The American Academy of Art, Chicago, IL; Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM), Los Angeles, CA; Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, NY; and Miami International University of Art & Design, Miami, FL, are participating in the 2011 Independent Cosmetic Manufacturers & Distributors Association (ICMAD) Young Designers Competition. Three students will be recognized with a first prize of $2,500, second prize of $1,500 and third prize of $1,000.

“The schools involved in this year’s program boast some of the finest design departments in the country,” said ICMAD President and CEO Pamela Busiek. “We look forward to the innovative designs their fine young students will produce.”

Judging criteria for packaging include uniqueness, ability to be reproduced economically, ability to stand out favorably against competitive packages, ease of use and ease of storage. A panel of cosmetic and personal care packaging design experts will judge the competition. Each student receives a 6.5 oz. bottle, which was donated by Jack Leitman, L&S Packaging. The students are asked to create any type of facial product, such as a toner, cleanser or moisturizer. They can create the brand, including product name, descriptive copy and net weights.

“The Young Designers focuses on encouraging up-and-coming talent and honors those innovative achievements set them apart in this highly competitive industry,” explained Busiek.

Leslie Blodgett, creator of bareMinerals and Executive Chairman of Bare Escentuals, will present the Young Designers Awards at Twenty Four Fifth in New York City on September 21st at a dinner hosted by ICMAD. In 2006, Blodgett took Bare Escentuals public in one of the largest cosmetic IPO’s in the last decade. In 2010, Bare Escentuals was acquired by Shiseido, the Japan-based global cosmetics company, for $1.8 billion. It is one of the largest cosmetics mergers in history. For more information, visit www.icmad.org.