Latest Launches
Color-Changing Carton
The carton for the new M by Mariah Carey fragrance, which launched in September, was printed with interference inks that make the carton appear to change colors. Mariah Carey and Jean Antretter, senior design director for Elizabeth Arden, fashioned the carton, as well as the fragrance bottle.
“The carton was printed using a pigment called Interference Lumina Gold, which is used in the automobile industry,” says Antretter. “It has a slight undertone of gold and a hint of lavender on an overall white pearl. The carton shimmers at different angles when the light reflects off of it.”
Arkay Packaging Corp. (New York City) produced the carton. Walter Shiels, COO of Arkay, says the interference inks were printed flexographically. “The carton appears to change from silver to lavender to gold, depending on the angle at which it is viewed,” he says. He adds that this project marks the first time that Arkay has used interference inks on a folding carton.
The fragrance’s signature butterfly image was also printed on the carton. “The silver butterfly icon was very critical in terms of registration,” says Shiels. The fragrance’s silver M logo was hot-stamped and embossed.
The carton’s structure features 22-pt solid-bleached-sulfate board and a book-style design. “The bottle is displayed in a lavender flocked vacuum form,” adds Antretter.
Antretter says that her design goal—and challenge—was to ensure that the carton was simple, beautiful, and elegant—without being “pedestrian.” “We’ve seen a lot of graphics and color with celebrity launches, but I think the trend going forward is going to be [to create] more-simplified [looks] using tone-on-tone [colors], a mix of matte and shiny foils, and geometric patterns as a blind-embossed texture on cartons, with or without a hint of color,” she says.
Bulls-Eye on Design
The direct-sales category has a new player. Become Cosmetics, an Australian skin care company, launched in July. To draw attention to the packaging pictured in its catalog and on its Web site, the company custom designed red acrylic bottles and jars with unique caps.
Circular rings surround the outside of the caps to tie in with the brand’s logo. “If you look at our logo, it features two concentric circles that represent beauty on the inside and out,” says Become’s founder Stephanie White. “We wanted to mimic those concentric circles to create continuity with the packaging.”
Getting the perfect red tint for the packages was challenging, according to White. “We needed a red that was fresh,” she says. “It couldn’t be a brassy red because that would have looked cheap. We also couldn’t go too maroon, or it would have looked more chocolaty brown and too masculine.”
White says that she chose red for the line because “red innately communicates richness and pedigree.” An upscale red cosmetic case complements the line. The bottles and jars were supplied by APR Packaging Inc. (Burnaby, BC, Canada).
Stacked Jar
TricorBraun’s (St. Louis) Design and Engineering division created a unique package for BeautiControl’s Lip Apeel and lip balm products. The package features a smaller jar that stacks on top of and screws into a larger jar.
According to TricorBraun, stacked jars have been used by the cosmetics industry since the 1970s. However, older versions, frequently made with urea or polystyrene, are expensive to produce and seal poorly. According to the company, this new injection-molded polypropylene design costs half as much as its predecessors.
Metal Lipstick Container
Supplier Risdon International Inc. (Watertown, CT) created a metal lipstick container with plastic inner parts for Avon’s new Glazewear lipstick. The container features Risdon’s patented SlimGlide mechanism.
The cap and base are made of shiny black anodized aluminum. The container’s nosepiece was stamped with the silver Avon logo and was angled to provide enhanced product application.
Spherical Cap
Cosmetic Packaging Group (Union, NJ), a division of O. Berk, supplied a unique package for the Indu line of aromatherapy lotions.
The package features an 8-oz cobalt-blue Jefferson Round PET bottle with a wraparound label. The black push-pull dispensing cap is spherical.
The supplier also provided a 1-oz cobalt-blue Boston Round bottle with a finely ribbed black cap.
Making Stock Look Custom
Packaging distributor Kaufman Container (Cleveland) has become expert at customizing stock packaging. The supplier recently helped to provide all of the plastic components for the new KIS line of hair care products, which debuted in August.
Kaufman presented a variety of stock packaging options from a range of suppliers to Tressa, which manufactures the KIS line. “We were open-minded when looking at different bottle options, but knew that we needed something to differentiate us from the rest of the hair care lines in the salon market,” says Rachel Schenck, creative director for KIS. “When Kaufman showed us the bottles from [supplier] EJ Pack, we knew that was it. The rest of the line just fell into place from there.”
The bottles from EJ Pack (Kyungki-Do, South Korea) are spherical. They were provided in two sizes for KIS’s spray gel and shine serum products. EJ Pack also supplied cylindrical PET bottles for the line’s shampoo, conditioner, root lifter, and leave-in sealing spray.
A double-wall polypropylene jar for KIS’s GelWax was sourced from Rexam (Suresnes, France), while a low-density polyethylene tube from Artube (East Stroudsburg, PA) was supplied for the Beaded Deep Conditioner. Finally, the 1-L high-density polyethylene bottles are a custom mold from Kaufman Container.
According to Kaufman, achieving the right color for the packages was also essential. KIS wanted to use orange, green, and light blue throughout the line. As a result, the bottles were color-coded green for the hair care products, orange for the styling products, and blue for the finishing products. “Getting the right color matches was essential,” says Schenck. “Everything had to be perfect. Kaufman carried out preproduction runs to make sure that we achieved exactly the right look.”
The pumps in the line were also color coded. The pumps were supplied by MeadWestvaco Calmar (City of Industry, CA) and SeaquistPerfect Dispensing (Cary, IL). A dial-a-dose pump from Taplast (Corry, PA) allows users to customize the dosage output.
According to Schenck, pumps are easier to use in salons. “Flip-top closures take more time when you are using the product all day long,” she says. “Also, the pumps keep the product from becoming contaminated or diluted with water, versus some of the other dispensing options.”
All of the components were silk-screened in-house by Kaufman. Kaufman also provided another service that Tressa appreciated. “We like the fact that we can warehouse what we need at [Kaufman’s] facility and have the bottles shipped to us on an as-needed basis,” says Schenck.
Cacharel Cap
Axilone (New York City), a division of Ileos, produced the cap for Liberté, the new women’s fragrance by Cacharel. To match the color of the bottle, the Surlyn cap was colored orange.
The top of the cap was embossed with a silver seal. The name Liberté was cut out to let the orange Surlyn show.
Upscale Amenities
Consulting firm Ryan Basics and packaging supplier Zorbit Resources (New York City) worked together to develop CLEAR by LXR, a private-label amenities line for LXR Luxury Resorts. Zorbit Resources provided turnkey services for package design, component development and manufacturing, filling, and assembly.
The bottles were custom designed. “In designing the custom bottle shape, we set out to create a whole new architecture—one that would reflect the concept of opening something new and fresh, which we feel reflects the feeling that you get when entering a hotel room,” says Scott Oshry, Zorbit’s executive vice president of design and branding. “A long cap covers the bottle almost entirely. This allows the guest to remove the cap, exposing the bottle and creating an experience of unveiling something precious.”
A private-label retail line is also in development. “CLEAR by LXR was a brilliant move by the Luxury Resorts group,” says Renée Ryan, president of Ryan Basics. “Originally, we had discussed creating a partnership with an existing beauty brand for the LXR properties. But we soon realized that creating an exclusive private-label line would help bolster brand recognition for the new resort conglomerate and would also allow for a new line of products that truly encompasses the LXR message of luxury.”
Shrink-Sleeve Labels
Ameri-Seal (Chatsworth, CA) printed shrink-sleeve labels for Bath & Body Works’ Temptations personal care line. Six different PETG sleeves were printed for the line’s 6- and 16-oz PET bottles.
Each sleeve was printed in eight colors and features graphics of palm trees and beaches. The Temptations logo was printed in metallic silver.
Book-Style Box
In August, Bare Escentuals launched a miniature cosmetic box set called Fall 2007 Color...Be Real. A paperboard box was designed to look like a book and can be used as a carrying case for the products.
Inside the box, compartments hold four small plastic jars filled with the brand’s signature loose-powder mineral makeup, which can be used on the face and eyelids. A bottle of lip gloss is also included.
“This kit is very compact, yet it holds our entire collection of new colors. The packaging makes it easy for women to carry everything they need,” explains Sarina Godin, senior director of product development for Bare Escentuals.
The company recently hired an in-house package designer and a director of sourcing, so customers can expect to see more creative packages in 2008.
Trigger Sprayer Targets Hip Audience
Hair care brand Samy chose a trigger sprayer for its Fat Hair “0” Calories Thickening Spray. The dispenser is SeaquistPerfect Dispensing’s (Cary, IL) Jazz twist-lock fine-mist trigger sprayer.
The sprayer was color-matched bright red to match the graphics on the silver 6-oz high-density polyethylene bottle. It has a lockable silver collar.