BW Confidential highlights the trends and innovations from Paris Packaging Week, which took place in the French capital from January 28-29
This year’s Paris Packaging Week was the event’s biggest yet, taking place in a larger hall at Paris’ Expo Porte de Versailles exhibition space. The aisles were packed, and exhibitors highlighted the number and quality of visitors to the event.
Trade show organizer Easyfairs said that this year’s event set a new benchmark, with 12,588 visitors, a 27% increase from last year and the highest attendance in the show’s 24-year history. Some 880 exhibitors attended the show.
Josh Brooks, Event Director and Divisional Director, said: “The remarkable surge in visitor numbers highlights how essential Paris Packaging Week has become for brands and decision-makers.”
In addition to the traditional trade show stands, there were a string of special events, such as live art and music installations, packaging galleries and animations organized by start-ups.
Market sentiment
While there was a definite buzz about the show, exhibitors were more subdued when it came to talking about the state of the market. Many were anxious about the lack of visibility at the beginning of the year and significantly fewer orders due to a build up of stock at their clients. Packagers added that steep declines in the Chinese market have considerably impacted brands, which in turn have reduced their orders. They also expressed worries about the potential impact of increased tariffs from the US.
There were nonetheless a range of new products and techniques presented at the show, especially in the areas of sustainability, technology offering better protection of formulas and in new ways of applying products.
Innovations seen in show
German company GEKA showed a new collection of mascara brushes and fibers. The featherBRUSH is a new one component brush that is optimized for the natural shape of the eyeball to make application easier. Geka says that the brush reaches every lash and provides length and definition, while the tapered bristles ensure separation.
The company’s catwalkLASHES 2.0 has a combination of soft bristles and uniquely shaped discs and offers two separate application zones: the discs separate and lengthen lashes, while the bristles deliver bulk for volume. Bristles at the tip enable a push-up effect, aimed at intensifying even very short lashes.
The fanCBRUSH also has two application zones thanks to short, straight bristles on one side and spread bristles for a curved shape on the other. It has been designed for a fan effect and long, separated lashes. It features upper bristles shaped to the eye that reach smaller lashes.
In addition, the company presented three new fibers for twisted wire mascara brushes. The first is the EOSstar, named after its star-shaped cross section. The company says the fiber’s spiked, irregular surface provides a substantial formulation reservoir and dosed bulk delivery, as well as strong pick-up.
The spikySNOWFLAKE features six star spikes and is made from 100% renewable raw material from the castor oil plant. The gaps between the spikes deliver volume, while a hollow core ensures a flexible and soft fiber.
The new liftUP fiber has a tip that is spread into four ends. Lashes fall into the gaps between the forks at the tips and are lifted upwards via a mechanical effect. Meanwhile, a porous surface at the tip ensures bulk pick-up. All products are made from recycled materials and decorated with GEKA’s shadow printing technology. This year, Geka is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
Cosmogen presented a 100% paper version of its Paper Stick. The original Paper Stick, which responds to the demand for anhydrous cosmetic formulas and has a rotative product push-up system, was made with 77% paper. However, in the new version the mechanism part of the stick is made from paper as well, meaning there is no plastic in the product.
In haircare, the company showcased three applicators adapted to different hair types (curly, straight, fine, thick and dry, for example). The company says the products are in line with the growing skinification trend in haircare.
In make-up, Cosmogen presented a compact in PET or r-PET, with two palettes, for powders or eyeshadows, as well as a lip version of its Tense tube, which was originally for the eyes. The new version of the tube has a lip tip with a slanted metal part to facilitate application on lips.
Glassmaker Stoelzle teamed up with specialist in quantum dots Nexdot to create a varnish for fragrance bottles that protects the formulas against UV light. The varnish, which is applied to the outer wall of bottles, claims to protect against ultraviolet radiation without impacting the transparency and color of the glass.
The impact of UV rays on formulas is a major constraint for companies, with brands forced to include additives to avoid degradation and a modification of the product’s olfactory and color properties.
The transparent varnish is based on mineral nanocrystals. These small crystals make it possible to finely adjust the transmission and absorption of light rays according to their wavelength, meaning they can stop all UV rays (A, B and C), before they reach the contents of the treated bottle. The blocking power of this varnish means that companies can remove many additives from formulas intended to protect and stabilize molecules sensitive to UV. This simplifies the formula and is in line with the trend for clean beauty. In addition, the technology means that companies do not have to deal with complications related to new potential regulations on the additives in the formula. The varnish is transparent, but it is also possible to color it, which would magnify the appearance of the product.
Coverpla showcased a range of large caps that brands are using on bottles of all sizes, including mini formats, as well as bottles with thick glass walls to convey a premium look. In terms of caps, the company presented Marilyn, with a faceted shape; Gaby, a cylindrical cap made from Surlyn, and Leo a wooden cap in two shades (white and tobacco) featuring two horizontal grooves and fitted with a PP insert.
As for bottles, Coverpla showed Oscar, an apothecary-style bottle for either fragrance or cosmetics in a 50ml or 100ml format, and Karma, a bottle with a squat-like base.
Aptar Beauty presented Nomad Refill, a refillable 10ml purse spray, which the company says can be easily and quickly refilled directly on a perfume bottle and responds to the demand for mini-fragrances. Aptar says that most travel sprays are not refillable or require a funnel or another tool, which can be messy and often results in spilling or overfilling.
Aptar has come up with a patented integrated connector that means that no additional accessories are necessary. The user unscrews the pump from their fragrance bottle and removes the bottom cap from the base of the Nomad Refill. They can then screw the connector of Nomad Refill onto the fragrance bottle, flip it upside down and pull the refill bottle to activate refilling. Refilling automatically stops when full, thereby avoiding the risk of overfilling or product loss. The Nomad Refill is compatible with any perfume bottle using a SNI15 screw pump. The Nomad Refill can be customized, and brands can also create a personalized casing for it for a luxury look, similar to what has been seen in the lipstick category.
Aptar Beauty also showcased a new generation of all-plastic pumps to maximize recyclability. The new Advance Collection consists of GSA Advance dispensing pump and PZ Advance spray pump, which are both made of Polypropylene (PP) and PE (Polyethylene) and so suitable for recycling streams.
French company Hyléance Group officialized the launch of its new beauty division at the show. Hyléance beauté was created with the aim of developing only sustainable and eco-responsible solutions for beauty packaging. It showcased its latest product, puRE Twist, a refillable and reusable pack designed for Anhydrous and Aqueous solutions of 20ml (18g).
The product’s stick format has a mechanism similar to a lipstick. The solid bulk is molded onto a base, with the bulk itself acting as the applicator, thereby allowing a total restitution of the product. As such, the only waste to be thrown away is the ring (meaning 10 times less plastic to recycle). Depending on the pouring method, the bulk can be square or rounded at the tip. It can be used for suncare, deodorants, moisturizers, haircare, masks, highlighters and solid foundation. It is made from mono-material PP 100% recyclable and recycled PET Cup.
Hyléance Group was created in 2021 and has five manufacturing sites. In 2024, it registered sales of €43m.
Nuon Medical Technologies presented a range of beauty tech solutions at the event. The company integrates technologies, such as light therapy, into product packaging in a bid to improve the performance of product formulas.
“We evaluate a formula’s active ingredients and then suggest technologies that will magnify the results of the formula for users. It’s about combining beauty tech with cosmetics for better results,” comments Gregory Pays, in charge of development at Nuon Medical Technologies. “We can help brands in the beginning phase of a product, in development and in marketing. But a big plus is that we help our clients get certifications for their products in a number of markets and make clinically validated claims backed by regulatory standards,” he adds. The company says it has more than 8,000 clinical studies on the impact of its technologies in combination with key active ingredients and has created an AI tool to quickly come up with propositions for brands based on their briefs.
The technologies offered by Nuon are non-invasive and also offer users the possibility to choose the intensity and duration. They include:
-Phototherapy, which uses different types of LED and is said to stimulate cell regeneration, improve the texture of the epidermis, activate blood circulation and soothe inflammation. As an example of use, the company says a brand could combine red light therapy that stimulates collagen production with a collagen-rich serum so that it will be better absorbed by the skin, or combine a blue light treatment with an anti-imperfection formula.
-PEMF technology or treatment by pulsed electromagnetic fields. Micro-currents are used to stimulate facial muscles, cellular activity and collagen production. The technology uses weak electrical impulses to promote a lifting effect.
-Thermotherapy or activation by hot or cold – heat is said to promote the absorption of a product by the skin and the activation of its ingredients, while providing relaxation. A cool sensation is said to tone and firm the skin tissues, while reducing the appearance of pores.
-Ultrasonic vibrations and acoustic vibrations, which claim to improve product absorption, facilitate deep pore cleansing and stimulate cell renewal.
-Micro-perforation or needling micro-perforation, which is based on the use of micro-needles that act on the surface of the skin. The micro-incisions, which are very fine and precise, are said to stimulate the skin’s natural regeneration processes and collagen production, as well as facilitate the penetration of active ingredients.
Examples of products include a spatula that vibrates and massages and includes red light therapy to treat skin aging, and the cap of a jar that combines red light therapy (anti-aging) or blue light therapy (anti-acne), with therapeutic heat and massage beads. The company also showed a skin measurement device integrated into the lid of a jar, which allows the user to evaluate the effectiveness of their skincare routine over time.
The company says that such beauty tech is already well accepted in parts of Asia and the US, and that over the past year there has been a strong demand for these types of technologies in Europe. It adds that any fears over red light therapy for example have largely dissipated. Nuon reveals that key trends in beauty tech are in the area of skincare, and also in haircare, where light-therapy is increasingly being used to stimulate hair growth. Nuon Medical Technologies is part of the Kaiyan Medical group, which was founded 20 years ago and specialized in LED technology in the medical arena.
Albéa’s Tubes division introduced four new additions to its EcoTop range, which fuses a pack’s head and caps. The new additions feature different diameters and shapes. It also showcased a range of caps incorporating recycled content (PCR) of up to 70%, thereby reducing plastic usage across the entire tube. In addition, Albéa spotlighted the decoration of tubes with its Advanced Decoration by NovaPrint and Fancy Deco technologies. The Advanced Decoration by NovaPrint claims to be a sustainable decoration solution that can be recycled in the HDPE stream. The Fancy Deco range offers a range of new decoration effects.
Meanwhile, Albéa Cosmetics & Fragrance introduced a refillable and recycling-ready TWIRL jar with PET lid and base.
The PCD Awards
At the show, the PCD Innovation Awards winners were revealed on Paris Packaging Week’s opening day. The awards recognize innovative packaging in perfume, cosmetics and personal care products. The jury, led by Jury President and packaging experts Hervé Bouix and Jean Louis Mathiez, brought together representatives from companies such as Yves Rocher, Puig, Chanel, L’Oréal and Interparfums, as well as journalists, including BW Confidential Editor in Chief Oonagh Phillips. The jury evaluated more than 100 entries. A total of 14 awards, six certificates and one special prize from the jury were presented across the five categories.
Fragrances – Women, Men & Unisex
- Award: Daisy Wild Marc Jacobs, Coty
- Award: Déclaration Eau de Toilette, Cartier Parfums
- Award: Anatomy of Dreams – La Collection Valentino, L’Oréal
- Certificate: Bottega Veneta Parfum Collection, Kering Beauté
Limited Edition 2,000 pieces
- Award: N°5 Extrait 900 ml, Coffret Collector Noël 2024, Chanel
- Award: Les Nécessaires à Parfums Cartier – Boîtier Panthère Cyprès & Boîtier Points Verts, Cartier Parfums
Limited Edition > 2000 pieces
- Award: Drop N°5 L’eau 50 ml, Chanel
- Award: Le Culbuto, Diptyque & Servaire & Co
- Certificate: Lancôme Advent Calendar 2024, L’Oréal
- Certificate: La Collection Rabane, Puig
Make-up
- Award: Rouge Dior, Parfums Christian Dior
- Award: Lancôme – Teint Idole Ultra Wear – Bronzer en Poudre, L’Oréal
- Award: Dior Forever Skin Perfect, Parfums Christian Dior
- Certificate: Valentino Spike refillable lipstick, L’Oréal
Personal care & haircare
- Award: Biotherm Roll-On 2.0 – 100% PCR, L’Oréal
- Award: Elsève restage, L’Oréal
- Certificate: Les Nouveaux Gestes Engagés de la marque Yves Rocher : les Eco-Recharges Bain de Nature, Yves Rocher
Skincare
- Award: N°1 de Chanel sérum yeux revitalisant, Chanel Parfums Beauté
- Award: Life Matrix Haute Rejuvenation Cream, La Prairie
- Certificate: Coffret Rituel Les Bases à Parfumer, Cartier Parfums
- Special Jury Prize: Double Serum, Clarins