© G.Boynard 2020
Lipstick brand Le Rouge Français, launched by husband-and-wife team Elodie Carpentier and Salem Ghezaili in 2018, boasts natural formulations using pigments sourced from tinctorial plants. Today the brand is moving a step further with partially bio-sourced packaging.
“Le Rouge Français specializes in cosmetics based on botanical pigments; our proprietary organic and vegan formulas are very much in line with the clean beauty movement. We’ve banned all ingredients sourced from the petrochemical industry, so conceiving packaging that followed the same guidelines was a natural step,” Elodie Carpentier tells Luxe Packaging Insight. “We wanted our packs to reflect our consumers' desire for a reduced ecological footprint.”
The new Collection Végétal lineup of 15 shades is this idea come to fruition. The brand invested in a proprietary mold for its lipstick case (PVL Beauté) that is made of pure injected castor oil—an ingredient that is not a food source. (The brand’s first generation lipstick packaging was recyclable, but not biosourced, points out Carpentier.) “The purer the castor oil, the more transparent the packaging. Our new lipstick case is both lightweight and resistant to wear, which is ideal give that it was conceived to last over time and be refilled,” explains Carpentier. The refill and lipstick mechanism (PVL Beauté) are aluminum.
The new line’s secondary packaging, manufactured by MR Cartonnages Numérique, is made of folded paperboard printed with plant-based inks.
The refillable tube will retail for €45 and the bullet €26: “accessible luxury positioning,” quips Carpentier.
Moving beyond lipstick, Le Rouge Français is working on its first cream blushers and powder compacts. It is looking at developing mascara and eyeliner, and is also exploring nail polish. Last spring, the brand was doing compression feasibility tests to gauge the potential of packaging products in glass.
The brand also raised a €1m round of funding earlier this year, mainly from business angels. (L’Occitane entered into the brand’s capital in 2019 and owns a minority share of the company, which is part of the latter's Obratori accelerator). Le Rouge Français also plans to develop its presence in international markets. Carpentier adds that the brand is “reinventing itself to go 100% digital”, with the lion's share of its investments dedicated to the digital realm for 2020.
Future projects include a collaboration with an indie skincare brand, a collaboration with the Opera Garnier in Paris, with a co-branded outer pack, a partnership with perfume house Molinard, and another with lingerie brand Aubade.
boxMR Cartonnages Numérique
Lipstick mechanismPVL Beauté
