Premium Beauty News - You put in place a proactive approach in the make-up segment with, since the early 2000s, the active cooperation of make-up artist Michel Limongi. But the process has clearly gained momentum in recent months. At Cosmoprof, your stand was very much looking like a "make-up workshop".
Olivier de Saignes - Quite true! But what we want is to innovate differently, in other words, focus on the real benefit for consumers. We also want to enhance the dialogue with our direct customers and offer innovations which are really in line with their true brand identity. Finally, innovation is also the result of a real partnership centered on a new concept, with or without exclusivity, for one or more customers.
Premium Beauty News - Where does innovation come from and how does it come true?
Olivier de Saignes - There isn’t really any special recipe! Our Creative Director, Michel Limongi holds regular meetings to work with consumers in order to understand their problems and needs. He then translates the results into new packaging concepts which become through the work of our innovations and development teams, tomorrow’s products providing real benefits to end consumers both in terms of make-up but also care. This is what we call at Alcan Packaging Beauty the third "WOW effect".
PremiumBeauty News - Precisely, what do you call the third "WOW effect"?
Olivier de Saignes - It’s a wink of course but based on a sound reality. We just wanted to say that ideally we needed to generate three moments of satisfaction (the WOW) from the end-consumer. The first, when she sees the packaged product. The look of it must be attractive. The second one, when she opens the package and discovers an interesting formula with an effective applicator. The third one is simply when she has satisfaction using the product. If we get the three, it means we’ve hit the bull’s-eye!
Premium Beauty News - You are in a full service approach?
Olivier de Saignes - We can actually offer turnkey solutions to our customers by integrating the pack, the applicator and the customized formula, but it does not stop there. Actually, our offer includes 4 stages:
First of all, our core business is truly packaging (stage 1) and if the "plus" on this make-up segment is actually the applicator to get the expected result (stage 2), it is clear that we’ll never propose the applicator without the packaging but "with" the packaging.
Then, the formula is obviously fundamental. And our Beauty Solution Services Department working with suppliers selected for their know-how, is in a position to offer the "right" formula, i.e. the appropriate one for the desired make-up effect. That’s the third stage of our offer developed with our suppliers. Of course, our range of propositions doesn’t stop there. We even offer customized promotional products.
The fourth stage is our ability to generate new concepts. This is what we achieved with "Roll On Accord Parfait".
We are, of course, "a proposal force" and for example we regularly organize in our premises at Gennevilliers near Paris, presentations of new product concepts. Our approach is undoubtedly to know and understand market trends, to find the right formula, the right applicator and, of course, the appropriate packaging.
All this is only conceivable if we also keep in mind concepts related to rapid implementation, globalization of our markets and customer markets as well, and of course, of cost optimization.
Premium Beauty News - In terms of innovation, you have been quite busy! In particular regarding mascara.
Olivier de Saignes - You are right, we have been very active in the mascara segment and we are not stopping there! This was actually one of the strong points of our presence at Cosmoprof Bologna where our visitors were "welcomed" at our booth with huge mascaras in the middle of which Michel Limongi was working.
It’s impossible to detail them all, but we can single out a few models like the one called "APB1" with the crowned teeth at the tip of the applicator allowing lash-by-lash application and providing very good combing.
There is also "Threaded Rod". This applicator with no teeth allows a good loading of formula, with no combing at all. The results will very much vary depending on the kind of formula used. The main goal of this applicator is the curling effect, perfect to push the lashes up and towards the eyelid, without making stains on the eyelid skin.
While "Dual Comb" is another range of mascara applicators with short spread teeth for quick loading to optimize volume, longer tight teeth for improved combing, to shape the lashes and flat sides to curl the lashes, pushing the lashes upward with no risk of stain on the eyelid skin.
And there are still a lot, under development!
