Reinvent Your Packaging with Shine and Dazzle

Doreen Becker, of Americhem, says decorative effects used in other industries can add pow to cosmetic packaging.

By Doreen Becker, Packaging Market Development Manager, Americhem

It’s a great big world. Rather than starting from scratch with an untested technology, reinvent your designs by looking to other industries for inspiration. You might find some great, time-tested ways to help your product stand out.

For example, the automotive industry has perfected some of the most eye-catching special effects. Two technologies that immediately come to mind that should be added to every package designer’s toolbox are the rainbow sparkle and soft-touch effects:

Rainbow Sparkle Effect
First used for automotive finishes to add dimension and shine, the rainbow sparkle effect is making its way to other industries. Of late, credit card producers are using the sparkle to differentiate elite and high-end cards. With more than 30,000 products fighting for the shopper’s attention during an average trip, why not add a little sparkle to the aisle?

The rainbow sparkle would be well suited for luxury products, or for products aimed at the male consumer (think cars).

Soft-Touch Effect
The same additives that give your steering wheel that soft touch can do the same for your packaging designs. Packaging tells your brand story – and that story can be told with more than words and color.

Touch is the one sense that is often overlooked, but can work to stimulate a consumer’s decision – if they can’t put the product down, wouldn’t it stand to reason they would be more likely to buy it? Imagine a moisturizer with packaging that is soft and skin-like – now that tells a story without saying a word. A soft-touch additive will also create a non-slip surface, providing a nice benefit to products that are likely to get wet, such as shampoos and body washes.

Architectural product designers have also contributed a technology that crosses over nicely to packaging applications:

Chemical Blowing Agents
Widely used in synthetic wood products, such as lumber and decking, chemical blowing agents can help package designers economically achieve their light-weighting goals. Used as an effective alternative to biopolymers, chemical blowing agents are additives that can reduce packaging weight by 20 percent – resulting in a product that is less expensive to ship and requires less material. Chemical blowing agents are also easy to use, are effective in protecting the contents of the package and require no retooling of equipment and machinery.

The bottom line is: why take a risk with something new when you can use a product that’s tried and true? Consider looking at other industries when designing for beauty products – the effects could shine and dazzle on the shelf.

Doreen Becker is the packaging market development manager and color trends expert for Americhem, a global provider of color and additive solutions for the packaging industry. Becker monitors industry trends through active participation in many color, design and plastics industry organizations, including the Industrial Design Society of America, Color Marketing Group, Society of Plastics Engineers, and the Creative Design Professionals. With her background as an R&D chemist for more than 20 years, Becker is also well versed in the technical aspects of packaging and product development. Visit www.americhem.com for more on the company’s Beauty Trends and Consumer Trends developed by Becker.