A cosmetic is defined as an item intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled, or sprayed on, introduced into, or applied to the human body or any part thereof for cleansing, protecting, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance. Pursuing a B.Sc. in Beauty Cosmetics can help you understand the different kinds of packaging involved in the cosmetic industry. Cosmetics are classified into three main categories:
- According to their use: Use for the skin, use for the nail, use for the teeth and mouth, use for the eyes and use for the hair.
- According to their functions: Curative or therapeutic functions, Protective functions, Decorative functions.
- According to their physical nature: Aerosols, Cakes, Emulsions, Oils, Pastes, and Powder.
For the protection and safety of the cosmetic product, it needs packaging. Packaging is the science, art, and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. Packaging also refers to the process of designing, evaluating, and producing packages. A package is a manufactured article that partially or encloses several products. In prehistoric times ancient Greece and Egypt created cosmetics using flowers and berries and preserved them in simple clay dishes. Later dry gourds were used to store dry cosmetics and bowls and spoons were used to store kohl.
During the 4th-century, China started using mulberry leaves due to their easy foldable nature which helps to carry their cosmetics even while traveling. At the same time in India, banana leaves and jute packets were used to store cosmetics like powder and vermillion (Sindoor). Between the 5th to 15th centuries wooden packaging was invented and accepted because it was available and was easily carved. Glass container packaging was costly and usually reserved for royalty. The container should be designed in such a way that it can allow the product to stand out from the other similar products available in the market. Products are packed in a suitable package for the following purpose:
- Facilitate transportation and storage
- Guard the product against contamination
- Prevent any accidental spoilage
- Prevent pilferage
- Identify the products contained and the quality
- Proclaim the manufacturer of the product
- Explain the direction for use
- Attract the shopper’s attention and convince the customers
Packaging Material Classification
Cosmetics packaging should be easy to brand. It should allow the name of the product, the brand, and other necessary information like composition, usage instructions, and warnings to be printed as required. The container should be designed in such a way that it can allow the product to come out, but not go in. This is to prevent contamination. The packaging material can be classified in more than one way, if it is classified according to functions, it will be primary, secondary, and tertiary; according to common property it will be Flexible, Semi-rigid or rigid packages, Breakable or Non-breakable packages; Transparent or Opaque packages; Liquid-Tight or gas-tight packages; according to the material it will be Glass Bottles, Metal Cans, Paperboard Cartons, Wooden Crates, Paper Labels, Plastic Bottles, Laminated Tubes. Here we are classifying packaging material according to types.
Glass– Glass is one of the oldest packaging materials after wood and clay. Glass is made of silica along with other components. It is a nonporous and non-permeable material. It is chemically inert and does not degrade. It protects its content from outer environments like oxygen and moisture. This is one of the main reasons glasses are used as a packaging material for cosmetics for many years and till nowadays. Glass packaging is considered a highly sustainable packaging material because even after indefinitely recycling there is no loss in the quantity. Oxygen-sensitive products are usually packed in glass containers.
Plastic– Polymers in packaging have proved useful for many reasons which include, that they are easily formed, they have high quality, and they provide freedom of design. Polypropylene and polyethylene are two polymer plastics that were used for many years not only for cosmetic packaging. Plastic containers are extremely resistant to breakage and thus offer safety to consumers along with a reduction of breakage losses at all levels of distribution and use.
Bubble wrap– was invented in 1957. It is used to protect the product and container from mechanical shock and transportation accidents. Bubble wrap is an ideal lightweight way to protect goods in transit, shipping, and storage. It is widely used in cosmetics for the packaging of glass containers. Small bubble wrap made from at least 15% recycled material is also available, offering the usual degree of protection, as well as helping meet environmental impact demands. There are different sizes of bubble wrap available. Small-size bubble wrap gives good protection and is recommended for light or fragile products.
Natural source– the natural source of packaging material are those packaging materials and techniques which have already been used by our ancestors. They used natural material as a tool for packaging due to the need and availability. They were attractive, cheap, easily available, and durable. It is a new sight towards sustainable and eco-friendly natural packaging to the market.
Mycelium packaging- Mycelium is a new sustainable packaging that could replace less environmentally friendly options, such as plastic and polystyrene. It is a completely organic, farm growing material made from the roots of mushrooms. The roots grow around a mold to form a custom structure that holds products safely and securely in transit.
Seaweed- Seaweeds are edible as well as biodegradable. It’s naturally high in fiber and vitamins and can be turned into packaging without the need for chemicals. As seaweed is biodegradable, even if the packaging ends up in a landfill or the sea it will break down without any damaging consequences. Seaweed packaging is a good choice for one-time packaging because it dissolves in water and fully decomposes.
Corn starch packaging- is also known as PLA packaging, which stands for polylactic acid packaging. It is biodegradable and takes a few months to fully decompose in the presence of carbon dioxide. It is widely used in the food industry for packaging. Corn is the least expensive and most abundant source of commercially available sugar. Corn starched packaging does have some interesting advantages over synthetic materials such as reduced static electricity.
Jute bag- Jute bag has been used for many years for containing and preserving food items like cheese and waxes. Nowadays many companies have started to use jute bags as primary as well as secondary packaging for soaps. It is biodegradable and easily available. It is 100% natural. It is a sustainable and reusable fibre that plays a vital role in eco-friendly packaging.
Bamboo packaging- Bamboo is used as a packaging material because it is cheap, renewable, and easily available and it can be crafted in any shape. Bamboo packaging is not useful in the packaging of oily products and aerosol products. The advantages of bamboo packaging are that it is renewable, it can be recycled by reusing it as a jar or decomposing it; it takes lesser time to grow than any average tree; it has high durability; it is eco-friendly for the environment and last it can be shaped and decorated in so many different ways as a container to catch costumer’s eyes.
Conclusion
The packaging material used for the cosmetic product should have a good appearance as well as compatibility with the contents. As per the need of the cosmetics, the material is selected and used. But after using cosmetic products the packaging is hardly collected and recycled, thus utilising sustainable and environmentally biodegradable materials for cosmetic packaging has become an important challenge and opportunity for a sustainable environment.
Some of the top beauty cosmetology colleges in Nashik include the concept of cosmetic packaging in the curriculum to train future professionals in this field. The need to find and use new sustainable packaging materials has become everyone’s point of view. It is because in the modern era some people are more concerned about the environment and attractive look rather than the cost. The concept of packaging has gone far beyond just protection.