In Closing: Foundation, in the Bag
The silver pouch for Cargo Cosmetics’ new liquid foundation is reminiscent of the type of juice pouch often found in a child’s lunchbox. By Marie Redding, Senior Editor
The new silver pouch for Cargo Cosmetics’ newly launched liquid foundation reminds us of the type of juice-filled pouch you might see in a child’s lunchbox. Cargo’s pouch even has a spout that Hana Zalzal, president of Cargo Cosmetics, says works perfectly with the formulation to dispense just the right amount of product.
Since 1999, Cargo had been selling its foundation in a traditional glass bottle. Last February, however, the brand decided to reformulate, repackage, and relaunch the product. The new liquid foundation has a different texture and new active ingredients. The new pouch was chosen because a bottle didn’t fit in with Cargo’s philosophy, which is to only offer customers packaging that promotes portability and convenient application methods.
“We could have switched to one of the many types of plastic bottles on the market, but most are bulky. It can also be difficult to get out the last few product servings,” says Zalzal. She explains how the idea for the pouch came about. “We were looking for something lightweight and nonbreakable. We thought it should also be squeezable and collapsible, so that the package would get even smaller as the product was used up. We decided on a pouch, since it fit all of our requirements.” The pouch was customized with a clear window on the front to allow the color of the makeup inside to be seen clearly.
Although this innovative type of package fit the bill for Cargo, it’s likely that other brands will probably stick to more-traditional packaging for foundation. “There is still a desire for glass due to its high-end look and feel. An ounce of product feels very substantial in your hand when it’s in a glass bottle,” says Jim Slowey, vice president of sales and marketing for supplier Arrowpak (Richmond Hill, NY). However, designs may be updated. “Round and square shapes aren’t requested as much as some of the new shapes,” says Slowey. “There is definitely a trend toward designing custom bottle shapes to give a product a unique, distinct look.”