Tools of the Trade

Applicators play an integral role in proper application and at-market product differentiation.

By Joanna Cosgrove

Philosophy’s The Supernatural Powder Airbrushed Canvas features a powder-filled canister fitted with an applicator sponge that both ensures goof-proof application and aids in buffing the skin to a flawless finish.

A little rouge, a swipe of mascara and a dab of lip color is all most girls need to start the day with a fresh face. But even the most top-shelf color cosmetics are of little value if they aren’t applied correctly. While technique is important, the tools used to apply foundations, lip, eye and cheek colors are integral to getting the right look.

Cosmetic applicators can dictate how a package conforms to its use, says Walter Dwyer, president, Cosmopak Corp., Port Washington, NY. “In the case of a vial with a screw-on cap the same package can be used as an eyeliner, eyebrow, lip gloss or mascara, but its use is determined by the applicator,” he says.

Traditionally speaking, it used to be easy to pair products with applicators: eyeliners use a fine brush, lip glosses use a flocked or doe foot applicator and mascara usually uses a brush, but Dwyer says the last two years have brought a flurry of “modification requests” from cosmetics manufacturers seeking alternative applicator options. “In the case of lip gloss, we have answered this need by developing new applicators utilizing brushes, or flexible silicone and Hytrel applicators in various shapes and designs,” he says.

Avon’s Mark. took a detour when it selected a brush for its Blushpaint Cheek Color Hook Up. Because the blush is a fluid liquid-to-powder cheek color, a wide or angular brush, like those used for typical panned powders, just wouldn’t do. The company instead decided to package the product in a vial with a brush that allows for a buildable application of the product. The vial is a “Hook Up” package, part of a modular system of individually sold, interlocking products that allow customers to make their own customizable, dual-ended combinations.

DuWop Lip Venom brush uses a stiffer bristle as necessitated by the lip-plumping formula.

Sourcing the right applicator assures that the consumer will have the most appropriate tool to apply the beauty product. Some products dictate the need for specialized applicators. Dwyer points to the DuWop Lip Venom brush, which uses a stiffer bristle as necessitated by the lip-plumping formula.

The application of product on the lips or lashes is greatly affected by applicators that veer outside the typical realm. “In the case of gloss, a flexible silicone applicator with no flocking gives a greater lay down of bulk and prevents streaking on lips. This translates as faster, smoother application for the user,” Dwyer says.

Molton Brown recently tapped Cosmopak to supply applicators for Vitamin Lip Sheers, which are packaged in travel friendly, pocket-sized tubes. The applicators needed to deliver the perfect amount of the balm onto the lips.  

From translucent lip color to a rich lip stain, Urban Decay also selected a flocked applicator for its Lip Envy lip stain. According to Wende Zomnir, executive creative director, this type of applicator was chosen because “it provides great control for applying stains, which are often difficult to apply. It allows you to layer the coverage to achieve different intensities for precision application,” she says.

Lip Envy is a water-rich, gel-based formula that dries to a soft matte finish, providing a semi-permanent, vanilla-scented color wash.The formula is housed in an inkwell-shaped bottle to avoid the potential for accidents associated with carrying traditional lipstick in a handbag.  

Creating Mascara Magic

Selecting the right applicator can create a coveted point of difference in a crowded marketplace. Lou Della Pesca, president, 3C Inc., Hawthorne, NJ, says the synergy created when a formula is paired with the appropriate application tool is a key component to a product’s success. “The applicator alone does not influence a customer’s purchase. It’s the product’s purpose that is achieved by the design of the applicator,” Della Pesca asserts.

Mark.’s Face Xpert utilizes a sponge tip applicator under the cap.

Mascara is the best example of this synergy. It must work with the brush and packaging components in order to deliver the look it promises. “For example,” explains Fran Marchiel, product development manager, Alcan Packaging Beauty, located in New York, NY, “if you have a mascara product that gives you beautifully lengthened and separated lashes, and you dip that applicator into a different mascara product, the resulting application will look nothing at all like the original. That’s because each mascara product on the market requires its own unique and special applicator that is best suited to the formula, packaging and specific application qualities.”

For many women, the choice of a mascara applicator is very personal. Some like a small, compact brush because they have better control and the brush is easy to use when capturing the smaller inner lashes. Others prefer a larger brush to give a more immediate impact on application. “Studies have shown that women are very brand loyal but will experiment with different mascaras within that brand,” says Marchiel. “That is why almost all cosmetic companies have multiple mascaras in their line, usually a thickening, a lengthening, a curling, a waterproof and a general purpose.”

When it comes to mascara brushes, there are countless combinations of brush and bristle sizes, shapes, fibers and fiber densities. Because a mascara formulation must work with the packaging to achieve the desired result, the variables in formulation, brush specifications and rod and wiper sizes can make the brush and packaging choice a difficult job. “Most mascara brushes are made out of nylon and the diameter can vary from extremely soft to very stiff,” explains Marchiel. “Softer brushes generally apply a large amount of product relatively quickly. Stiffer bristles will give a superior comb-through of the mascara product.”

Lip Envy from Urban Decay features a flocked applicator for greater application control.

In addition to the variations in diameter, the nylon can also be extruded into different shapes. Most common on the market is solid fiber and hollow fiber. There are many brush shapes available and fiber manufacturers can manufacture virtually any shape a customer wants. The use of different fibers also impact performance. “In general, a brush made of solid fiber will give a heavy application but will lack separation of the lashes,” explains Marchiel. “A brush made of hollow fiber will give a far superior comb-through but the application may be a little bit lighter than the solid fiber would give.”

Avon’s new Daring Curves Mascara, a product launched earlier this year, is marketed to deliver lashes that are up to 400 percent thicker, up to 65 percent curlier, for up to 12 hours. The promises are centered on the product’s technology that curls, volumizes, defines then sets lashes for all-day wear that couples an exclusive Curl Contour brush to curve lashes with a “self-adapting” Therma-Set Technology that preserves the curve for up to 12 hours.

Forgoing the typical brush, Maybelline New York selected a v-shaped comb applicator for its Lash Stylist mascara. According to Melanie Avelar, director of marketing for the company’s eye segment, the “v-styling comb lifts, and boldly thickens lashes for a new, open-eyed look.”

The brand’s two-tier v-styling comb applicator features fine teeth designed to style the lashes, giving sculpted volume with lifted and thickened lashes and a new kind of separation. The fluid formula encourages even and smooth application, giving the user more time to sculpt and style the lashes before the formula dries.

Avelar contends a unique applicator can directly influence consumer purchasing behavior.  “Through consumer research we have learned that consumers want the reassurance of seeing the type of brush/comb they are purchasing,” she says. “It also helps consumers differentiate between all of the different mascaras that are out in the marketplace.”

All-In-One Approach

It used to be that most eye shadow manufacturers would included a handy, foam-tipped applicator in each jewel case. But nowadays, some companies are opting for applicators that are incorporated directly into the primary packaging itself, ensuring that the tool wouldn’t get lost and facilitating quick, easy applications.

Philosophy offers two incarnations of this all-in-one package. The company’s Supernatural Mineral make-up is a 4-in-1 pigment powder that delivers a “natural airbrushed finish” to the skin while acting as a foundation, concealer, powder and SPF. Similar in delivery but heavier in pigmentation is The Supernatural Powder Airbrushed Canvas. Both of the packages feature powder-filled canisters fitted with an applicator sponge that both ensures a spill-proof and goof-proof application and aids in buffing the skin to a flawless finish. The sponge top can be unscrewed for those who wish to apply the powder with a brush, or for cleaning purposes.

Mark. also tapped into the all-in-one package for its Face Xpert Flawless Touch Makeup. Billed as a professional coverage foundation, the formula is housed in jar that features a built-in self-measuring sponge tip applicator under the cap. The sponge helps users glide on the perfect amount of foundation without the need for a separate applicator sponge.

Similar in design is the Precious Metals Three-Piece Eyeshadow Collection from Models Prefer, Waterbury, CT. The clear acrylic pots containing the loose shadows are capped with a built-in brush applicator that doses the right amount of color when the base is gently shaken.

The company’s Jumbo Sponge Eyeshadow Sticks are another extension of the increasingly popular all-in-one ideology. The cream-to-powder shadows are contained within a spring-loaded dispensing stick that’s topped with a professional, sponge tip applicator. The ultra-soft texture of the cut foam applicator allows consumers to have a smooth, blend-able color application.

Models Prefer is a great example of how much stock innovative cosmetics manufacturers put into the selection of their applicators. Pairing the right applicator with the right product ensures the consumer will get quality results from your product, fostering a little product loyalty in the process.