By Marie Jacquemin, Consumer Insights Manager at Aptar.

Aptar conducts qualitative studies to create packaging solutions that meet market needs. The aim? To put its latest innovation, Skin Protect, to the test.

Hearing what the market needs

In the field of cosmetics and dermatology, consumers’ subjective concerns are crucial. Daily skin care products, such as those used on the face, are an integral part of our personal care routines. Consumers have certain expectations when it comes to texture, color and fragrance, and packaging plays a major role in ensuring product quality. Consumers who are “experts” in products for sensitive and fragile skin are increasingly aware of the importance of the container in protecting active ingredients in preservative-free formulas.

Direct consumer feedback

For Skin Protect, I brought together two groups of ten consumers using face care products often purchased in drugstores for sensitive or allergy-prone skin. Most were “experts” who carefully read ingredient lists for irritating ingredients. The others were aware of the issues of pollution and the potential toxicity of chemical ingredients. These round-table discussions were fascinating and shed light on the habits, feelings and even brand loyalty among informed consumers.

Inspiration for innovation

For Skin Protect, we felt that we needed to make the packaging’s technical performance visible while ensuring it still featured an ergonomic and practical design. This is where our consumer groups’ input proved most valuable. They helped us refine the design of the one-click open/close system and led us to add an additional cap (even if it was not necessary to ensure airtightness) for hygiene. Finally, they influenced our decision to create a transparent distribution system to show the sealing system that protects the formula, even when the product is being used.