Luxcos was founded in 2003 to diversify the IL Cosmetics group’s product offer. The company is specialized in the manufacturing of mascara, liquid eyeliners and lipgloss for European customers mainly. It is focused on two areas of activity: bulk sales, and the full service offer in partnership with Interpack, the conditioning unit of IL Cosmetics. Since it was founded, Luxcos has kept on developing, and has achieved a two-digit yearly growth on average over the past few years. The 2014 turnover should reach about 10 million euros.
New patents
“The first investments were focused on the R&D department, to which we dedicated 20 % of our personnel. Two innovation areas are destined for the development of new formulas and the optimization of the packaging/formula combination. Product performances are indeed closely linked with the effective interaction between the various elements within the system. This is particularly true for mascaras, but also for eyeliners and lipgloss”, underlines Christophe Delas, Director of Luxcos.
Efforts and investments in R&D materialized in 2013 with the granting of a first patent for colour intensity enhancing agents in mascaras. Two new patents are already planned to be registered this year, including one next month.
Volume effect and quick transfer
“As for mascaras, customer requests mainly focus on ‘volume + additional effect’, just like for 80 % of market claims,” explains Christophe Delas. “They also concern quick transfer to eyelashes, hence the importance of the research work done by our packaging engineer on optimum combinations. Besides, we have organized collaborative work – without any exclusive contract - with most European packaging suppliers in order to offer a wide range of possibilities to our customers.”
However, Luxcos also develops other types of formulas, such as wet-effect formulas, or others which are adapted to specific make-up removal methods (such as water make-up removal at 38° C). “As for waterproof mascaras, which represent 15 to 20 % of the market, we have gained a real competitive advantage on all the effects sought after: volume, longlash, curl, multiple effects or all-in-one,” he adds.
25 new mascara formulas
In order to adapt its developments to market evolutions, Luxcos also invests in the understanding of customer needs, in particular through the organisation of panels representing the various types of eyelashes (Caucasian, African, Asian, depending on the particular needs of the developments).
“We aim to offer a whole range of formulas and formula-packaging combinations which can meet all types of customer expectations, since women’s eyelashes and make-up rituals are all extremely different. We have indeed found out there is no perfect mascara likely to suit all consumers alike, which undoubtedly explains the multiple, diversified brand offer. These conclusions made us develop a great number of systems. As a result, more than 25 new mascara formulas will be available as soon as April this year.”
The marketing department jointly works for more efficacy with the R&D department and packaging suppliers to enhance these systems. Luxcos has grown stronger with their 10-year expertise, and can now rely on the synergies between the various services involved (laboratories, production unit, sales department and marketing department), which is facilitated by a settlement on a unique site in Luxembourg.
Luxcos now intends to focus human investments on the sales department to support the growth of the company in terms of market shares. “We are also going to work on our future bulk production unit as part of an increase in our capacity. We will have the opportunity to talk about this in a few months,” concludes Christophe Delas.
