MBF Plastiques to Package the My Blend Line

In perfect coherence with this step, the brand called upon the French agency of design DESDOIGTS to draw a new packaging concept which reconciles modernity, the most simple expression of luxury and high technicality.

29/11/2007 Because of its expertise and Know How in the field of plastic injection, MBF Plastiques has been chosen to package the My Blend personal care line by Dr. Olivier Courtin.

Designed for a very high-end clientele and currently available in US department stores, such as Saks, My Blend is a new personal care line by Dr. Olivier Courtin, the son of Jacques Courtin the founder of Clarins Group. As a physician and head of Clarins Group R&D department, Dr. Olivier Courtin has applied the latest results of scientific and biotechnological researches to develop a line of custom-made and personalized products. In perfect coherence with this step, the brand called upon the French agency of design DESDOIGTS to draw a new packaging concept which reconciles modernity, the most simple expression of luxury and high technicality.

The 8 “Essential ", Fluid and Cream formulas of MY BLEND line required the development of bottles and pots in two sizes (50 ml and 15 ml). The smallest containers are intended for personal mixtures with additional active ingredients.

These packages comprise two parts. First, the primary packaging designed to be kept and has a transparent receptacle made of methyl polymethacrylate, a large surlyn cover with a silk screen print and a decorative part made of chromium zamak on the top. Caps are fitted with a Triseal seal (polyethylene compound). The receptacles and covers are made by injection.

The other part is secondary packaging with a polypropylene tub that is white on the inside. This part, designed to carry refills clipsed on the top part of the primary packaging, is made by bi-injection on a rotating mould topped by a polypropylene cover for added protection when using the product. This cover is thermo sealed on to the tub during packaging to ensure perfect protection. The refill has an over moulded, light iridescent part on the outside, with a pastel colorama that brings a high-end beauty and cosmetics touch. Each product reference is identified by a specific silk screen print and a specific colour corresponding to a step of the global colorama chosen by the client, in accordance with their changing skin needs.

The packaging made by MBF Plastiques for the My Blend line comprises two jars (15ml and 50ml), one tube and two small bottles (15ml and 50ml) with 12 product references that can be identified by the refills. “There were several technical challenges while developing these” noted Gerard Desveaux, Sales Manager at MBF Plastiques.

Firstly, to make this type of packaging, 17 moulds had to be developed because of the large number of product references. In addition, it would require special capacity to develop the larger parts. “In fact, all other external parts had to be developed in single layers and that proved an even greater challenge,” stressed Gerard Desveaux. The “heavy” aspect of the external parts testifies to the luxurious design and the durability of the line, by contrast with the refill, which is lighter and disposed of once empty. Moreover, the clipsing of the polypropylene refills in the higher part of the primary package, which allows for the refillabity of the pots, also required important technical details regarding the tightening, as well as the refill fittings. Another example is the surlyn cap that had to be developed in one single mould without surface deformation.

Lastly, the realization of the color of the tanks required many developments and tests to obtain a complete, coherent and aesthetically satisfactory line. Thus, while comprising mother-of-pearl in the mass, these colors remain luminous and adjusted, ones compared to others in their nominal.

During the pre-launch phase that lasted 6 months, the project changed to include marketing data. “We had to adjust by bringing solutions to take optimum advantage of pre-series tests”, underscored Gerard Desveaux.

Specialists in plastic injection since 1954, MBF Plastiques has complete Know How in designing pieces, developing moulds and tools, mass production, finishings and assembly.

In addition to full expertise in plastic injection, the company has mastered a variety of areas (jars, lids, packaging, perfume caps, etc.), different materials (surlyn, SAN, NAS, PCTA, PCTG, PP, etc.) as well as various personalization techniques (hot stamping, silk screen printing (serigraphy), tampo printing (tampography), laser, vacuum metallization, UV glazing, UV lacquering, galvanization).

MBF Plastiques has clients with leading brands in the perfume and luxury cosmetics industry in its portfolio: Bulgari, Cacharel, Cartier, Chanel, Coty, Dior, Estee Lauder, Givenchy, Limited Brands, L’Oréal, Paco Rabanne, Phytomer, Procter & Gamble, Shiseido, Thierry Mugler, Trussardi, Yves Saint Laurent…