Cosmoprof North America (CPNA) continues to gain increased recognition every year for its understanding of all sectors of the global beauty industry and the desire to offer visitors innovative new features, experiences and value. Known as “the leading B2B beauty trade show,” the 13th edition was held July 12-14 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

This year’s show broke previous records with nearly 30,000 attendees and more than 1,000 exhibitors from 39 countries. Visitors were eager to discover unique brand launches; product innovations; new channels for distribution, packaging, and manufacturing; and to form relationships with top industry professionals and retailers—all on one giant show floor that encompassed more than 250,000 square feet.  A full conference program headlining top beauty influencers attracted 1,500 audience members over the three days.

Nine country pavilions contributed a strong international presence to the exhibit area, representing cultural beauty from Australia, Brazil, China/Taiwan, Ecuador, Italy, Pakistan, Peru, South Korea and Spain.

Daniela Ciocan, CPNA marketing  director, told Beauty Packaging the organizers couldn’t have been happier with the results. “This year’s event has surpassed our expectations from attendance of qualified buyers and key industry professionals to exhibit sales,” she said. “The show floor was buzzing with excitement and all the new innovative programs we brought to the forefront this year added a layer of flair.”

She added: “The show is the unsurpassed B2B beauty expo for the Americas where indie brands can build distribution networks and meet with potential suppliers all in one trip. What continues to distinguish CPNA are the innovative concepts that resonate with all facets of the industry and allow us to be at the forefront of establishing meaningful business connections.”

New Areas and Special Programs 

CPNA introduced three special areas to this year’s robust lineup that featured the ever-expanding and popular Discover Beauty, where leading retailers connect with select up-and-coming brands. Discover Scent featured 13 companies representing artisanal high-end fragrances and fragrance suppliers, and was developed in partnership with Sniffapalooza. Tones of Beauty debuted to spotlight the growing multicultural beauty market, and highlighted 10 curated brands that had been selected by Corey Huggins of love, Aunt Bonnie. Another program that premiered was the International Business Forum & Exhibition-Focus on the Beauty Supply Chain. This new area served as a business platform for companies specializing in packaging, machinery, OEM and raw materials.  

In addition—and unique to CPNA—leading TV shopping channels EVINE Live, HSN and QVC auditioned 22 select brands onsite to find what they hoped would be their next winning on-air products.

Interactive Experience and Interactive Technology areas also previewed this year. Courtesy of drom Fragrances, mycoocoon, and Pulsar, CPNA’s Interactive Area boasted a mood-altering, multisensorial experience that married the visual (chromatherapy) with scent (fragrances that match the color moods) and the auditory sense (music to match the color moods) to bring peace and relaxation. The Interactive Technology Area offered  unique exhibits from FaceCake Marketing Technologies, Good Apple Digital and Hone.  Interactive:
As in past years, products were in hot demand at the Boutique sampling area where visitors got to curate their own beauty box, and help raise funds for City of Hope at the same time. Samples sold out in record time, raising more than $15,000 for the charitable cause.

Notes from the Show Floor

As noted, the Packaging area was positioned front and center on the show floor this year, and all of the exhibitors Beauty Packaging spoke with found the change to be effective in drawing qualified visitors. The move had attracted an expanded roster of companies across the entire beauty industry supply chain. While many suppliers told us that Cosmoprof NA is primarily a way to meet with their West Coast contacts, others told us that they had also seen increased numbers of attendees from throughout the U.S. as well as Central and South America.

Packaging Highlights

From stock packaging to turnkey, flexible to sustainable, there were lots of options to investigate, and solutions to satisfy nearly every brand’s needs.

Accessories

Qosmedix offered a number of new products and accessories. An LED mirror that takes AA batteries makes makeup application a flawless activity, especially  with its iPad functionality and touch screen. Shari Sternshein, director of marketing, said the company is getting more into hair supplies. For example, she showed us a new hot pad to put tools on—it withstands up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. New brushes included flat multipurpose, synthetic brushes for makeup and skin care. Available in three sizes, they are ideal for private-label. Qosmedix is also pursuing getting into the cosmetics bag market. New to their Precious Metals bag line is the new Clearly Precious Metals Bag.

Sampling Options

There were several suppliers at the show offering sampling solutions.

Klocke exhibited a wide range of choices including reusable blisters that answer the call for multi-use sampling. A kickstand blister that has a channel spout is ideal for controlled dispensing. It doesn’t re-seal, but is re-closeable—just push back the kickstand and you can use it again. Another channel spout is designed for encapsulated products such as gel carrier beads.

Color Cosmetics

World Wide Packaging was a first-time exhibitor at CPNA and was pleased with the experience. Holly Benda, marketing director/office manager said they were featuring several “families,” and showed us a number of full lines with custom heads and jars, dual flip-top tubes and more. The company also offers full  turnkey services. Benda said that color cosmetic palettes are in demand, and World Wide offer lots of configurations with or without applicators. A prestige product, the Dual Brow created for pürminerals, combines three popular trends: dual-duty, brow color and contouring. The metal case features a brush and two brow colors. Jars with pull-out applicators from either the side or the bottom added extra appeal.

 Looking for Lipstick container?

HCT Group had gift boxes on their minds. Not only had the company created and donated the in-demand pink tins for Cosmoprof NA’s popular sampling program that benefits City of Hope, but they had neatly created a small gift box that turns into a tray to house one of the color collections they were featuring at their prominent stand at the entrance to the newly located packaging area. The product group highlighted the hybrid between skin care and makeup as well as high performing products featured in unique sensorial textures, according to Erma Estrella, product development & marketing manager, and featured a number of new formulations packaged in cre  ative ways.

The introductions included a Zamac tip click pen—the first use of a cooling tip for a color cosmetic product—which featured a “Color Drench” formula in a stock click pen component with an aluminum overshell; a Crème Velour lip product, which is matte, but nourishing, according to Estrella, and which can also be used on cheeks, where it blends seamlessly; an airtight cushion compact with a hot pour crème to powder primer formula targeted to oily skin; and a new stock component—plastic chubby pens, now in airtight plastic.

Lumson unveiled new airless shapes and capacities to cover a wide range, as well as plastics collections. The company featured a new eco-friendly material  —green PE from sugar cane combined with PP (for the cap and pump). It’s completely recyclable to accommodate what marketing director Frederica Bonaldi said is the growing demand they’re seeing for eco-friendly packaging. Bonaldi also showed Beauty Packaging how they can now apply a special lacquering to jars and bottles—it is done on the inside.

To offer a 360-degree option for customers, Lumson has also added makeup to their collection, with packaging for foundations, lipgloss, compacts and more. Everything is customizable and all componentry is made in Italy.

While Verla is known for its wide array of color cosmetics and turnkey packaging, April Vignone, president product & packaging development, Verla International Ltd, told Beauty Packaging that macerating fragrance in-house has become a central strong point. Fragrance manufacturing and launches in other popular areas such as contour and long-wear liquid lipsticks have also experienced lots of activity. She said an “explosive area in beauty is with naturals and organics.” Verla is one of the largest suppliers in the area, said Vignone. They have an organic certified manufacturing facility—a complete, separate contained area within their 50-acre facility that houses five buildings and currently employs 500-600 people.

Looking for compact container?

Tubes and Flexible Packaging

Viva was another first-time exhibitor at Cosmoprof NA this year, and was highlighting its 100% recyclable PP tubes decorated with in-mold labeling. Bruno Lebault, marketing director North America, emphasized that although their technology is just four years old, the tubes have taken a leap from mass to prestige, illustrated by  tubes done for brands including Kao (John Frieda), LVMH (Fresh) and more. Lebault emphasized the advantage of Viva’s global plants in Toronto, Hong Kong and Warsaw—so brands can get the same tube anywhere in the world.

Fusion continues to develop new direct applicators for tubes and had a wide range of packages on display, including airless tubes. Deco effects were also hot, with new ranges such as Shine Effects Tubes, with metallic finishes. These tubes are also compatible with more intense formulations. Droplet effects, embossing, debossing and various gradient effects also make stock packaging stand out on shelf. Large capacity jumbo airless bottles (50-100ml), can be used for hair and body products, ideal as Jessica Cahalen Tarangioli, regional sales manager, said, “Airless is continuing to evolve in that direction.” The large sizes enable brands to have complete collections in similar packaging.

Also good for hair care was Essel Propack’s new release. Wendi Caraballo, marketing manager, Essel Propack Americas, LLC, said they are seeing increasing interest from brands that are converting some of their products from bottles to tubes. To meet their needs, the supplier’s new 60mm diameter tube will hold 12-16 ounces of product.

NuGen also had a lot of interest in one of their hair care solutions. The company has two divisions—one for rigid packaging and one for flexible packaging, called Batico USA. Batico USA is the American export office for the manufacturing company Batico, in Vietnam, which specializes in flexible packaging products. Of utmost interest was their flexible spouted packaging, ideal for bulk shampoos and conditioners. Batico said using the package yields an 80% carbon footprint reduction. It contains PCR content and is available up to 48oz, in a variety of sizes.

Rigid bottles and jars on display also offer sustainable packaging solutions. NuGen said their sustainable caps use 25% less cap material than other options.

Stock

McKernan is known for their huge inventory of stock components, and told Beauty Packaging they get new surplus everyday. The company just launched a new wholesale catalog, too. With a low mix & match $500 minimum, McKernan said they are especially good for startup companies—but work with big companies as well as small ones to help them grow.

Turnkey

PakLab’s impressive Bay Soleil line was a team turnkey project—and totally in sync with the show, especially because the Mandalay Bay resort carries the line exclusively in its sundries shops. Alex Cripchuck, senior vice president, commercialization, PakLab, told Beauty Packaging that as a contract manufacturer, they decided to be different than anyone else. They created a team and then called on megabrands, offering everything from developing the formulas, to market research, with their own packaging engineer, designer, graphic designer, etc. Everything was custom and as a result, Cripchuck said,  “Bay Soleil is a new category in sun care.” He said they created an outdoor line with indoor benefits that didn’t exist before. Portable and affordable, he said  the luxury products contain the anti-aging benefits of skin care and SPF.

Packaging in blue and yellow—tones of sea, sky and sun—add to the appeal. A dozen SKUs feature products from lip protectors to full coverage and highly sensitive skin, as well as a patentable technology for water resistance. The products’ scent is becoming a trademark of Mandalay Bay as a similar fragrance to that in the formulation is now being pumped into the casino. Bay Soleil was developed and went to market in under a year.

A Dizzying Array of Brands

It’s always exciting to see the massive aisles of finished products at Cosmoprof NA, especially in the hair and nail categories—and this year was no exception. Big hair ruled and models throughout the pavilions wore many hair-heavy looks complete with teasing, braids, buns, chignons and curls. Alternative colors also stood out in every shade of the rainbow.

Nail care companies continue to innovate with fabulous colors and finishes, at-home systems and soak off gel polishes.

3D Nails

3D Tube Gel at formulator Nail of Queen (NOQ; now in Korea and Japan) featured a UV curing system for nails that cures in 30 seconds under LED lights. Tiara, touted as “the best nail artist in Korea,” was kind enough to paint a multi-color 3D flower on my nails. NOQ Trick Gel makes automatic patterns on nails with just one coat. Just paint on and a leopard or ombre look appears when dry. NOQ says the finishes last a minimum of two weeks though one gentleman at the booth said the portrait of his dog that Tiara had painted on lasted about two months.

NOQ also displayed a wide variety of treatment masks, another popular category at Cosmoprof. Apparently masks have seen the end of thick white creams and the like. Instead, the treatments have taken on the look of masquerading, with vivid graphic images of cartoon characters and superheroes. For a daintier option, Lace Your Face offered a more feminine look, with a range of products offering a number of treatment options. 

Telling the Brand Story Through Packaging

Beauty Packaging was delighted to host a panel at Cosmoprof NA on Sunday, July 13, titled “Telling the Brand Story Through Packaging.” Moderator Jamie Matusow led an entertaining and informative standing room only session featuring top industry executives offering perspectives from designer, brand and supplier.

  Panelists were Ben Bennett, partner & co-founder, creative director, Hatch Beauty; Lauren Wolk, vice president of sales, Goldfaden MD; Nick Gardner, executive vice president, HCT Group; and Jerrod Blandino, co-founder and creative director, Too Faced Cosmetics.