Premium Beauty News - During the conference, you had the opportunity to question on several occasions some of the speakers. What observations do you draw from these discussions?

Xavier Sutty - Actually, I would first highlight two points.

First point, the manufacturing and filling phases for the bulk are essential to ensure a long lasting protection of very fragile formulas, especially during the sometimes neglected pre-purchase storage period that can represent months, and sometimes even years. However, manufacturing and filling operations in an aseptic environment are relatively exceptional (pharmaceuticals excepted).

Second point, preservative-free, and anti-oxidant-free formulas are seldom seen and currently only represent a niche market. To note that the Ecocert type fragile formulas are protected by authorized preservatives and used sparingly.

So if we summarize:

 The choice criterion for an airless packaging lies mainly in its 360° restitution capacity of viscous formulas.
 The protection criterion often comes second after the restitution capacity and design/decoration.
 You might have noticed that iconic brands in the segment of natural cosmetics no longer use airless containers, due to the low perceived added value, the often banal design, the high price and relatively good stability of formulas.
 Precise dosage delivery is a very relative concept when it doesn’t concern dermo-cosmetic, make-up and pharmaceutical products.
 Brands’ marketing teams haven’t totally grasp the technology and the benefits of airless systems for their communication to consumers, aside some exceptional cases.
 The efforts of manufacturers of airless containers in order to reduce the environmental impact are rarely included in the brand’s marketing messages.

Premium Beauty News - However it looks like brands that took the floor during the conference did clearly describe their expectations?

Xavier Sutty - It’s true! Expectations that are hinged on three poles:

First, there is functionality: ease and convenience of restitution, adequate protection for fragile formulas but still containing some preservatives, low environmental impact (eco-friendly). Around this pole, brands expect more technical simplicity and a very attractive price. This equal to 75% of the market.

Then, a design that must inspire dreams to consumers and amplify their senses. This equal to 20% of the market.

Eventually, the ultra-protection of very sensitive formulas, with no preservatives, manufactured and filled in very controlled, and even aseptic conditions. This equal to less than 5% of the market.

We can therefore question ourselves on the response offered by airless packaging on the marketplace - pump bottles or tubes - in the light of these observations, and through an analysis of the value of the means used to satisfy the majority of needs. In addition, leading packaging manufacturers attending the conference don’t seem to be developing other ways of ensuring the protection and restitution functions aside from the concept of inserted pump.

With conventional airless packaging, pump bottles or tubes, aren’t we on the brink of over-quality-in quite a few examples of cosmetic applications?

Is there not a new avenue to explore in the airless domain that would just focus on simplicity and appropriate quality, to protect fragile formulas while providing consumers with a real service limiting the environmental impact?

Premium Beauty News - We can see where you’re getting to?

Xavier Sutty - Clearly to our solution: Pumpart System has opened this pathway with its pouch tube and pumpless, tubairless ®, which offers an excellent restitution of viscous products thanks to its flexible piston as well as a sufficient protection for fragile formulas with its anti-air intake device. Tubairless® only consists of three parts: a conventional tube + a flexible pouch + a cap.

The key advantages of tubairless® are:

 The protection of fragile formulas by the anti-air intake device.
 The effortless full product restitution even for highly viscous formulations.
 The preservation of the tube’s shape and aesthetics to the last day of use (our tube does not collapse on itself).
 The reduction of plastic materials due to the absence of pump.
 The ease of recycling since the tube is mono-materials (PE tube and pocket; PP cap)
 The simplicity and reliability of the tube.

I invite of course people to discover our patented, tubairless® solution, by watching the short 3D video available on our website: http://www.pumpart.com/ products (click on "View the Video").

Other manufacturers of packaging will probably join Pumpart System on this market to meet the unsatisfied pending needs of brands.