Form Follows Function

Packaging for Alticor brands tell the story.

By Janet Herlihy Editor

New packaging for cosmetics and personal care brands owned by Alticor are combinations of image building and functionality.

Alticor, based in Ada, MI, is the parent company of Amway, Quixtar and Access Business Group. A privately held company, established and owned by the Van Andel and DeVos families, Alticor was created in October 2000. It is active in direct selling through Amway, in e-commerce through Quixtar and business-to-business services through Access. The various brands that are marketed by Amway and Quixtar are owned by Alticor.

The new Satinique brand of hair care products, marketed through independent business owners affiliated with Amway or Quixtar, features packaging that conveys and reinforces the brand’s image of gentle care.

Satinique contains the Ceramide Infusion Complex including meadowfoam seed oil, ceramide and protein, said to combat dry, damaged hair. The 15-product line comes in soft pearlescent white or pale blue translucent plastic bottles. The colors of the bottles were chosen to represent clarity, according to Brandi Huyser, brand manager of Satinique. All caps and closures are a soft blue for water and sky. Shallow relief curved lines encircle the caps communicating flowing movement. The cylinder of the bottle is teardrop-shaped, imparting elegant curves to its silhouette and making it comfortable to hold.

The Satinique line is made up of five hair cleansers and five detangler and treatment products as well as five styling products. The Satinique bottles are produced in-house, while the caps are made by Seaquist and the pumps are supplied by Yoshino.

Artistry’s Time Defiance Line, which won the 2001 Inter­national Package Design Award in the mass distribution skin care category at the HBA Global Expo, has recently added a product with packaging that balances form and function.

The super-hydrating Hydroplenish Foundation promises to restore, correct and protect skin with a formulation that is available in 16 shades. Because the foundation contains a great deal of water, it was important for Hydroplenish to be packaged in an airtight compact. As a cost-savings for the consumer and to reduce waste, Artistry opted for a refillable compact for Hydroplenish.

The project was assigned to the Access Business Group, which provides a range of services including product development and formulation, manufacturing, private labeling, logistics services, packaging design, freight, and warehousing.

“We started with a stock compact from a supplier and made tooling changes to allow consumers to remove the godet and replace it,” said Jay Heydenburg, senior scientist-packaging engineer for Access.

“We also had to develop an airtight package for the refills. We created a four-side sealed bag with a multi-laminate structure. The replacement godet, a product leaflet and a new sponge applicator are sealed inside the packet,” Heydenburg explained. The old godet is easily removed and a replacement can be snapped in place.

The compact is composed of three main parts. An outer top, which holds a mirror, the bottom, which holds the godet, and an internal lid that locks and seals over the godet. Heydenburg explained that the airtight function is assured by a two-step process. Before the compact can be closed, a locking device must be activated, which forms the airtight seal over the godet.