PCD Awards gives nod to a combination of innovation and performance

The number of entries for products launched during the course of 2009 was far more numerous than in the year 2008, according to the event organiser, with the quality of entries underlining the competition criteria to combine both performance and innovation.

This year the ten-strong jury comprised leading industry experts in the packaging field, including journalists and cosmetics professionals from companies such as Estee Lauder, Chanel, YSL, L’Oreal and Guerlain.

Skin, make-up and fragrance categories​

The award categories included skin care, make-up and both male and female fragrances, with overall awards dedicated to each category, special mentions for outstanding achievers and dedicated diplomas for the runners up.

The awards were hosted by Beauté magazine’s Eva Thermal and Beauté-Santé's Evelyne Dreyfus, with the overall award for the skin care segment going to the plastic tube packaging developed for Pierre Fabre’s Avène Dermatological brand.

The design brief demanded extra security and protection for the preservative-free Tolerance Extreme formula, leading to the development of the DEFI system closure by packaging company Promens.

The DEFI closure is made up for four parts, including a flexible membrane, which moves when pressure is applied to the tube and then reseals the closure when the pressure is released.

L'Oreal's Accord Parfait rolls an award​

In the Make-up category the award went to one of the most eye-catching innovations at the show, a roll-on foundation created for L’Oreal’s Accord Parfait brand.

The design for this packaging is highlighted by a small sponge on a tiny roller applicator from Alcan Packaging Beauty, that provides a thin even layer of foundation which is said to be particularly easy for the user to apply.

A special mention in this category went to L’Oreal’s Rouge D’Armani for the simple but sleek packaging that was developed for this range of lipsticks featuring a magnetic clasp.

Ricci Ricci and 1 Million Gold nail fragrance awards​

In the fragrance category, the first prize for women’s fragrance went to Puig Beauté for its Ricci Ricci by Nina Ricci, which comprised a stunning pink flacon by glass packaging specialists Heinz and SGD, complimented by a feature ‘ribbon’ closure created by Qualipack.

The winner of the men’s fragrance category was the packaging for the new Paco Rabane 1 Million Gold fragrance from Puig Beauté, which has been created using a 100ml flacon that bears more than a passing resemblance to a gold bar thanks to the efforts of MBF Plastiques.

This innovation relies on a gold anodized aluminium layer over a polyoxide methylene interior.