© Sunrise Session
Innovation in monodose packaging is abundant, from both a design and materials perspective. A conference session at last week’s LUXE PACK Los Angeles and MakeUp in LosAngeles spotlighted consumer attitudes towards this type of packaging, as well as looking at new single-use packaging solutions that are breaking the mold.
Monodose packaging purveyors Nohbo and CaseMed Engineering gave a glimpse into their products during a panel discussion at LUXE PACK Los Angeles and MakeUp in LosAngeles this February. Nohbo, a material science company, is out to cut down on plastic consumption with its waste-free, single-use products that are packaged in water-soluble film. The company’s pod-like Personal Care Drops are available for shampoo, conditioner or body wash, while Slips, consisting of emulsified water-soluble film embedded with personal-care actives, are designed for hand soap.
“With monodose packaging, there’s a consumer journey. We need to educate consumers about what the products are, how to use them and their benefits. Education is critical,” Nohbo Founder & CEO Benjamin Stern highlighted during the panel discussion. Off the back of Nohbo, Stern created Sunrise Session, a brand targeting Gen-Z consumers. Sunrise Session’s Drops are housed in tubes made from Kraft paper with a water-based finish.
CaseMed Engineering is targeting luxury cosmetics with its VersaPad and SnapPad products where “the packaging is also the applicator” thanks to the all-in-one liquid reservoir and applicator. Designed to go over a user’s finger, with sizes ranging from one- to three-finger application, VersaPads are activated thanks to a pull tab and the product dispensed by applying pressure. The pads can be single- or double-sided, with different surface designs.
SnapPad is available with a single or dual chamber reservoir, and can come with either an exfoliating or soft pad applicator.
VersaPad and SnapPad work with high or low viscosity products as well as powders. “We currently have a compostable applicator, while a compostable reservoir is still in development as it would not work with all solutions,” says CaseMed Founder Casey Samangooi.
Consumers and single unit-dose beauty
Nearly half (47%) of all female consumers in the US have purchased a single unit-dose beauty product, The Benchmarking Company highlighted during the panel discussion. Some 91% of women who purchase unit dose products buy skincare, the consumer-research firm’s September 2021 survey shows, followed by haircare at 44%, bath products at 31% and fragrance at 22%.
When it comes to why they buy, 54% said monodose beauty and personal-care products are travel friendly, while 52% said they offer the right dosage. Some 31% said they mean minimal formula waste. And in terms of barriers to purchase, 38% of those surveyed said that they had not seen many monodose products available, 35% believe they may be more expensive, and 29% say the packaging might be wasteful.
The Benchmarking Company highlighted that 23% of those surveyed are prepared to spend more on beauty and personal-care products housed in environmentally friendly packaging, willing to pay around 10% more on average.
