Central to brand issues, the ecological transition of the premium cosmetic pack was undeniably the main concern of the event. The choice for the most relevant solution was once again fuelled by interesting innovations.
The mono-material pack to guarantee circularity
The possibility of recycling is validated by the use of the same material for the whole packaging. To this end, solutions were expected for the different materials.
Concerning plastics, Aptar Beauty + Home presented Pure, a tube and cap both made of polypropylene (PP) for an entirely recyclable set, as well as Future, launched last May, the first single-material pump made of polyethylene (PE) for personal care markets.
In the same vein, Albéa showcased its extruded tubes with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) caps, as well as a new range of rigid packs (mascaras, sticks and jars) made of 100% PP or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) for skincare and make-up applications. Also in the spotlight at Cosmogen, ReUse, a patented stick made entirely of PP, recyclable and refillable, as well as rBrush, a make-up brush made entirely of recycled PET and without glue.
Italy’s Eurovetrocap has relied on its Zero In ·Pack entity to develop two mini collections playing on these two aspects of plastic circularity: #mono and #recycled. In particular, the company has designed a single-material PP dropper. Finally, Eurovetrocap has also invested in a triple extrusion machine allowing to combine recycled PE for the core and virgin PE for the internal and external walls.
Among the materials associated with eco-design, wood can be considered with no additional materials, in particular for caps at Pujolasos with Woon, a cap with a screw thread made entirely of certified natural wood. As with the Woodacity range presented by Quadpack.
Holmen, the Swedish forestry and paper industry giant with Iggesund, has been working on the development of a jar concept with a refill for skincare products, made exclusively from wood and its waste. The Conic prototype offers a transparent plastic-looking container made from wood oil while the conical refill is made of wood fibre.
Verpack and Cosfibel also offer all-paper/cardboard boxes and wedges with no need for additional closing elements. To provide a global vision of its single-material solutions, Cosfibel has also presented its ReBel collection of 9 boxes made of 9 inspiring materials for eco-design, ranging from cardboard to cork, as well as different types of woods (ash, paulownia) or aluminium. Procos, for its part, highlighted the different versions of its 100% cardboard Yoga Light e-commerce box.
Texen Beauty Partners has launched its all-cardboard skincare and make-up collection, palettes and boxes, sticks and lipstick packs. The choice of FSC-certified cardboard guarantees all the expected features from packaging: protection, resistance, design...
The "all-aluminium" approach is also an important consideration for g. pivaudran for the design of caps where the weight and the insert are made out of aluminium or even partially recycled aluminium. The specialist in this inspiring eco-design material also reported on its progress in the field of recycled aluminium, an alternative that could soon open up production prospects for products in the sustainable luxury sector. For its part, Axilone presented its compact case made of 98% aluminium, including the mirror.
The luxury of refill
Sometimes still in its infancy from a technical point of view, the "refill" approach is nonetheless gaining ground, in all categories.
Glassmaker Bormioli Luigi - which is working to strike a balance in its activities between the three categories, namely perfume, skincare and make-up - is targeting directly the last two markets with a refillable glass jar containing a removable glass cup that the consumer can buy again in the shop and replace in a simple gesture.
The same approach is taken by the Pochet Group, which promotes "Luxury in a different way" with the Odyssée jar, a 2-in-1 jar that combines a case and a lightweight glass refill. The refill can be closed with its recycled plastic cap and change into a product on the go.
Tubes, airless bottles and sticks dedicated to solid formulas, Cosmogen has put forward all the possibilities of use and application in a refillable version with the ReUse range and its different independent applicators.
Aptar Beauty + Home presented a trio of refillable innovations. The Private Refill, a lipstick case secured with a unique and customisable key that clips and unclips the mechanism and guarantees the brand exclusive use of its refills. In addition, the brand has launched premium airless and refillable solutions: Serumony Reload and Gaïa.
Among the launches, one should also note the development by g.pivaudran of an all-aluminium refillable case for the Cartier Nécessaires à parfum collection.
Anti-contamination solutions
The trend for solutions that protect contents from contact and contamination by bacteria and viruses is taking hold through approaches that have become indispensable in the field of product testing, but also through the coating of containers.
Altus Coating, which specialises in the creation of UV varnishes, UV lacquers and tints, introduced AlSafe, its latest antimicrobial innovation suitable for all surfaces and packaging materials. This UV-curable coating incorporates a clear, colourless component that destroys contaminants over time. The solution would also significantly reduce the use of disinfectant solutions, which are known to release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere. This technology is compatible with the use of bio-sourced varnishes.
But it is of course in retail that the subject is most relevant. For secure in-store testing, the contactless solutions offered by Adhespack, Dapy and Orlandi offer new possibilities.
Inspired by ticket vending machines, the Ticket Sent technology from the Brazilian company Adhespack delivers a cardboard box impregnated with perfume and equipped with a QR code to connect with the brand. Simple and flexible, requiring no energy source, it has already been adopted by the Puig Group for a wide range of uses.
Orlandi presented Multiscent 2.0, a new solution based on a technology patented by the Brazilian start-up Noar. The innovation lies in the access to a connected diffuser, which can accurately reproduce up to 20 different fragrances on demand, in "dry smell", with no airborne particle residue.
Dapy’s patented automatic tester delivers a dose of perfume directly from the bottle via a spray triggered by motion detection. The tester can be adjusted for all perfumes and bottles between 85 and 130 cm in height.
Caps, pumps and perfumes
Other significant launches at the show included Pochet’s Coiffe Eternelle, a premium perfume cap whose components (weight, insert, overcap, magnets) can be separated for easy recycling.
And Aptar’s Inune platform. Compatible with the Group’s different spray options (Precious, Silk, HDS or classique), the Inune mechanism, crimped or screwable, is invisible, with no metallic contact with the juice and POM free. By enabling sprays to be interchangeable, the platform offers an innovative approach by multiplying the possible variations without creating any additional industrial complexity.
