Cosmoprof 2019
If we had the option to see just one cosmetic&packaging event in the entire Europe, that would definitely be Cosmoprof in Bologna, which has become an utter Mecca for anyone to deal with the beauty industry.
Every tradeshow is always about trends. Every tradeshow in 2019 and several upcoming seasons will continue to unfold the rush for everything natural, bio and eco, started in 2018.
Eco, bio, organic
Just as expected, the most often seen slogans and labels were Organic, Bio, Natural and Vegan. No matter if the brand or the line belonged to mass-market, masstige or upper price segment – it was quite a challenge to find a something not comprised of 90, 98, 99 or 100 per cent nature-born ingredients. Whether it was a generic hand cream or super-efficient eyelid mask, everything piece of exposed brands was marked with at least one of the green signs. The only exception was for hyper-effective or selective cosmetics, where bot producers and consumers primarily care for the result, and less for lab or sylvatic origination of the components.
Packaging goes just where cosmetic does. This year, ten out of ten manufacturers allotted a nature-designated corner at their stands, showcasing single models or concepts and full-scale “green” packaging series. Some were represented by recycled jars and bottles, some by corn or cane plastics, some by biodegradable and even compostable plastic packaging, and some by all of it on one stand. Nevertheless, the cosmetic packaging industry of 2019 is still too early to be claimed a year of nature-friendly packaging, since most of the eco offers are still is the phase of projecting, testing and adjusting. The full-scale of earth-saving plastics is expected in approximately on year, maybe a bit shorter.
Still, there is already something to feel proud of. The utter hit of Cosmoprof and Cosmopack were detachable-thermos jars offered by at least 4 packaging manufacturers. The concept allows to substantially decrease the use of raw materials, lets the brand emit limited batches of fully packed cream jars, and then deliver removable re-fillers. The customer gets to pay the full price only once and the takes advantage of buying new doses of cream significantly cheaper. The brand, as a bonus, also obtains a customer attached to the product.
Diversity manifesto
One thing just as prominent as the “eco-bio” trend during Cosmoprof 2019 was a tribute to all possible forms of diversity. Using bright, catchy and in reverse modest, minimalistic design within one brand or even one single series – why not! Using metal or glass where everyone’s been used to plastic (and vice versa) – sure. Preferring orthodox screw caps for generations of products that usually compete by design sophistication – here you go. You could even expect (and find) bath lotions packed in tin-plate bottles traditionally used for olive oil. It was also hard not to notice a tendency of plastic bottle manufacturers (especially of amber PET and PE bottles) to imitate the shape and the look of glass pharma packaging. Some producers succeeded in it so much, it was hard to tell plastic from glass until you physically hold a sample in your hand.