A symbol of science and cutting-edge formulation, dropper packaging is now everywhere on the beauty market, from mass to the most prestige product categories. However, according to Aptar, “the technology behind this dispensing product has seen minimal evolution for more than a century.

Aptar Beauty therefore strived to tackle consumer pain points about formula protection, convenience and clean usage. “NeoDropper was born out of this desire to improve the user experience of high-precision skincare,” said the beauty packaging manufacturer in a statement.

Formula protection and dosage control

NeoDropper has been designed to offer enhanced formula protection and a more controlled application. When the bulb is pressed, the formula rises in the dip tube and fills the applicator. Thus, the dose is ready to be dispensed, just by pressing the bulb again.

As far as hygiene and formula protection are concerned, with NeoDropper the applicator does not come into direct contact with the formula in the bottle, which prevents retro-contamination by bacteria. Furthermore, a unique system prevents the product from spilling, even is the bottle is put upside down.

And to ensure a high-precision dosage, which is of crucial importance in premium skincare, NeoDropper’s short applicator offers better control when applying the product.

The intuitiveness of the dropper gesture has been maintained, while enhanced benefits of hygiene and precision have been added,” highlighted Aptar Beauty.

Customization options

In order to meet brand’s personalization needs, the upper and lower collars are fully customizable with anodizing colours, double anodization, brushed effect, silk-screening, lacquering and a wide range of branding options. The bulb can also be customized in colour and finish, including metallization.

While Aptar has selected Heinz Glas’ new Oslo bottle for the launch, NeoDropper can be paired with numerous dropper bottles currently available in the market.

Consumer study

To assess the relevance of the new design, Aptar Beauty has conducted a consumer study to test the usage of NeoDropper vs a traditional dropper packaging on a panel of 17 female serum users of a well-known global leader in prestige beauty [1].

After using the product daily for two weeks, 15 respondents declared that they preferred NeoDropper over their current packaging and would be willing to pay EUR 5 to 15 more for it, demonstrating a strong preference for this new dropper.

NeoDropper Classic samples are available since the beginning of May 2024 with production expected in November 2024. In the meantime, Aptar continues further laboratory tests to expand the range of formulas compatible with NeoDropper, including foundations.