Art of Aromatherapy
Packaging and product design extend the therapeutic qualities of an aromatherapy product to consumers.
By Joanna Cosgrove Contributing EditorInvigorating peppermint, relaxing clary sage and rejuvenating eucalyptus are three classic examples of popular aromatheraputic essences. No longer confined to tiny brown dropper bottles found only in specialty stores, the essences have made a foray into the mainstream, turning up as ingredients in traditional products such as soaps, skin care preparations and other personal care products. "Aromatherapy is an indulgent and natural way to enhance well-being. It can affect users spiritually, physically and emotionally to provide an escape from stress, fatigue...and a range of other minor ailments," says Thierry Jean, category marketing manager, Aura Cacia Aromatherapy, Weaverville, CA. "Essential oils can be used to invigorate and energize or calm and relax the spirit while they soothe and refresh the skin."
With the essences has come a new wave of product packaging designed to underscore the therapeutic benefit of the product contained within.
The Lure of Lavender
Probably the most well known aromatherapeutic essence, lavender has long been formulated into a variety of personal care preparations. Lavender is also a great "gateway" essential oil to introduce beginners to the benefits of aromatherapy-a central premise be-hind Aura Cacia's new Lavender Body Mists, a line of five essential oil blends formulated to achieve specific aromatherapeutic effects.
"Lavender is the most popular natural fragrance available and it has almost 85 percent of the market share," says Aura Cacia's Jean. "Aura Cacia's Body Mists contain 100 percent pure lavender essential oil blended with other pure essential oils in a base of distilled water."
Aura Cacia's Body Mists are packaged in four-ounce, lavender colored, aluminum bottles. "They are designed to be spritzed lightly on to the face, hair and body, or into the air, so the packaging has been designed to be extremely user friendly and portable," says Jean. "The bottles are small enough to slip into a purse or into the glove compartment in a car. We feel that that the packaging lends itself to the idea of Ôaromatherapy on the go' and that it provides a reason for consumers to enjoy the benefits of real aromatherapy no matter where their busy lives are taking them."
Calming Notions
Tova Borgnine knows what busy is all about. A personal care entrepreneur extraodinaire, Tova decided that her new launch would typify slowing down and enjoying life. In the hustle and bustle of the computer age, her new aromatherapy line is appropriately named Tova.Calm. "The products in the Tova.Calm line were designed to work synergistically with one another to create a soothing, relaxing, meditative spa experience," says Rita Mythen, director of product development, Tova, New York, NY. The line-up consists of interesting interactive products such as tranquility stones and incense which provide the surrounding environment with the same scent as that of the signature fragrance, Tova.Calm Personal Veil, a light, airy fragrance designed to be used head-to-toe.
The line's ultra-clean package design is rooted in the notion of body, mind and spirit in perfect balance. "The Tova.Calm packaging is a true expression of the luxury and well-being that come with satisfying the body, the mind and the spirit," says Mythen. "The ivory cartons are a tactile experience created of a textured watercolor paper. Each softly frosted bottle is meant to feel good in the hand and to convey a feeling of wellness and inner harmony. All are embellished with our triangle and accented with matte copper caps and bands."
Pochet, New York, NY, provides the cobalt blue, glass Personal Veil bottles. The off-white squared lotion, oil and gel bottles and their metallic caps were designed by TricorBraun, Cerritos, CA. The natural-looking cartons were provided by Cultech, Edison, NJ.
Recipes for Well-Being
As an ad executive, Margaux Glaser was well acquainted with the rigors of daily stress. When she had the opportunity to travel through Italy, she became fascinated with the Italian passion for life. She took this exuberance home with her and used it as the inspiration for the creation of Al Benessere, her own line of aromatherapeutic bath and body products. "Al Benessere, Italian for Ôtoward well-being,' is representative of what the entire line stands for," says Glaser. "I felt the need to create products that could provide a self-nurturing ritual. The line is about taking time for yourself, being true to yourself and providing a complete treatment."
The Al Benessere product family is comprised of Exfoliating Body Polish, Hydrating Aloe Body Wash, Multi-Vitamin Body Lotion and an Aromatherapy Candle. Each product is available in Refreshing, Relaxing and Invigorating essential oil blends. The three blends are distinguished by the specially chosen colors used on their packaging. "The colors were chosen based on what they represent-blue is soothing, green is vivacious and orange is fun and happy," says Glaser. "I also use the color on the packaging to refer to the scent. There are three tones of color for each scent, for instance the wash is the lightest shade, the lotion slightly deeper, and the scrub the darkest shade of blue, green or orange."
The line's packaging was carefully selected to emphasize the product formulations. Transparent plastic bottles and jars, capped with white dispensing closures let the product and subtly colored labels speak for themselves. "I wanted the products to be appealing and not be encased in a lot of busyness," comments Glaser. "The feel of the type is also indicative of what the line represents-sleek, clean and appealing." Al Benessere's packaging is supplied by O. Berk, Union, NJ, Great Age Container, Bronx, NY and Arrowpak, Richmond Hill, NY.
Also influenced by a rich, natural heritage is the Korres Natural Products skincare line from Athens, Greece (distributed by Lafco, New York, NY). Each of the line's 14 products feature natural ingredients that are specially blended for thier fragrant, aromatherapeutic qualities, as well as their homeopathic benefits. "For example, the Sunflower Moisturizer blends sunflower extract (soothing fragrance) with wheat proteins (moisturizing) and vitamin E (protective)," says Jennifer Welte, sales manager.
Encased in heavy frosted glass jars, user-friendly plastic bottles and nature-inspired corrugated cartons, the line's packaging is unified by an uncomplicated theme. "The packaging is simple in design, which directly correlates to the heart and soul of Korres products: raw materials in their least processed form," says Welte. "The look is bold and unified throughout the line and projects a minimalistic feel with modern botanical photos. Then end result is chic and simple."
Naturally Pure
When Malibu, CA-based Osea International Founder Jenefer Palmer set out to create a romance-inspired line of aromatherapy products, she didn't realize the experience would become so personal. "I asked a perfumer to bring every Ôknown' aphrodisiac essential oil to our meeting and she arrived with about 80 different small brown bottles," she says. "It was a slow process, but then bottle number 12 woke me up! I later discovered other essential oils that created a similar shifting of my senses. At the end of the day, I asked the perfumer to blend them all together."
With an emphasis on natural purity, each of the products employ the same blend of essential oils, yet each fragrance differs slightly because of the product base. Passion Bath is luxurious bath oil that is a hydrating treatment for the skin. Passion Body is a marine-based body moisturizer, with a subtle passion note. Passion Massage, the line's biggest seller, is a lightweight non-greasy massage oil that can even be used in the hair. Passion Crystals are Dead Sea Salts that are blended with different types of seaweed, including Red Algae and French Green Algae.
The line's packaging is a study in form and function. "The Passion line is packaged in glass, in order to maintain the integrity of the product," notes Palmer. "The fragrance remains pure, rather than taking on a plastic smell." The frosted glass bottles, from ABA Packaging Corp., Holtsville, NY, are silkscreened with jewel toned colors for added appeal. The bottles are topped with pumps from Valois, Greenwich, CT, and sprayers from Emsar, Stratford, CT.