Stylish Suncare
By Bajeerah Lowe, Associate Editor
In colder climates, the shelf life for suncare products is limited to just a few months. That, coupled with increased competition of shelf space creates demands for packaging that make the products jump off the shelf and catch consumers' eyes to create instant sales as well as packaging that clearly demonstrates product differentiation. Whether it is through KINeSYS®'s ergonomically-shaped bottles, Banana Boat©'s bright purple cans or L'Occitane's naturally-inspired packaging, suncare companies have gone to great lengths to make their products stand out. Appealing to a target consumer between six and 10 years old requires the use of bright, fun packaging. For the launch of Cool Colorz™ Vanishing Formula Sunscreen Lotion, a grape colored and scented product that goes on the skin purple and fades to clear, Banana Boat® chose a purple aluminum can with a color coordinated foam actuator. "The large actuator makes it easy for both kids and adults to dispense," says Trish O'Connell, product manager, suncare products, Playtex Products Inc., Westport, CT. The tip of the actuator is rounded to Òpresent less of a poking hazard, unlike the conventional mousse actuator," she adds. The bright graphics are used for their fun, kid-appealing qualities while the sunglassed bunch of grapes conveys the scent of the product.
Exotic Influence
Yves Rocher, Exton, PA, hopes to carry consumers to thoughts of warm, exotic locations with its Mono• de Tahiti suncare line. "The packaging evokes exotic travels and the discovery of tropical pleasures," says Debbie Hicks, vice president, image and communication, Yves Rocher. The two newest additions to the line, Express Bronze Self-Tanner and Tropical Lagoon Soothing Spray, express this line image as well. The tube for the bronzer is sleek, tinted to a rich bronze and decorated with white gardenia flowers and coconut palms. The soothing spray is a bi-phase formula, which mixes when shaken. "The transparent spray bottle allows this unique formula to show off beautifully: the oil phase is colored bright like the sun, sitting on top of the tropical blue water phase," says Hicks. The ultra-fine spray dispenser allows for a non-messy, all over surface application of the product. The packaging design for both products was created by Preferene, Paris, France. The bronzer tubes were supplied by Cebal, Clinchy, France. And EDP, Spain, provided the bottles for the soothing spray.
Pure and Natural
The use of pure and natural ingredients is LOccitane's first and foremost philosophy. "With this as a foundation, it is only natural that the packaging reflect this same philosophy," says Theresa Catena, public relations manager, L'Occitane, New York, NY. The company's new suncare collection is part of the existing shea butter line, thus making it imperative that the packaging stay consistent with the other shea butter bottles and tubes. In addition to representing the importance of shea butter as an ingredient, "the bottles are colored in honor of the bright, yellow sunflower," the other important ingredient, says Catena. Because the SPF in the formulas is sensitive to light, opaque bottles, from Pharcoplast, Villefranche Sur Saone, France, and opaque tubes, from Cebal, were chosen. Plastic was the material of choice for portability ease. The caps were supplied by Sermip, France, and the cartons for the tubed products came from Cartonnages BES, France.
Clean Lines
A clean, simple look has been the trademark of PeterThomasRoth™ Clincial Skin Care, New York, NY. With the recent addition of Ultra-Lite Oil-Free Sunblock SPF 30 to its existing skincare line, the company decided to keep a consistent line image and have packaged the product in a white tottle with black print and a black cap. "The slim contours look cool and also fit easily on shelves," says Peter Thomas Roth, CEO. "The shape of the bottle offers a lot of room for text, making it easy to read. This is important because we list the full product information on the bottle." Sourcing its packaging from over 20 companies, PeterThomasRoth follows this packaging guideline: if the product is an eye-catching color, it goes in a clear container. Otherwise the product content dictates the packaging chosen. Solid containers are chosen for light sensitiveproducts and clear colored products are packaged in clear or smoky containers.
Ergonomic Shapes
Creating an ergonomic, eye-catching bottle was of utmost importance to KINeSYS®, San Diego, CA. The fluid shaped bottle fits easily into the hand. The off center dispenser is slightly tilted. "The product is great, but if a standard bottle was chosen, there would be no point of difference from other suncare products," says Josie Kletter, vice president. "When choosing the bottle shape, we wanted something ergonomic and a shape that conveyed a sporty, high-tech image." The same packaging is used for the 12-product suncare line. Bottle color is used for product differentiation. Childrens' products are packaged in orange bottles, while the sports products are housed in blue bottles and the sunscreen with insect repellent is in green bottles. Richards Packaging, Richmond, Canada, sourced all the packaging for KINeSYS including the cap, which came from SeaquistPerfect Dispensing, Cary, IL, to complete the look. The clear body and hood allow the multi-colored actuator to accent the unique bottle. "Companies have chosen the multicolor dispenser as an innovative design concept to create product differentiation," says Alex Piagnarelli, vice president, marketing, SeaquistPerfect. The recent all-natural trend as an influence. "We feel that we have taken the all-natural trend one step further," he adds.
Poolside or seaside, this year's suncare lines are packaged for fun in the sun.