Alcan turns the heat up on mascara packaging innovation

Alcan Packaging Beauty has specialised in mascara packaging for over 30 years, but now two new innovations have been launched with the aim of revolutionizing the segment.

The TIO – Two-In-One mascara and Revolution rotating mascara are the latest innovations to come out of the company’s stables, and were both platformed at last week’s Luxe Pack exhibition, in Monaco.

“Alcan Packaging Beauty has a philosophy revolving around innovation and to build on this what we have tried to do is concentrate on understanding the end users’ expectations,”​ said Michel Limongi, creative director at Alcan Packaging Beauty.

“Although mascara is not a particularly difficult product to work with, we often find that consumer are expecting miracles!”​

Where to innovate next...​

In the mascara packaging segment alone Alcan patents between 10 and 20 new designs every year, which means that the problem the developers invariably face is where to go next and which area to innovate in.

To tackle this problem, the research and development team has focused on specific areas of mascara application that consumers find difficult, as well as concentrating on perfecting the appearance of the mascara application..

TIO, Two in One mascara​

With this in mind, the TIO has focused on both ease of application as well as perfecting the look of the mascara once it is loaded on to the eyelashes by developing a dual purpose packaging that allows the user to load the mascara on, then comb it through separately.

This is achieved simply by loading the mascara on the eyelashes with the brush, then dipping the brush back into the mascara pot, allowing excess formulation to be wiped off and then enabling the user to comb it through the eyelashes to perfect the finish.

“This is a make-up artists tool and has already proved to be of great interest to some of the leading names in the business, including Oriflame, MAC and Bourjois, who are all set to roll the packaging out for new mascara launches,”​ Limongi said.

Revolution, the rotating mascara​

Limongi’s team has also taken the development of the eclectronic mascara one step further with the develop of the Revolution rotating mascara

“This product is not to be confused with the vibrating mascara concept, which many women found to be clumsy and inefficient,”​ said Limongi.

The packaging has been designed to be ergonomically efficient, allowing the consumer to switch the rotating brush on with ease as well as being able to hold it up to the eyelashes to maximize ease of application.

Ease of application​

“The brush has been designed to rotate, allowing users to get the formula loaded on the lashes easily and effectively, without having to use the sweeping motion that often makes this an uneven and messy process,”​ said Limongi.

The silent motor has been designed to operate at an optimum speed and is also re-useable, which means that the consumer can buy a new brush separately, without having to throw away the motor. Likewise, new batteries are readily available.

“The motor is the most technically advanced and expensive part of the packaging, so it makes sense to give women the option not to throw it away unnecessarily,”​ Limongi said.