While I’ve always enjoyed covering the innovative design and packaging stories that prevail in the beauty industry, I never realized, until recently, the extent of my emotional connection to my personal array of cosmetics.

Two weeks ago, our family home and all of our possessions were destroyed in a devastating fire. Above all, we were extremely fortunate that no one was hurt. But as I sat there, watching the billowing smoke, I was astounded that among the irretrievable items I was inventorying in my mind, were my beauty products.

Over the years, I had carefully culled my collection to an assortment of favorites, whether mass or prestige, beautiful, functional or efficacious. That night as I went to CVS to make some quick replacements, I realized that having my usual products would have been such a comfort to me, and that using substitutes made me feel more displaced.

The good news, though, is that unlike other collections that I lost, I can rebuild my cosmetics inventory—and look forward to doing so.

Being back at Beauty Packaging has kept me on track, and this year promises to be an exciting one. We’re celebrating our 15th anniversary in 2010, and have some exciting plans. To start with, we’d like to share this happy occasion by paying tribute to your history as well as ours. As we plan an industry retrospective, I’d like to call on you to please send me information on how long your company/brand has been in business, along with some packaging highlights of the past 15 years.

Of course, everything is relative. While we look back on the many packaging evolutions of the last decade and a half, 15 years marks but a brief period in the history of L’Oréal, which our readers voted 2009 Beauty Company of the Year: Excellence in Packaging.It has been truly inspirational to delve into the expansiveness of their packaging achievements (see page 12).

As always, we hope you enjoy this issue, and please don’t forget to check out our additional coverage and online exclusives at nitesh_bp.rodpub.com.

Jamie Matusow
[email protected]