Applications: Magnetic Essence
La Mer has created a futuristic package design.
By Marie Redding, Senior EditorLa Mer’s The Essence is the most exclusive beauty product in the world—and it is sold “by invitation only.” The intensive three-week treatment costs more than $2100. The top-secret formulation has been in development for the past four years. The Essence launched last July in the United States and in October in Europe.
The Essence is described as a “healing spa for the skin.” It is meant to reduce lines and minimize pores. It contains the same Miracle Broth found in La Mer’s signature Creme de la Mer cream—which is made from specially fermented sea kelp—plus two additional ferments. The Essence’s most interesting ingredient is magnetized tourmaline, which keeps the active ferments suspended. “This is where magnetic technology comes into play,” says Tyler Jones, vice president of global marketing, La Mer.
The Essence is packaged in three 15-ml glass vials, which are contained in a styrene–acrylic copolymer clear shell with a green polypropylene threaded outer neck. The individual vials are capped with polypropylene threaded inserts and an anodized aluminum overshell. Each vial is meant to be used for seven days. The vials stand upright in a holder, which is a heavy-walled, clear acrylic base. The vials appear to be levitated about an inch above the base. The clear acrylic base sits on top of a platform, which contains a drawer filled with applicators.
The magnets that are embedded in this amazing package serve two purposes: to keep the tourmaline magnetically “charged,” ensuring that its ingredients are optimized, and to suspend the vials within the acrylic holder. “The vials appear to have a forcefield around them,” says Jesse Chertoff, La Mer’s design director.
Magnets of opposite polarity are found in several places, including the clear acrylic base and the bottom of each vial, where they are embedded in the polypropylene insert, which is hidden in the anodized aluminum overshell. An electroplated ABS top containing knobs is affixed to the clear base. The top pushes the vials down against the magnetic force, which is how the vials are “suspended” in mid-air. A quick-release mechanism was designed so that the user is able to easily lift a vial out of the base. When its button is pushed, the vial pops up to a certain height.
“The challenge was to determine the optimum magnetic strength required to lift each of the vials up to a specific height. At the same time, the integrity of the package had to be maintained under constant magnetic forces,” explains Sushil Raghupathy, packaging engineer, The Estée Lauder Companies, which licenses the La Mer brand.
It was also a challenge to produce the massive, heavy-walled clear outer base without any aesthetic flaws. “We were able to achieve impeccable elegance by subjecting the acrylic to multiple processes, followed by secondary operations,” says Raghupathy.
The secondary package is a green, hinged, injection-molded outer shell, with a magnetic closure. It is padded with a felt and foam lining to secure the primary package during transit.
This unique, upscale package was supplied by Lombardi Design & Manufacturing (Freeport, NY). It was designed by La Mer’s Chertoff and Shane Butler, package designer. La Mer’s goal of combining a scientific, futuristic look with a luxuriously elegant package was certainly achieved.