Latest Launches
New Launches by Too Faced
Too Faced Cosmetics is known for launching unique packages with whimsical appeal. Two recently launched products feature eye-catching packaging.
Liquid Lava Mascara incorporates fibers that add an elongated, thickening look to eyelashes. “We wanted to capture that intense look in the mascara container,” says Too Faced’s CEO Jerrod Blandino.
Too Faced found the solution from supplier HCT Packaging Inc. The bottle it chose is a black ABS/SAN bottle. Its unique feature is the quilted, pillowlike texture that was achieved on the shiny, black plastic. “The bottle looks intense,” says Blandino. “It looks a bit severe and architectural, but also luxurious—which is how the product makes your eyelashes look.”
The bottle is part of HCT Packaging’s Antarctica packaging line, whose components feature the same pillowlike texture. Nick Gardner, vice president of sales for HCT Packaging, spoke about the bottle’s production. “The quilted, pillow effect was difficult to do. The bottle itself wasn’t particularly difficult to mold, but it was difficult to get a nice texture because there are a number of ways that you can produce the quilted effect. For instance, you can vary the depth of the quilt. We created a lot of different models until we got it the way we thought it should look.” The Antarctica line made its debut at last year’s HBA trade show.
This January, Too Faced also launched a new makeup palette called The Makeup Trailer. The palette comes in a paper-covered compact, which has become a trademark for the brand, especially for its Quickie Chronicles collection.
Unlike most of Too Faced’s other palettes, however, The Makeup Trailer compact features folding panels. Each panel holds makeup for a different part of the face—eyes, lips, and cheeks. Another panel features a mirror.
Bold Bottles
Bold bottles were designed for two recently launched fragrances: Lacoste Essential, the new fragrance from Procter & Gamble, and the Yanbal Essence fragrances for men and women.
The Lacoste bottle was designed by QSLD New World. According to the design agency, its goal was to capture the essence of the Lacoste brand in a bottle. The firm decided that engraving Lacoste’s iconic crocodile on the bottle would accomplish this. The crocodile was engraved on the bottle’s back wall so that it shows through the clear front wall. The bottle was produced by Pochet. The cap is made from brushed aluminum. The outer carton is green with brushed-silver accents.
The Yanbal Essence fragrances were launched by Yanbal International, a beauty company based in Lima, Peru. The fragrances’ packaging was designed by Raison Pure International and Fernando Belmont, founder and president of Yanbal International.
The bottles feature curved contours that fit together when the bottles are side by side. Laurent Hainaut, president of Raison Pure International Inc., says, “Working with Fernando Belmont, our marketing team agreed that it would be great to have a duo of complementary shapes, feminine and masculine, like a couple dancing. This evokes the sensual Latin spirit.”
Pochet produced the glass bottles. The bottles’ caps are made from Surlyn and the collars are pale gold.
Cute Cartons
Jaqua is a brand becoming known for its innovative secondary packaging. In 2004, Jaqua made a splash with its Jaqua on Main bath and body kits. Packaged in distinctive hexagon-shaped cartons, the kits included products scented like desserts such as butter cream frosting and caramel cappuccino. (For more information on these cartons, see CPC Packaging’s September 2004 issue.) This summer, the brand launched a Lip Whip lip gloss kit, whose flavors correspond with products from three of the most popular Jaqua on Main kits. Now, the brand has introduced individually packaged Lip Whip glosses in cartons reminiscent of the Jaqua on Main kit cartons.
“People would smell our body butters and shower syrups and say, ‘Oh my gosh, this smells good enough to eat,’” says Sara Jaqua, vice president of creative for Jaqua. “Sometimes, we’d spot people actually tasting the body butters. So we thought that it was time to give our customers the same fragrances they loved in a product that they could put on their mouth.”
The Lip Whip carton graphics match the Jaqua on Main carton graphics. Elements of Jaqua’s French Bulldog Café kit carton appear on the Caramel Cappuccino Lip Whip carton; the Pink Buttercream Frosting lip gloss carton matches the Jeanine’s Bakery kit box; and the Tuscan Orange lip gloss carton matches the Ivy Cottage Inn gift set carton.
Since the Jaqua on Main cartons were designed to look like quaint buildings complete with windows and doors, the graphics on the Lip Whip cartons include details like windows that make them look like miniature versions of the buildings. A die-cut window on the front of the carton does more than show off the product. “It makes it feel like you’re looking in the window of a little shop,” says Jaqua.
The die-cut window presented a packaging challenge. “We wanted to make sure that the graphics on the lip gloss bottle were oriented to the front of the window, so we had to find a way to ensure the carton would hold the bottle in place tightly enough so the bottle didn’t rotate in the carton,” says Jaqua. “Also, we wanted the box to be just one piece—we didn’t want to use a special insert to hold the bottle.” To solve the problem, a base was created in the carton’s bottom to hold the bottom of the bottle, and a flap was designed at the top of the carton to hold the bottle’s cap.
Crabtree’s New Collections
This March, Crabtree & Evelyn will launch four new extensive product lines. The new launches stem from the brand’s initiative to reposition and redefine its image. “In the past, we haven’t been this aggressive with new product launches, but because we have so much that we’re looking to brand in the next few years, we wanted to come out of the box with a bang and really demonstrate that we’re working to take the brand to a new level,” says Tracy Van Hoven, marketing director.
The four new lines are the Naturals body care line, the Spring Home line of home fragrances, the Skin Care Remedy and Routine line, and the Exotics fragrance and body care collection. All of the lines feature new packaging that targets the company’s core consumer, women ages 20 to 45.
The Exotics line features two collections, Sarawak and Nadira, which were inspired by specific cultural locations. Sarawak was inspired by the Malaysian rainforest, and Nadira was based on Moroccan culture. The lines include bottles, jars, candles, and fragrance bottles. Some of the packages are custom molds, and some are stock.
“For both Sarawak and Nadira, both lines are designed to conjure a vision of a faraway and exotic place,” says Van Hoven. “Those elements inspired the packaging graphics. It was very easy for our creative group to think about these places and what it would be like to be there and what their cultures are like. For Sarawak, it’s based on the biggest rainforest in Malaysia. For Nadira, it’s a very rich line, so we tried to evoke the exciting vibrancy of Moroccan culture.”