Itty Bitty Beauty by Qosmedix has made buying mini packaging a playful process with its simple "define it, design it, decorate it, quote it..." system. Offering fun-sized cosmetic packaging which brands and buyers can customize to individual requirements, Itty Bitty Beauty is making a big impact on the market with its small capacity packaging. Sari Sternschein, Vice President of Marketing for IBB and Qosmedix explains.

What is the difference between Itty Bitty Beauty and Qosmedix?

Itty Bitty Beauty was created to put a fun and unique spin on the packaging development process by incorporating a technology platform that allows the customer to design and visualize mini packaging components in 3D. The core product is small capacity jars, bottles and tubes which the customer can 'play' with in order to tailor-make the perfect packaging for their product.

Qosmedix has always offered product customization in the traditional sense. With Itty Bitty Beauty, our customers have the opportunity to develop their own ideas from concept to final design, with the added benefit of staying within their set budget. Itty Bitty Beauty utilizes a 3D configurator with dynamic pricing, so that every time the customer changes an attribute of the product, the price changes in real time.

The technology allows the customer to make both tactical and strategic decisions in the creation of their packaging. We are the first to market with this functionality in our industry and we think it will be a huge help for product and packaging developers.

Why was this separate division set up?

With 30 years of experience in the beauty industry, Qosmedix is well-known for its breadth of disposable cosmetic applicators, stock packaging and beauty accessories, but it's not widely known that the company also offers custom packaging.

When companies like Birchbox and Ipsy emerged, we knew there was a huge opportunity to expand our mini packaging assortment and make a splash with something new and different. Itty Bitty Beauty was therefore created as a separate and new entity with a different brand image to Qosmedix.

We came up with the idea for the 3D configurator to enable Indie Beauty Brands and small cosmetic companies control of their projects. It's therefore very targeted to this market in its approach, and this is clear to see when you visit the website at www.ittybittybeauty.com.

'Define it, design it, decorate it, quote it...' How exactly does this work for customers?

The innovation behind the 3D packaging configurator is a simple 4 step development process — define it, design it, decorate it and quote it.

Firstly, the customer will 'define' the type of product they are looking for. We're starting with bottles, jars, vials and tubes.

Then, in the 'Design It' step, customers can visualize the product in 3D, choosing the product attributes such as capacity, material and closure type. The 3D configurator is designed in such a way that only available packaging configurations are shown to the customer so that these processes are incredibly smooth and straightforward, as well as being fun to explore different configuration options.

In the third step, the customer will 'decorate' their packaging by choosing their colors, finishes and by uploading their unique artwork to their product to get a clear visual of their personalized product and design on screen from every angle. The fourth step is submitting the request for quote.

What is the next step when a customer has defined their packaging?

In the final step of the configurator, the customer defines their order and submits their quote request to our team of Itty Bitty Beauty specialists who then review it, finalize the details and issue a formal quote.

The entire process is simple and clear, flowing from one step to the next all the way through, and it is enabling cosmetic and beauty brands the opportunity to explore ideas according to their own budget.

How have customers reacted to this new concept?

I'm thrilled to say that we have had so much positive feedback about Itty Bitty Beauty. IBB was launched at Luxe Pack Los Angeles earlier this year where we were able to demo the configurator and get direct feedback from the show attendees. Prior to launch, we sent a survey to our own Qosmedix database which was also very insightful.

We've been told that one of the most helpful features is the dynamic price estimation tool, as well as being able to see the product in 3D and move it around to see how it looks from any angle. It's such a different experience than looking at a flat image and our customers have been really taken with the easy functionality.

Are other products available?

As of now, we offer small sizes of bottles, vials, jars and tubes through Itty Bitty Beauty. There are plans to expand in the future, but we felt this was the best place to start. We have already had requests to add glass products into the offering as well as full size primary packaging, so it is clear to see that IBB's 4-step define it, design it, decorate it, quote it concept is right on trend for the industry.

New options will be added according to demand. Qosmedix launches new products every week, so there is plenty of scope for expansion. This process takes a little bit longer, but we certainly hope to be adding new styles and options into the mix quarterly.

Can Itty Bitty do custom packaging?

Right now, we are only offering a select assortment of designs to choose from. If a customer wants to do something completely custom that is outside of the scope of what we offer on Itty Bitty Beauty, it would be treated as a Qosmedix custom project.

Are small sizes just for product testers?

Not necessarily. I would say that a majority of mini's are used for sampling as consumers love to try new things. And as a result, many brands and beauty retailers are developing sets that contain sample sizes of a variety of different products. The goal of course for a sample is that the consumer will fall in love with your product, come back and purchase the full-size.

They can also be great for travel when you don't want to lug a full-size bottle of moisturizer or shampoo, not forgetting that airlines have both weight and security restrictions, so IBB's itty bitty sizes are ideal.

Indie beauty brands are also increasingly taking advantage of smaller capacity packaging to explore the market as the brand strengthens its position, and the functionality of the price configurator is a helpful tool for them, as they can both source and design their components themselves.

This is such an exciting time in our industry as the pace that new brands are being introduced is at lightning speed, and we want to be the first company they call to help them develop their sample packaging. And as they grow, we will grow with them. We can scale our business to the needs of any beauty enterprise since we are experienced in working with companies of all sizes. And as sourcing experts, we can truly take the headache away from brands.