Categoría: Concepts and trends

In 2020, the COVID-19 epidemic has radically altered shopping and consuming behaviors. According to a recent analysis by Euromonitor, the development of Internet shopping, the increased emphasis of cleanliness, and revitalized self-care at home practices have altered the worldwide cosmetics and personal care business.

In Euromonitor’s Beauty Survey 2020 study, Lisa Holmes, Global Consumer Insights Expert, states, «While some of the more dramatic constraints on everyday living witnessed in 2020 may be unusual events moving ahead, there is little doubt that many areas of consumer behavior have transformed for the long-term.»

The movements are summarized by Euromonitor as three important trends: the increase of online beauty in consumer habits, the significance of personal cleanliness, particularly for hand cleanliness, and the growth of time spent on at-home treatments and indulgences.

Online shopping is more comfortable

The year 2020 will be remembered for the fast move to internet purchasing. According to the results of Euromonitor’s annual beauty study, 34 percent of customers are now deemed «digital beauty» customers, meaning they buy hair, skin, or color cosmetics from online merchants and are influenced by digital media, online user-generated, or expert-generated content. 

More than half of buyers (53 percent) now buy more beauty goods online than they did before COVID, according to the survey. This figure is significantly greater among younger customers, with 66 percent of Gen Z customers and 58 percent of Millennials (Gen Y) claiming they’re spending more money on cosmetic items online today than they were before the epidemic.

Furthermore, Americans are spending far more time on the internet. Nearly half of them (49%) stated they spent more than US$ 50 each month, up from only 16% in the last research in 2019.

In addition, whereas 47 percent of online beauty customers claimed they started their beauty purchasing adventure on Amazon two years ago, almost half (44 percent) indicated they started on a beauty retailer’s website in the most recent poll (Ulta.com or Sephora.com).

One of the most significant effects of the epidemic is that beauty customers are becoming more confident in purchasing skin care, hair care, and cosmetics without first checking or inspecting them in person.

E-commerce advancements have also aided firms in gaining access to new markets, creating rivalry between established and rising businesses. Indeed, online platforms are transforming the digital shelf into a shared marketplace where global, local, private label, and independent firms compete for customer attention and expenditure.

Obsessed hygiene habits

While hand washing and sanitizing have always been important in most people’s everyday hygiene routines, they have become much more so in 2020. According to Euromonitor’s beauty study, virtually all consumers (93 percent) wash their hands at least twice a day, and more than half do so five times or more.

The frequency with which people wash their hands varies by age group, with the youngest cleaning their hands less frequently. They vary by product category, with alcohol-based disinfectants being particularly common outside the house.

Furthermore, rising demand for hand care products, notably lotions and creams to repair dry or chapped skin caused by repeated washing, was fueled by a revived focus on hand cleanliness among worldwide consumers.

Self-care at home

“In 2020, many customers changed their attention from out-of-home luxuries like salon visits to ‘self-care’ activities that can be done in the comfort and safety of their own homes,” says Lisa Holmes.

Many factors have fueled the expansion of self-care at home since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak: the closure of hair salons and beauty parlors, worries about contamination risks, more time available, and the urge to stay healthy.

“Even luxuries like spa treatments will be available at home in 2020. “Hot baths, at-home manicures and pedicures, and self-applied face masks are increasingly commonly linked with self-care in the beauty and personal care space,” Holmes says.

According to Euromonitor statistics, more than half of women (55%) paint their nails at least once a month, while almost two-thirds of women and one-third of men use a face mask at home at least once a month.

Cream-based, gel, and peel-off face masks are the most prevalent forms of at-home face masks, however sheet masks have steadily gained in popularity over the last five years.

“In 2015, just 22% of face mask consumers used sheet masks; by 2017, that number had risen to 27%, and by 2020, it will be at 35%,” Holmes says.

Consumers’ at-home self-care behaviors will endure even if they return to salons and spas, Euromonitor predicts. Many people are increasingly looking for lower-cost, more convenient ways to indulge.

More skin care, less makeup

A total of 10,646 active beauty customers were polled by PowerReviews across the United States. According to the report, the majority of Americans (56%) are more concerned about skincare today than they were before the epidemic. A circumstance that might be connected to people spending more time at home and so having more time to dedicate to properly caring for their skin.

At the same time, many people are reducing their cosmetics usage. In fact, the poll indicated that more than half of customers (54 percent) said they use less makeup now than they did before COVID, owing to the fact that they don’t leave the house as much, but also because wearing a mask is required in public areas. As a result, natural beauty has become a popular trend, with individuals returning to their roots. Even if the epidemic ends, the tendency should persist in the months ahead.

Value proposal first

While price, brand, and quality remain important when it comes to beauty goods, the PowerReviews survey found that beauty customers are increasingly looking for goods and brands that agree with their beliefs. More than three-quarters of customers (76%) indicated they want to purchase environmentally friendly cosmetic items. Millennials (80 percent) and Gen Z buyers (86 percent) are even more inclined to buy sustainably produced goods.

Inclusion and racial justice, on the other hand, are becoming increasingly important to American customers. According to the report, half of customers (50%) want to actively seek out beauty products created by Black-owned beauty firms. This figure is much higher among Generation Z (75%) and Millennials (58 percent ).

Kolsquare undertook a thorough investigation into the factors that affect aesthetics on social media. From January 2020 to February 2021, the platform, which specializes in the optimization of impact marketing strategies, looked at the behavior of hundreds of brands and influencers on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok. With about ten testimony, the quantitative data review was done.

Brands can no longer continue to plan their campaigns without including a critical component: impact promotion, which is critical in the cosmetics industry. Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) have evolved into content producers, as well as free-spirited intermediaries and brand ambassadors. They are more competent, and their expert, impactful profile allows them to crack the mold and offer creativity and freshness. And, as the share of internet purchases and time spent on social media continues to rise, there is no question that this pattern will continue. Meanwhile, social media platforms are rapidly developing technical technologies and systems for products, such as virtual reality, purchase buttons, live shopping, and so on.

Instagram is the social media platform for fashion celebrities. 

According to Kolsquare, the rise in popularity of beauty on social media is due to the industry’s reliance on visuals and experience. 

Beauty digitalization opens the door to technical advancement: Today, you can use your mobile to watch a tutorial or try on lipstick. “Influence marketing rounds out these emerging developments with a true credibility made possible by the confidence relationship between KOLs, users, and brands,” the network members explain.

In reality, picture is by far the most often used medium by cosmetics brands, accounting for 85.9 percent. And there are videos (10.3 percent), Instagram stories (2%), and Instagram videos (IGVT), which account for 1%. 

Instagram, a visual network par excellence, is by (far) the most popular platform for fashion and lifestyle. The statistics are unequivocal: In 2020, 90.4 percent of 1,210,622 beauty-related publications were examined.

Instagram delivers a wide range of formats, with over one million beauty contents counted in 2020. (feed, stories, lives, reels, IGTV). During the first lockdown, there were 800 million concurrent users per day in April 2020. According to Kolsquare, this format lets marketers and influencers maximize their communities’ engagement by providing a space where they can engage in real time. Since the summer of 2020, the use of Reels has also steadily increased. These 15-second videos are very common among brands, particularly when it comes to explaining how to use a product or launching a competition.

It should be noted that 90% of Instagram users follow at least one brand, and 130 million click on a shopping post to learn more about a product per month. 

TikTok has the highest engagement score, at 4.9 percent, led by Instagram (1.07 percent), YouTube (0.5 percent), Facebook (0.15 percent), and Twitter (0.03 percent ).

TikTok is gaining traction among the younger generation, even though it is still a long way from Instagram in terms of viewership. On TikTok, elegance is at the forefront of trends, alongside video games, athletics, apparel, families, and school. According to the most recent TikTok for Business survey, beauty videos will increase by 90 percent in France, 41 percent in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, and up to 238 percent in Spain by 2020. “ On TikTok, people discuss both elegance and flaws.They value inclusiveness, diversity, and collective assistance. This artistic culture is redefining beauty: they want it to be greener, more transparent, and reflective of diversity. “The most common videos are demos, tips and tricks, and product tests,” say Kolsquare experts.

YouTube, on the other hand, is undeniably the network for makeup tutorials: it is more suited to longer, more comprehensive images.

2021 will be a year of lush, inclusive, and dedicated elegance. 

According to Kolsquare, beauty on social media in 2021 would be ecological, multicultural, and dedicated. Several popular hashtags and influencer profiles are listed by the impact marketing network for the year: 

#skincare – In 2020, a new community of beauty KOLs emerged: skinfluencers – skincare fans. This community is completed by pharmfluencers, who have influence in the pharmaceutical industry.

#selfcare – The return to naturalness is on the rise, with minimalism, no-makeup, and vegan styles all vying for attention. These patterns actually rose in 2020, with limited, or even no, makeup and less rituals: a phenomenon known as skip-care. Green labels such as Lush, Origins, and Typology thrived.

#filter – Augmented and augmented reality are becoming increasingly common in the beauty industry. They allow users to explicitly test makeup or accessories. With the outbreak of the sanitary crisis, this experimental device has thrived.

Affiliation is an important factor to consider. 

Since it is both efficient and convenient, influencer remuneration based on sales generated by a commission determined through a tracking system (affiliate connect, url tracker, promotional code, dedicated Amazon e-shop) is extremely common in the beauty field. However, it must be built on shared confidence in order to satisfy both advertisers and influencers.

Data’s Influence 

The biggest challenge for marketers, though, is finding the most important influencers. Kolsquare offers its own approach based on data aggregation and interpretation, which targets influencers based on their audience, commitment levels, number of followers, topics they deal with, or even the brands they collaborate with. “Big Data and machine learning help target specific influencers, learn about their goals, and reliably calculate the ROI of a given campaign,” the app experts explain.

Finally, Kolsquare stresses that KOLs’ imagination, which continues to be reflected in different ways, is an added benefit and a competitive advantage for brands. However, since credibility is more important than ever in influence marketing, randomly approaching influencers without taking the time to get to know them and target them is no longer effective.

When customers want more honesty and credibility from advertisers, it is more important than ever for brands to engage with their ambassadors: they stand to learn a lot by properly targeting their influencers and ensuring complicity with them.

Skin safety requirements were redefined during lockdown as a result of increased screen time and decreased sun and pollution exposure. Alex Fisher, Associate Director of Beauty & Personal Care at Mintel, recently published a report that explores emerging customer demands and opportunities for brands.

As the year progressed, it became unavoidable to use screens to work, shop, and even socialize. However, prolonged exposure to blue light damages the skin and eyes. According to a study conducted by Unilever, 30 hours of exposure to blue light from smartphone or laptop screens will increase the level of inflammation in skin cells by 40%. Since screen-related behaviors have become too common, this danger should be considered.

After social distancing ceases, 67 percent of customers in the United States believe community video chats will continue to be a common way to socialize. This information further encourages beauty experimentation.

Protection against potential threats 

When customers deal with the sanitary crisis, they want extra protection from bacteria and external particles. This presumption could last and become commonplace until sanitary precautions are relaxed.

The thought of security against contamination additionally stays significant in spite of the short lockdown alleviation. 

As per Mintel, in the UK, 42% of grown-ups are stressed over the degree of air contamination they are presented to. But then, in 2020, 56% of dispatches containing assurance against contamination were face care items; 11% were body care items, and 8% sunscreens – two sections for which customers anticipate similar cases as a feature of a comprehensive vision.

Sunscreens with added benefits 

The UV security added to skincare items is useful in numerous locales. It represents a huge piece of dispatches – 46% between October 2019 and September 2020. All things considered, for customers who since a long time ago remained secured inside, Mintel suggests developments zeroed in on sun items with skincare or corrective benefits, while keeping a similar fundamental insurance message.

Giving skin the insurance it needs against the contamination 

The soundness of the planet and our own are in peril due, in addition to other things, to the large issue of contamination. Regardless of the expanding familiarity with its importance and the endeavors made to battle it, somewhat recently there has been a remarkable deterioration because of human movement.

Using the right ingredients to embrace skin protection

According to researchers, octocrylene, an organic UV filter often used in sunscreens and anti-aging creams, degrades into benzophenone, a drug accused of being carcinogenic and endocrine damaging, and should be banned from personal care items. The fact that octocrylene can be polluted with benzophenone is well known, and producers take all appropriate precautions to ensure product safety, according to the French industry body FEBEA.

The chemical, which can be used in a number of beauty and personal care items such as sunscreens and anti-aging skincare creams, degrades into benzophenone, which accumulates quickly as the substance ages. A team of French and American researchers illustrated this in a thesis published recently in the journal Chemical Studies in Toxicology 

Benzophenone builds up over time.

Researchers from the Oceanological Observatory of Banyuls-sur-Mer (Sorbonne University, CNRS) worked with colleagues from the Haereticus Environmental Laboratory in Clifford, Virginia, to research fifteen sunscreen and anti-aging drugs bought in France and the United States.

The materials were subjected to a 6-week rapid stability aging regimen, which is equal to one year at room temperature. They were then analyzed using a high-performance mass spectrometer.

Benzophenone has been linked to a number of toxicities, including genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, and endocrine disruption. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization has listed the drug as «perhaps carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B).»

Octocrylene is also thought to be harmful to marine life, including corals. According to the study’s authors, octocrylene can act as a metabolic toxicant in corals, potentially reducing coral reef resilience to climate change. According to Prof. Lebaron, “some manufacturers have removed it from their sunscreens for environmental reasons.”

Technology is moving forward at great speed in all sectors and of course, in the packaging sector we can also perceive innovation and evolution into a more digital market in order to adapt and evolve to the 4.0 industry. 

This new stage, packaging includes elements known as smart packaging. Packaging is a key element since it is the first contact that a client has with a product, it’s the products’ image. This is the reason why it is so important to find new ways to connect with the customer through our package and these new ways are smart packaging. 

Which types of technologies are the most common?

Smart packaging means not only protecting the product but also providing valuable information for the customer that can be addressed to the distributor and the consumer. 

Types of applications

There are different types of smart packaging and every one has different applications:

Design type: This smart packaging is thought to improve its shape and functionality, that is why the consumer perceives an added value and improves his experience when he uses it. An example in the cosmetic packaging are dosing tubes. 

Active type: The main goal is to use better materials to improve the appearance or functionality of the product. It can be used to control the temperature or prevent moisture from impacting inside the package. 

Connected type: This smart packaging uses technology such as sensors or codes in order to generate data and save, treat and analyze the consumers’ behaviour. This type of packaging is capable of varying depending on the type of customer that is exposed to. This information can be used to improve the distribution of a product or locate a package. 

Types of objectives 

Based on these three types of smart packaging, there is also a classification depending on the objectives of a brand or the necessity that needs to be fulfilled by the customer. 

Stock and life cycle

Tracking: you can know in real-time where your package is. For B2B companies this is an extremely important objective since trakking a product when it is part of a large supply chain is key to analyse possible problems and optimize processes. 

Agility: the data permits to optimize the supply chain

Sustainability: By controlling the life cycle of a packaging, you can reduce your carbon footprint impact and also track how and where it is being reused. 

Integrity of the product

Authenticity: to ensure that the product that the client receives is correct, and proceeds from the correct supplier in order to avoid fake products. 

Security: to protect the product from robbery and control that there haven’t been any inadequate uses. it is being used in a proper way. 

Quality: to guarantee that the product is in optimal conditions. 

User experience

Interaction and satisfaction: communication with the consumer for a much deeper interaction such as entertainment, instructing or informing. 

Use: simplifying and optimizing the delivery and preparation processes and understanding the human behaviour through technology. 

Acces: Improve the command process of products and also the delivery. 

Which are the challenges of these technologies?

Although smart packaging is increasing in the packaging sector, it isn’t yet a priority for the majority of companies in the packaging industry. There is still a long journey until it becomes a must for companies since there are some challenges that need to be overcome. 

Commercial challenges: a better packaging also means a higher cost. In a saturated market such as packaging, rising prices can impact negatively on sales, but keeping the same prices and cutting benefits isn’t a good solution either since it isn’t cost-efficient. 

Legal changes: the regulation of smart packaging isn’t clear or fully developed. As a consequence, aspects such as consumer data collection and manipulation by companies can be conflictive in a future. 

Technological challenges: If smart packaging depends on technology this means that it will advance at the same speed as technology. Therefore, the better technology gets, the better will the packaging be. 

Organisational challenges: smart packaging involves different organisations such as the main company, the delivery companies, the QR developers, the client… therefore there needs to be a perfect process that takes into account how these different agents work in order to create a successful smart packaging. 

Conclusion: Smart packaging is around the corner

Smart packaging is a powerful tool that will help us provide a better service by answering questions such as “Where is my package at this very moment?”, “In which temperature conditions is my package during the distribution process?” By knowing this information we will be able to improve our supply chain processes and therefore improve the value perceived by our client. 

According to Smart Packaging Market Research Report – Forecast to 2023, developed by Market Research Future, the global market value of smart packaging is 46.000 million dollars. 

Currently there are 11 multinational companies that are working intensively in this field. In a few years, packaging will overcome it’s protective mission and will transform into “super-packaging” with the mision to build a personalized and valuable experience for the consumer. Not only a product experience but also a shopping and brand experience: packages will help the customer make a purchasing-decision and even give the company feedback about the use, satisfaction and opinions of the product. Smart packaging will provide very valuable insights for companies to create real-time analytics. Packaging will create, strengthen and improve the collaboration and relation between all stakeholders. Therefore, it is important to take in mind how we are going to overcome some of the main challenges of smart packaging. 

All in all, smart packaging is an unstoppable trend that will revolutionize different sectors apart from packaging. It is a double revolution: on the one hand it improves the user experience (active packaging) and on the other hand it has a positive impact on the supply chain (intelligent packaging).

Consumers have disrupted their behaviour with the way they buy, their desires, and their fashion ambitions, and 2020 has been the year of growth in major trends and a year that has reshaped the industry forever.

Consumers have had a year of new experiences, more in-depth insights thanks to digitalization, and opportunities to reflect on what they enjoy most of their lives. This article is an excerpt from a white paper published by Cosmetics Inspiration & Development that outlines 5 of the agency’s forecasts for 2021 and beyond, focusing on key highlights from 2020 and expected future evolutions.

Skinminimalism trend


As early as last year, beauty buyers embraced the ‘skinimalism’ trend.

The NPD Group predicted that minimalist beauty, cocooning, and a return to basics will be among the top beauty trends for 2021, but the movement has already had an impact in the UK, with luxury skincare sales falling 23 percent in 2020.

The UK market was hit harder than its European counterparts, like France (-20%) and Germany (-16%), or the US market, as the pandemic resulted in the frequent closing of brick and mortar shops, with luxury beauty sales declining -24 percent in 2020. (-19 percent ).

According to the latest data from The NPD Group, prestige skincare sales in the UK fell by -23 percent in 2020, with the overall prestige skincare market estimated at £295 million.

According to Pinterest’s 2021 Trend Predictions Report, one of the biggest beauty trends this year will be «skinimalism,» which involves a simplified skincare and make-up routine that takes a streamlined, back-to-basics approach. However, according to NPD’s report, UK consumers seemed to have adopted this attitude in their skincare purchasing patterns as early as last year.

According to The NPD Group, three skincare subsegments showed early acceptance of the ‘skinimalism’ pattern by UK customers by showing revenue declines less than the overall category in 2020: prestige face cream sales fell 20%, prestige face cleansers fell 17%, and facial exfoliators fell 3%.

Eye treatment devices were the third largest subsegment (in terms of value) within luxury skincare in 2018 and 2019. However, in 2020, facial cleansers outsold eye treatments, highlighting the demand towards a simplified skincare routine. Anti-acne serum sales rose by 51% in 2020, when mask use produced new demands and shoppers concentrated on skin specifics.

When the pandemic struck, we kept our skincare routine the same even though the world was placed on lockdown. Consumer trust, on the other hand, has taken a dive, and consumers are more hesitant to invest. Skinimalism has become very common as a result of the market emphasis on sustainability. Beauty shoppers seem to be buying fewer brands, but those that they do like are more tailored.

Clean and ethical beauty

In recent months, environmentally aware and politically engaged members of Generation Z have shown a strong preference for secondhand wear, purchasing and selling an increasing number of used clothes in the United States. According to a survey undertaken by investment bank Piper Sandler on the discretionary market, so-called safe and natural cosmetics are an obvious option in terms of appearance.

“GenZ is a conscientious generation, as the top two social problems for teenagers this Spring are racial equality and the environment. Thrifting has also emerged as a common topic among teenagers, as thinking secondhand has become second nature to them. In reality, Piper Sandler senior research analyst Erinn Murphy said, «47 percent of teens have bought secondhand and 55 percent have sold second hand.»

The study does not, however, justify why adolescents are purchasing more secondhand products. Price, rather than environmental commitment, may be the most motivating force, particularly because Amazon is still the most popular online shopping site among young Americans (56 %), followed by Shein (7 %), Nike (5 %), and PacSun (5%). 

Online shopping at its highest level 

“A female-led purchasing recovery,” according to the survey of 7,000 Americans with an average age of 16.1 years [1], with “upticks in spending on clothes, handbags, and skincare in particular.”

Furthermore, considering the impact of COVID-19 and the fact that these users are digital natives, it’s no wonder that online usage is at an all-time high. Females claimed to buy online 96 % of the time, compared to 88% last year, and males claimed to shop online 92% of the time, compared to 91% last year.

Skincare over makeup 

In 2020, «skinification» was the big theme, as people moved away from makeup and into the «pandemic-proof» skincare business. However, 2020 has shown us the value of avoidance in terms of our wellbeing. «Six out of ten global customers are constantly searching for F&B goods that improve their immune health,» according to Innova’s Market Survey 2020. Concerns over immune health affect one out of every three people.

Say goodbye to makeup; the wellness scare has totally transformed this generation’s grooming preferences, with an increasing curiosity in skincare. According to the poll, «women’s spending on skincare products has surpassed their spending on cosmetics.» Teenagers are gradually looking to internet influencers for updates on current events and emerging products, which is a fascinating part of this change.

During the April coronavirus pandemic in the United States, sales of vitamins, supplements, and even homeopathic treatments reached new heights. With shoppers investing more hours at home, we’ve seen skincare shift to self-care.

However, dermatologist-recommended drugs are very common among Gen-Z, as shown by the following list of the generation’s favorite brands: CeraVe (35 %), Cetaphil (10 %), Neutrogena (8%), The Ordinary (7%), and Curology (7%).

Ulta holds its No. 1 favorite beauty destination against Sephora for the fifth year in a row (46% share vs. 39% last year). At the same time, 80% of female adolescent girls claim they are willing to pay more for “natural” or “clean” looks.

Brands have been driven to innovate in messaging and digital interactions as a result of online communities and connected lifestyles.

For beauty brands, digital transformation is not a new idea, but it has become a top priority. With the pandemic having an effect on the physical retail experience, tech-based market strategies have become more relevant than ever.

Brands have a lot of power in the cosmetics industry.

Brands in the cosmetics industry have been pressed to rethink their marketing strategies, as well as how they connect, distribute, and engage with customers. According to a new Mintel survey of British people, the majority of cosmetics shoppers use apps, online reviews, and content when shopping in-store. Digital networks are particularly important to younger generations: more than half of 16- to 34-year-olds use them.

«Transparency and trust are more critical than ever before. Consumers scrutinize everything a company does or says with a magnifying glass ‘Skinfluencers,’ or social media content creators who are thought leaders in their fields – They scrutinize not only recipes and active ingredients, but also brands’ environmental statements and ethical principles, which range from dermatologists and make-up artists to ordinary people with a large following.

Due to health and safety constraints in stores, beauty companies are investing in more complex virtual experiences rather than the traditional e-commerce approach. The aim is to increase online interaction and provide a more authentic brand experience by incorporating VR/AR try-ons, virtual skincare consultations, and interactive experiences, such as these groundbreaking beauty brand partnerships with the videogame Animal Crossing: New Leaf.

These interactions are intended to help emerging sales and marketing models that are impacted by pandemic constraints, as well as trends such as personalization and AI-based solutions. Consumers’ needs for smart personalisation are being met by cutting-edge technologies like this make-up and skincare dispenser, which represents a revolution in beauty technology.

There are further projects in areas such as connected packaging, artificial intelligence in product creation, or emerging digital channels like marketplaces or social networks, according to Ivan Borrego, General Manager of Beauty Cluster Barcelona. «As a result, a new wave of creative goods and services will emerge.» Brands who are serious about digital will have a leg up on the competition.

Using digital tools to accelerate speed to market of new cosmetic products

Nowadays, consumers have radically changed their purchasing habits and are much more demanding. They are now looking for products that are healthy and customized, prioritizing those that make their life easier and for a reasonable price at the exact moment they need them. In order to face this challenge, the packaging industry has to adapt their process so brands can adapt faster to the demands of their clients. This requires the packaging customisation process to be much more flexible in the companies’ designing, validation and production processes. 

The solution: 3D configurators for easy customisation

Digitization is key from the very beginning of the process to be able to modify the product as many times to the very end; before being launched into the market. Digitization optimizes the process of packaging since you can collaborate directly with the multiple agents involved in a project  such as designers, providers, recyclers and clients. This helps to visualize the results of a packaging and to avoid future mistakes. 

The main benefits are:

1. Validating directly in real time: 3D packaging models can be edited easily online by the multiple agents using the same platform and in real time, saving up time for everyone that is involved in the project. It can also accelerate the selling process up to 4 times, since brands can visualize the packaging solution with no need of physical prototypes. 


2. Increase their speed to market x3: thanks to easy customisation, brands can adapt faster to the trends of the market such as sustainability and launch their products before. 


3. Avoiding to launch a product into the market that the consumer doesn’t like: The consumer can also be involved in the process if it’s online. Therefore, it’s much easier for companies to validate a product before putting it on the market. 


4. Finding what you are looking for: Working with algorithms enables brands to find the materials you may need to develop your product or the recyclers that are next to you or the client that is looking for your product. These connections can be made automatically when you work in a collaborative platform.


Start customising your own packaging!

From Molpack our aim is to keep on offering an excellent service to our clients and help them be as successful as possible with their customers. That is why we have invested in optimizing our prototyping processes by integrating a 3D catalogue so that our clients can directly customize our packages online whenever they need it. This new process will accelerate the validation of projects and also improve the experience for our clients. 

“You can now see our catalogue in 3D from our website, customize the package you need with your team in less than 2 minutes and send it to us.  We will be able to provide an even faster service than before”  Sales director

By transforming our catalogue into a 3D tool, not only are we going to be able to accelerate the prototyping processes and improve our clients’ experience, but also to create a more sustainable process. Thanks to 3D visualisation we are able to reduce a big amount of physical prototypes and this means avoiding unnecessary pollution that comes from transportation. 

How does it work?

1. Visit our website and enter our 3D catalogue


2. Choose the package that best suits your products’ needs. 


3. Customize it online in 3D: change the color, try different finishes, add your artwork… You can even send the link to your team so they can visualize and validate it. 


4. Finish the customisation and send it to us through our website with your contact details. We will receive your customisation in 3D with the dielines and graphics attached to it and your contact info. 


5. Our team will contact you as soon as possible to start the project. 


6. Receive your command.


Are you looking for cosmetic packaging?

If you are currently looking for cosmetic packaging, contact us and our sales team will evaluate your needs and help you choose the right solution for your project. 

The EU recycling standards for a sustainable future

The European Union is moving towards a stable economy and the European Commission is adapting the current legislation towards a sustainable approach. The implementation of these developer recommendations and requests must be closely monitored to ensure that brands adapt to these new challenges in an efficient way. In this article, we will try to break down some of the main areas you should be aware of as a brand.

In this review of EU policies and regulations, there are several resolutions that brands need to consider. 

1. Id EU Regulations on Pollution and Packaging (PPWD), 


2.  EU regulations on waste and plastic use regulations


3. Lle Challenges to the Round Economic Plan 2.0 


4. the reuse of food additives. 


Economic system EU Data and Waste Management (PPWD) has established a»framework» for the recovery and / or collection of waste material used for recovery, including recycling or recycling, to comply with PPWD policies required from member countries. The PPWD study establishes waste status, defines «recycling» and introduces Extraction and Evaluation (EPR). The deadline for implementing the new EPR is set to 2024. 

El Trato Verde, The European Green Agreement, introduced in December 2019, sets out a new European development strategy aimed at turning the EU into a more economically viable and resource-rich economy by emitting greenhouse gases by 2050.

 As part of the Korean Agreement, the new Economic Framework was announced in March 2020. Describe the following steps to make all products on the EU market longer, easier to repair, recycle or reuse. 

Food product The Food and Drug Administration (FCM) policy establishes general demand requirements to ensure quality and safety. The European Commission is studying amendments to the FCM Act aimed at improving food safety, supporting the development and development of new cotton products, and supporting the recycling of recycled materials. 

How can brands address these new challenges?

To help address these regulatory and legal challenges by providing the following options: 

● Consider various criteria such as fixed life, food safety, transportation and life cycle assessment to select the best packaging for your product. 

● use of recycled materials in packaging (according to food safety). 

● Create reusable packages according to a set of redesign guidelines.

Support the establishment of efficient recycling facilities along with expanding product collections and infrastructure. 

Balance industry behavior with lawmaking objectives 

Collaborate with value propositions. 

The future of plastic waste management for a circular economy

CEFLEX and its partners PCEP, Petcore Europe, Styrenics Circular and MORE Recycling  join forces to understand the reality of household packaging collected today – a vital step towards the circular economy of packaging materials.

Hailed as the first in-depth analysis  of this type in Europe, the resulting data  aims to reveal the quantities and types of flexible and rigid plastic packaging  in the two main flows  of waste in which are collected.  

 The sharing of study results  should define and implement a circular economy  for all materials. The quantity  of packaging put on the market is only half the story. 

A better analysis of the packaging used  by consumers collected via waste streams is therefore necessary.   This will help  define and accelerate the development of the infrastructure, systems  and end-market applications that are needed to enable us to move forward towards a circular economy. 

 The study was initiated  by CEFLEX in collaboration with other key plastics value chain partners  – Polyolefin Circular Economy  Platform, Petcore Europe, Styrenics Solutions and Recycling. It covers all types of consumer packaging that can be found in today’s households –  from packaging, bags, sachets to bottles, trays and  tubes – in European markets.  

The analysis is being conducted by a leading consulting firm , Resource Futures.  Researchers  sort, identify and weigh samples manually and then assign the collected packaging waste to  near categories. 

In addition, the mapping team  where packaging appears in recyclable material streams  or residual waste and near infrared technology to give a detailed breakdown  of polymer types. 

 “This is vital information about  how it flows through the  system today – and about the collection,  sorting and recycling needed for a circular economy for packaging hoses  and other packaging, ”said Graham Houlder, CEFLEX project coordinator.  

«The first results of the first country studied  show significant amounts of recyclable material remaining in the  mixed stream, suggesting the need to improve the  capture and the recovery of these materials,» he said. added.  These types of information can  help Extended Responsibility of and other systems identify what  is needed to go “circular” and fine-tune eco-modulation. 

This will encourage the  design of flexible packaging that increases the amount of recycled content in a variety of  market applications according to CEFLEX. Venetia Spencer, General Secretary of PCEP,  commented: “I am very excited about this project, which already has brought enormous prospects to her.  

A precise understanding of the polyolefins collected  via the recycling streams  of residual household waste will play a role in the realization  of PCEP’s commitment to improve the collection and sorting of polyolefins.  

Capture and capitalize on the flows of real materials   

The first results of the  first analysis by country showed: 

1.  +4595 kg of material have  been sorted manually categorized on two sites; including 3,240 kg of residual waste  and 1,355 kg recyclable materials collected separately.  


2.  + 66.5% of flexible  packaging found in residual waste samples has  been classified as mono-material ready to recycle –  this includes mono-PE, mono-PP, mono-paper and mono-aluminum.  


All in all, currently, a significant amount  of ready-to-use flexible packaging appears in  residual waste samples, where it is unlikely  that they will be successfully returned to the economy for reuse.  The research will analyze and compare the composition  of flexible and rigid plastic packaging found in  household waste and recycling streams on seven European markets.   

During 2020 different consumer behaviours have led to the development of new channels in the retail sector. The digitalisation of retail has accelerated and affected the new trends in the sector. 

Technology, the new ally to survive.

Who would have thought that in a matter of months something so common as going shopping to your favorite shopping center would be a luxury? Due to the global pandemic, the retail sector has faced  new challenges and has been forced to come up with new concepts since selling in big supermarkets, shopping centres and stores is no longer possible. One of the effects of this Post-covid situation is the increase in the demand of e-commerce shopping. E-commerce has grown 55% since the pandemic started and every day, more companies are creating their webshop strategy in order to adapt to the new normality and survive. Inorder to be competitive in this fast changing environment, the retail sector has the mission to get to know and retain its clients. Many companies from the sector are currently analyzing in which way they can improve the online user experience so it can be as complete as the physical experience of a shop. In this sense, technology plays a very important role this year: for retail it will be important to invest in technology to optimize and automatise internal and external processes of businesses as well as to ensure an optimal customer experience through interaction. 

Furthermore, investing in technology to control and analyse better internal selling and storage processes will enable companies to be more efficient and create more effective strategies through data. 

2021 retail requires the use of innovation processes that benefit the user experience at selling points through applications such as intelligent fitting rooms , digital screens, interactive shopping points. The key aspect to generate engagement with customers will be to create a 360 experience that englobes product, physical spaces and virtual. 

On the other hand, e-commerce will be an increasing trend that will demand retailers digitalisation in their processes to be competitive in the current market. 

How is e-commerce growing this 2021?

In 2020, when COVID-19 revolutionized the global economy, companies that were able to adapt faster to the market challenges and even grow during the crisis were digital ones, since consumers have modified their behavior and shopped more online. At the same time, the majority of companies have responded faster to the markets demands and have started to invest in new technologies in order to digitize their processes and attend the needs of customers. In this sense, one of the most common practises has been the establishment of a digital channel to sell products. For this reason, it has become important to take into account which actions can promote traffic to webshops. For instance, social e-commerce or the idea that brands and small retailers create buying experiences through social media has been established during lockdown months. 

Another e-commerce trend is the marketing shopper, that is to say, those strategies that are focused on segmentation and understanding consumers and their necessities in order to define the different strategies to capture customers. 

One of the main retail priorities is to achieve the customers’ loyalty. Loyalty programs have become a key aspect in order to retain customers.  For instance, the consumer values point of selling that transmit security and a calm environment. We can’t forget that technology will play a key role: many retailers are already using augmented reality and virtual reality aswell as creating customized experiences through intelligent data. The aim is that in a future, Retailers develop data driven strategies to create promotions and special offers that can even predict the customers’ needs. 

Understanding the new customer behaviour 

Leader companies are still trying to find the best strategy to understand customer behaviour to offer different ways to satisfy them in every touching point. 

In this new context, brands will have to be prepared to assist every one of consumers’ necessities in retail: speed, commodity, less time, omnichannel, commitment, proximity and experience.   

In order to achieve this goal, companies will have to invest in digital experience through the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to be able to agilze the customers journey and capture faster their attention. In this sense, the future of small retailers will be focused on taking advantage of intelligent data to anticipate and answer easily to shopping solutions. 

These new digital solutions will enable retailers to satisfy the increasing customers’ demands and expectations and slowly disappear the conventional way of buying. There is no doubt that Post-Covid shops will offer another type of experiences that are thought to be focused on connecting online customers with the shop assistants generating an added value through customer loyalty. 

Online shopping wil be the best ally of businesses and as a matter of a fact, those brands that don’t invest now, will not survive the pandemic and are less likely  that they return as conventional retailers. Shops that progress will have to support innovation and transform it into their key partner to grow. Furthermore, brands need to embrace the new customer values: brands with a value proposition that search for human connection, sustainability and support the social and human environment. 

If you still don’t know what twitch is, in this blog you will discover one of the social media platforms with more reach and that has grown faster in the digital environment. The platform started off as a platform focused on gamers but nowadays brands such as Freshly Cosmetics are taking advantage of Twitch’s reach and using it to communicate their brand to their customers.

What is Twitch?


Twitch is the biggest live streaming platform in the world. Since it started, it has specialized in streaming video games though you can also find other kinds of content such as music, lifestyle and sports and user entertainment. In fact, important sports clubs such as Real Madrid, pSG or Arsenal count with their own channel. The platform describes itself as “Twitch is where millions of people gather to speak, interact and create together content to entertain themselves.”

To understand Twitch’s impact, we only need to analyse the following graphic in which we can see how nowadays it’s leading the live streaming market:

Which is the audience of Twitch?


According to the platforms’ data, Twitch achieves 17,5 millions visits per day and has a medium of 1,5 viewers per day. Furthermore, every month, more than 4 million content creators create live streams. 

In terms of gender, the vast majority of users are men (65%) though in these last two years the difference has reduced: 81% men and 19% women. If we classify users according to their age, we can confirm that Twitch is a centennial (41%)  and millennial (32%) platform. 

The users that most use Twitch are located in the USA (22,5%), followed by Germany (6,8%), Russia (5,8%), South Korea (4,9%) and France (4,1%). Since Septembre 2018 Twitch has been banned in China. 

The days that gather more viewers are saturday (+7%)  and sunday (+9%) with more live live streamings. 

How did Twitch become Amazon?

Twitch was born in 2011 as a spin-off of Justin.tv specialized in video game streaming. The community grew so fast that it caught the attention of the technology giants. As a consequence in 2014 it was bought by Amazon for 820 million euros. Nowadays Twitch is included in Amazon Primes’ program. Despite it started as a video game platform, it has diversified its content and nowadays you can find music, sports and other types of content. 

Since Amazons’ acquisition, Twitch has multiplied its growth thanks to the worldwide  live streaming of Esports. The platform has become so popular that there is even a TwitchCon, a place where you can meet streamers, play games and participate in eSports competition. 

How does Twitch work?

Twitch enables users to create and also view live streams. Streamers transmit an event in real time and interact with their audience through the chat. 

Using categories and tags: when streamers create their content they can classify it so viewers can find it easily through tags. It is important for streamers to use the appropriate tags to reach their audience. 

Followers vs subscribers: followers and subscribers can watch for free streamers content. However, subscribers pay a monthly quote to achieve multiple advantages such as: no ads, exclusive streams for subscribers and private conversations with the streamer. 

How can Twitch users gain benefits?

Donations: Streamers can add a customized link to their Paypal account or create a donation panel so their viewers can donate money to their channel. 


Affiliate program: through monthly quotes of their subscribers (from 4.99 to 24.99$), streamers receive 50% of the benefit. 


Bits: through this virtual currency, users can buy to send to their streamers and the streamer will receive 1cent per each bit. 


Ads: Streamers can play ads to their viewers and gain a part of the benefits according to duration, frequency and depending on CPM. 


Selling Amazon products through amazon affiliate program: if the streamer promotes amazon products through links to the marketplace, the streamer will receive a commission for every purchase at Amazon. 


The future of Twitch

Due to the global pandemic, the use of Twitch has increased significantly. The number of active channels has grown from 3,75 million in February to 7,4 million in June (2020). This means an 200% increase in less than 4 months. 

As a consequence, Twitch has decided to invest in new formats and diversify its content to stimulate users and make sure that the platform keeps growing. Therefore, we can now watch in Twitch live and interactive series, programs and interviews about video games, sports or music with the aim of attracting different kinds of audiences to the platform. For example last July we could watch on Twitch Premier League games of NBA, NHL or MLB, organisations that already have their Twitch account. 

How can brands engage with their audience through Twitch?

According to Dan Beer, Group Director of Deloitte Digital, to engage Twitch’s audience, brands need to consider the sensibility of that younger user base, and the possibility they’ll display open hostility to ads or promotions that are too intrusive. Like younger cohorts of consumers, Twitch users generally respond negatively to brands they perceive as insincere.

«If you’re a brand that spends a lot of time crafting a carefully curated message, toss that approach out the window, Deloitte’s Beer said. «Be nimble and malleable, replacing brand polish with brand authenticity.»

It is important that brands get creative and promote interactive environments to follow the purpose and dynamics of the platform and not be considered unattractive advertising. Brands really need to work on interesting content for their audiences and not product centred streams. They need to think of it as an opportunity to sit at the table with their high value customers. 

Which beauty brands are already using Twitch?

Freshly Cosmetics has recently created their Twitch channel to reach 55 million revenue in 2021 through cosmetic subscription. 

Cosmetic companies are going one step further and investing in sustainability to survive in the market and adapt to consumers demands.

The cosmetic sector first started innovating in sustainable formulas: natural ingredients, eco-friendly materials to respect natural skin as well as the environment. It was a matter of time that packaging also took a step into sustainable and natural materials. Since the European government no longer allows single use plastics and bans those companies that don’t invest in sustainable strategies, the packaging sector has been forced to rethink their business strategy. Sustainability is no longer an option but a must, therefore cosmetic brands are now searching to work with partners that work with recycled, reusable and refillable packaging. 

The refill challenge is huge for cosmetic brands which use light, and water sensitive products. However, in products like perfume refillable packaging is common. Thierry Mugler fonts enable consumers to refill their mitic fragrances such as Angel or Alien and recently other brands as Dior have joined the movement with their new refillable Sauvage, for facial routine. 

The refillable facial serum

Biotherm has also given a step further in sustainability and created a source to refill their most emblematic product: Life Plankton Elixir Serum. Giulio Bergamaschi, global president of Biotherm reveals the challenges that the brand has had to face: “fragrances are easy solutions to refill due to their high percentage of alcohol content, which avoids the formula’s contamination due to its inherent antimicrobial properties. Skin care formulas are usually more sensitive and made of active ingredients. 

As a consequence, the skin care formula is a set back for refillable systems. For example, in the case of Life Plankton Elixir, as well as the patented Life Plankton ingredient, the formula includes probiotic fraction in its highest concentration (5%), hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C. In order to ensure quality and stability of the formula, Biotherm has worked with Possible Future to create a source capable of guaranteeing a secure and effective formula.  The complexity of the process ensures that the formula remains in perfect use conditions. 

The refilling process takes seven minutes. It is complex and has several steps. The first step is key: it is the disinfection process of the empty bottle. Before each refill, the package is cleaned with purified water to make sure it is completely empty and doesn’t contain any trace of formula. After, it is dried with filtered air and sterilized with ultraviolet light. Next, every bottle is placed in a recharging zone and refilled with Life Plankton Elixir fórmula. The closure is replaced for a new one. 

The Blue Fountain of Life Plankton is a pilot project in Madrid available until de 1 of April at the Biotherm space in El Corte Inglés- The aim is to grow the project and offer the machines in other selling points. If the technology adapts successfully to the product, the brand will also try to adapt the refillable strategy to other products. 

This system rewards consumers that use it through a 15% discount for every refill of the serum. Additionally, the package is customized with a wave: every wave means every new life that is being granted to that package. As more waves as a package wears, less waste will we be creating for the planet. The aim of the project is to encourage consumers to reuse and be sustainable by reducing the quantity of plastics. Nowadays the waste we generate due to cosmetic plastics is one of the biggest threats for the environment. 

Refillable shampoos and soap

Other beauty brands are also promoting reusable packaging. Since 2012 L’Occitane de Claudio Coello store in Madrid, counts on fountains to refill aluminum bottles with your favorite shampoo and body soap from the Verbena and Verbena Cítrica brand. 

The french brand explains that the fountain is made of cellulose and cast and counts with a smart mechanism with sensors that enable the customers to refill their product easily. Furthermore, L’Occitane also offers eco-recharges: reusable packages that the customer can use to save up money and also contribute to a cleaner planet. 

Hair products brands of the P&G group such as Pantene, h&s, Herbal Essences and Aussie, have presented recently their 100% reusable aluminum bottles and refillable shampoos with 60% less plastics than standard ones. 

Elio Estevez, sustainability and communication director of P&G Iberia, explains that this launch supposes a change in the consumers habits, but that thanks to the easy use and reuse of the bottle, they are convinced that the consumer will adapt to it. This innovation will suppose a cut of 60% in the use of plastic of the brand and as a consequence, less impact on the environment. 

The spanish brand Freshly Cosmetics also counts on the refillable option to recharge their products like the Detox body soap or the Vibrant shampoo. Furthermore, Germaine de Capiccini offers three different facial skin care with their eco-recharge, a refillable and recyclable package that can be placed inside the original packaging. Even the famous artist Rihanna with her Fenty Skin brand is investing in refillable and rechargeable packaging. 

All in all, a new way of consuming cosmetic products is making its way in the sector, a new and sustainable path based on reusing and reducing. Recycling is no longer enough, now cosmetics are focusing on refilling. 

Are you looking for refillable packaging?

Contact us at Molpack and we will help you find the right solution in our sustainable catalogue.