Visitors to this year’s second edition of the co-located Luxe Pack and MakeUp in LosAngeles B2B shows, held February 27-28 in Santa Monica, CA, couldn’t miss the overriding sustainable philosophy put forth by exhibitors.

With ‘clean beauty’ and eco-friendly packaging leading many industry conversations, a number of suppliers showcased products ranging from organic formulations to refillable jars, aluminum tubes to light-weighted glass, reduced carbon footprints to fair wages for employees. Increased offerings of refillable and re-usable containers were also part of the mix.

The ultimate goals of all: to benefit the earth and to provide brands with a compelling story to share with their customers. Eco messages are increasingly conveyed directly on the packaging.

California has become the hotbed for innovative thinking, and beauty opportunities seem to abound for small brands climbing the steep ladder to global exposure. Suppliers have made it easier than ever to create and launch a cosmetics line quickly—thus many exhibitors offered turnkey services, stock lines that could be easily customized, and low minimums.

Beyond this, a number of suppliers also emphasized their high degree of service and quality control, and assured brands they would help them navigate the entire process from development to retail, along the entire supply chain. 

The attendance at the event succeeded in drawing West Coast brands—but the shows also attracted East Coast visitors intrigued by the energy and offerings as well. Over the two days there was a constant stream of attendees, and exhibitors reported great interest and results.

It was Year 4 for MakeUp in LosAngeles (MULA), where 114 exhibitors (29 new this year) from around the world gathered at Barker Hangar at the Santa Monica Airport. Luxe Pack LA (LPLA) held its second edition (with 81 exhibitors this year, up 15% from 2018) co-located with MULA. With an uptick in suppliers in both shows this year, LPLA was set up in a large tent directly adjacent to the Hangar, making for an easy back-and-forth flow of visitors. There were a lot of people to speak with—and a lot to see! Following are some highlights from the many crowded aisles.

MakeUp in LosAngeles

As with all MakeUp in… events, their now-iconic Innovation Tree stood tall in the center—this time appropriately clad as a palm tree—to greet visitors with a selection of outstanding products chosen by a jury of industry experts prior to the show.

Premi Beauty was the only exhibitor to have three winning products suspended on the Innovation Tree— VIP Collection, Green PE and Refill Collection. Their VIP Collection received a special award—Most Innovative Packaging. This complete collection of glass packaging, designed for makeup, can be printed with 3D inkjet decoration—ideal for high-end products, but with affordable costs.

Premi’s new Pocket line, ideal for correcting, illuminating and boosting creams, and available in three sizes, features airless bottles in capacities of 10-, 15-, and 30ml. The Italian supplier says that the Pocket line is “a practical and easily portable solution which enables users to maintain a flawless appearance all day long.”

At HCT Group’s booth at MakeUp in LosAngeles (see video at BeautyPackaging.com), show attendees were interested in speed-to-market and turnkey services, as well as sustainable packaging and customization of stock products (ideal for quick to market).

Nicole Amorosino, vice president of product sales, explained that they were presenting a number of innovations with brushes, including options with “really advanced synthetic fibers” that closely mimic goat and pony hair. A square, airless compact and double jars were also getting lots of attention. Designed to deliver quickly on short lead times, HCT Group’s Block Magnetic Palette is completely customizable. HCT also presented their new Film Sponge, which they say is “a new take on a classic blending sponge.” One side blends, the other becomes a surface to hold your foundation, without it seeping into the sponge. The angled top enables a precise tip for blemishes or delicate under-eye concealer application.

Cosmopak showcased its patent-pending threadless magnetic closing vials at MakeUp in LosAngeles. This concept is suitable for any vial product and is available as a stock component in round and square. The design ensures the cap stays on and is easy to remove by a simple twist. Also of interest was a new line of turnkey eco-friendly cosmetic products. Their formula innovations are focused around CBD, hemp seed, crystal geodes and clean ingredient lists. The products are presented in biodegradable packaging options, post-consumer-recycled plastics, recyclable paper palettes, and recycled bags and brushes (with hemp seed-infused bristles and recycled handles).

Cosmogen says its Couture line of brushes—which won the Millennials FavorITe N°1 Award on the Innovation Tree at MULA—”redefines the limits of the traditional brush with this new patent that provides infinite possibilities to design tailor-made brushes and imagine new makeup gestures.” The Couture set, in a nod to the world of fashion, illustrates this “never seen before” innovation with six brushes. Tuft shapes have been specifically designed to perfectly fit different face areas. The brush hair is synthetic, the ferrule, plastic. A variety of decorative options is available.

Cosmei displayed a number of stock and custom “out-of-the-box” packs for makeup products from palettes to lipsticks. Many of the Made in Italy products featured unique finishes, colorations and materials. An eco-friendly line, with recyclable and refillable options was also shown. Especially eye-catching were MYSTORIES lipsticks, customized with words and messages like “LOVE” protruding off the side of the cap, thanks to customized silicone sleeves.

The very tactile Luxe Velluto Brush Collection, with a new finishing for heads, was a standout at the Italian supplier Pennelli Faro.

The collection is “an expression of the current trend of ‘maximalism,’ ” according to Maurizio Arletti, sales director-Cosmetic Division, and is available in a stunning color palette of six jewel and soft tones, accented with a laser-engraved logo. Special colors are also available.

A high-quality cosmetic pencil must have a high-quality cosmetic sharpener, and at MakeUp in LosAngeles, Eisen featured a large assortment of sharpeners to choose from. Wolfram Leistner explained that the blade is the key to the function of a cosmetic sharpener—for both the sharpening quality and durability. Eisen’s high-quality blade production takes place at its factory in Germany. Known as an essential item for branding, numerous deco options are available, and minimums start at 2,000-3,000 pieces. Leistner also stressed that service is key at Eisen. Among the many models on display at MULA, Eisen’s “Click Fit” cover has an audible closure, and secures the shavings in the sharpener. The cover provides ample space for branding.

Asquan, which highlighted speed-to-market, sustainability and stock, offered show attendees a wide assortment of cosmetic packages, including mini sizes, as well as a new eco-conscious material, “Resinovo,” which is similar to PU faux leather, and made using 95% post-recycled resin polymer ideal for a colorful line of bags and pouches. Rebecca Goswell, global creative director, told Beauty Packaging that many of their customers are also asking for refillable components. An especially attractive new package was an accordion-style fold-out palette with both a regular and magnifying mirror inside. Mini items included a cap with an integral magnetic applicator.

TaikiUSA featured an array of masks and high-performance cosmetic brushes with ferrules and handles that stand out with attractive decorative finishes, such as glitter, pearl or crystal-filled.  Pointing out a wide variety of masks, Jim Perry, president, CEO, TaikiUSA Inc., said they’ve gone from basic sheet masks to elaborate designs. Tea bag masks include a tea bag that infuses the mask. Perry also noted, “There’s starting to be a convergence from mud masks (in jars) to bubble masks, which are fizzy and provide a tingling effect.”

New to MULA this year, Allta International presented a number of color cosmetic packages and formulations. David Berkman, CEO, showed Beauty Packaging products including 10 different shades of marbleized patterned lipsticks that can be layered to produce one color; lipsticks in vials; a lip powder that turns into a lipgloss when applied; and a very textural jelly-like blush.

Luxe Pack LA

At Luxe Pack LA, Bormioli Luigi presented its new Eco Line ultra-light glass bottles and jars for luxury cosmetics. The range features eco-designed packaging, to minimize glass weight and external volume. Olga Bursac, vice president of sales and marketing, said the 50- and 100ml bottles have been eco-designed to be light and small to reduce CO2 emissions. They also have a screw neck, so they’re refillable and can be separated for recycling. In fact, they’re so light, Bursac says some brands are switching to these from plastic.

SamHwa was showcasing a slim profile, airtight cushion compact for foundation or other premium formulas that require airtightness. It’s refillable too. Just press to dispense and swipe the formula onto your fingertips for application. A new ampoule series features bi-injection capabilities, useful in increasing ergonomics and options for serums and medical products.

Jansy Packaging’s stand was brimming with turnkey fragrance and cosmetic projects they had produced. The supplier recently acquired Whipsmart “to enhance their offerings—and bring customization to a different level,” according to Brad Zaikov, Jansy’s president and CEO. Zaikov told Beauty Packaging they have always done turnkey, but are now doing more and more, especially in fragrance. “Fragrance is rebounding,” he said.

Attendees at Luxe Pack LA were drawn to Yonwoo/PKG’s booth, which featured an exciting array of full turnkey skincare—all from Korea. Highlights included masks with “power-boosters,” in which a small pouch of formulation can be added upon use to the larger product pack for extra effectiveness. Freeze-dried formulas, such as small balls of products can be reconstituted with water, serum or herbal oils. A powder that has encapsulated water beads becomes spreadable just by rubbing it with your fingers. A new Vitamin C pen allows you to squeeze out just the amount you want and can be directly applied to targeted areas. For brands looking for quick-to-market launches, Yonwoo/PKG offers a boxed kit of skincare products.

Printex/Transparent Packaging displayed a number of clear PET cartons with different features. The outer PET can be recyclable or made out of recyclable materials. The supplier got the message across directly on the pack with their patented logo that shows an image of a bottle with the words “I was a bottle.”

The steady expansion of subscription box and sampling programs has created the need for brands to provide small-sized packages. To accommodate them, Qosmedix now offers customized mini packaging via an online mini configuration tool.

Qosmedix introduced its new mini packaging division, Itty Bitty Beauty, at the show. Itty Bitty Beauty utilizes innovative technology “to help bring packaging to life,” in addition to streamlining the sourcing and development process.

Itty Bitty Beauty’s configurator tool features real-time 3D visualization with the ability to upload artwork directly onto the packaging, along with dynamic price estimation—a first-of-its-kind in the beauty industry, according to Sari Sternshein, director of marketing for Qosmedix.

Aluminum is one of the most sought-after materials for recycling, and at Luxe Pack LA, ABA Packaging highlighted high-end aluminum bottles and cans with crimp and threaded neck finishes for luxe fragrance and treatment applications. The ABA line of aluminum bottles and cans offers unique decorating capabilities including hot-stamping and embossing. Special textured finishes have also now become a possibility. Available neck finishes include 15FEA to mate with popular fine mist spray pumps, GPI threaded finishes for a variety of pump systems (and for ease of recyclability), and 1-in. crimp neck finishes for atmospheric, aerosol, and BOV pump systems. The supplier also exhibited an extensive range of stock lines of glass and plastic bottles, jars, roll-ons, and high-quality plastic tubes.

Verescence showcased some of its cutting-edge technologies at Luxe Pack Los Angeles, including with its launch Verre Infini NEO for the new Bvlgari Man Wood Essence, made with post-consumer recycled glass. A mineral glass bottle for David Beckham featured deco colors inside the glass. The luxe Tom Ford Lost Cherry with Color’In technology and Proenza Schouler Arizona using Sculpt’In technology were also on display.

Elcos, with offices in the U.S., specializes in airless packaging, and showcased a number of sleek, beautiful airless “families” at Luxe Pack LA. A pop-up airless bottle has an inner bottle that locks in place, keeping it safe inside. Many of the high-end plastic bottles could easily be mistaken for glass.

Focused on consumers’ penchant for personalization, Albéa developed the Million Vibes Collection, which consists of 14 unique and customized packages for different makeup applications, designed to inspire through new textures and visual effects. From silk-screening to UV spray or sparkly effects, Albéa says they can create unlimited designs and decorations.

At their stand at Luxe Pack LA, Linhardt, a 70-year-old family business, featured sustainable packaging made in Germany.

Included were plastic, aluminum and multilayer tubes, as well as aerosol cans. The company touts 96% renewable resources, as well as use of recycled materials. Linhardt stresses its commitment to society and the environment in all areas of their business, and says they are “moving closer to CO2-neutral production.”

Coverpla has “lightened up their look”—and at LPLA, the fragrance, cosmetics and skincare packaging supplier introduced their new eco-friendly collection of bottles and jars.

Anodized aluminum and metallized packaging specialist Anomatic Corporation showcased a new high-flexibility, metallized finish that is ideal for hinge closures. The supplier says the proprietary technology provides several advantages, “chief of which is greatly enhanced surface durability of the closure when compared to current market options.”  The finish can also be combined with other deco techniques as well as glitter or confetti effects.

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