baby food aisle for easy one-stop-shopping, the 14 sku line includes everything from apple-banana flavored tooth and gum cleanser to a specially formulated diaper rash lotion. The line's skincare and hair care products contain all-natural ingredients and aromatheraputic essences of lavender, chamomile and menthol/eucalyptus to ease the stress of bedtime preparation. Products are conveniently packaged in bottles with flip top caps. "Since mom usually only has one free hand, we spent time ensuring that the bottles were easy to hold and operate with one hand," notes Inam.
As the mom of a 15-month old, Inam also had a personal interest in the line's development. "Parents are incredibly information hungry and they want to be sure that everything is safe and gentle," she says. "We wanted to create that environment in the unified image of the packaging. All of the products are in Gerber blue which is a great billboard for congruous shelf blocking."
The Art of Shaving
York-based The Art of Shaving creates luxury shaving goods that follow a simple philosophy of combining modern skin care knowledge with traditional wet shaving techniques. "The Art of shaving brings passion and art to a daily routine with the luxury of today and aromas from the past," says Myriam Zaoui, co-owner and creator of The Art of Shaving line. "This complete range of natural products reintroduces the modern gentleman to a savoir-faire and tradition adapted to his lifestyle.
Each product formula is created to adapt to the needs of a man for a close and comfortable shave. The 29-product line is available in lavender, lemon, sandalwood and unscented versions, depending on skin type. The Preshave Oil, which prepares the skin and beard for shaving, is packaged in a two-ounce green glass, conical bottle. The Shaving Cream, housed in 5.3oz. and two-ounce black cylinder jars, is formulated with softening lubricants and generates a rich lather for a close and comfortable shave, leaving skin smooth and moisturized. The After Shave Gel and Balm are packaged in a four-ounce clear glass bottles and soothe, moisturize and regenerate the skin after shaving. Rounding out the line is an alum block used for nicks and cuts or as an after-shave antiseptic.
Each of the apothecary style glass bottles, manufactured by Verreries Brosse, Paris, France, features a special neck design that allows the consumer to take the right amount of product with his index finger so the neck always stays clean. "We chose this bottle for its masculine look," says Zaoui. "Glass gives an upscale look and luxury feel. It's weighty and the cold glass is as refreshing as an aftershave." The green and clear glass containers are UV protected to safeguard ingredients from ultraviolet rays. Travel-sized products, coming soon, are packaged in black double walled plastic jars manufactured by Mav, Zola Predosa, Italy.
Designer Marijana Sarish and The Art of Shaving owners collaborated to design labels and cartons, which were produced by Disc Graphics, Hauppauge, NY. "The colorful line has a very classic, conservative look," comments Zaoui. "It has both an old and a modern feel."