Solutions for cosmetic flexible and rigid packaging

Ambra has one of the broadest ranges of Solutions for the injection and extrusion of cosmetic packaging from the market.

Mesgo has a full range of Altair® PE and Avior® PP ready-to-use compounds for extrusion, blow moulding or injection moulding of flexible and rigid packaging.

Lotte Advanced Materials has started an important investment in their compounding plant in Hungary which will bring within 3 years the total capacity to 120 kTon/year, one of the largest in Europe. The famous Starex® ABS, ABS/PET, SAN, ASA, MABS (PMMA/ABS), High Impact ABS and HI-PMMA dedicated cosmetic portfolio include:

•Functional Solutions: metal plating, super-clear transparency, anti-dust, anti-scratch and anti-mar, high impact, high flow, chemical resistance, eco-friendly;

•Esthetic Solutions: low-gloss, Luminous (metal-like), and Emotional Feeling (nature-like) appearance.

•Active Packaging Solutions: Anti-microbial (non-silver) Starex® Evermoin® ABS and ASA compounds

Lotte has also recently launched a new range of Starex® PP compounds, finding also immediate application in rigid cosmetic packaging.

With over 30 years experience, ColorTech also guarantees a full portfolio of compounds dedicated to cosmetic packaging, with fast and reliable color matching capability and great service flexibility also for small batches, including brands Teclene® PP, Teclan® ABS, Tecral® ASA, Tecstil® SAN, Tecstir® PS and Tecril® PMMA.

With Mesgo Iride Colors. Ambra also presents a broad portfolio with their Tangoblack®, Jazzwhite® and color masterbatches based on polyolefins and engineering polymer resins, suitable for all packaging applications: make-up, jars, bottles, tubes, closures.

Case Study

A full range for make-up rigid packaging

Opportunity: Customer needed a specific range of tailor-made compounds for make-up packaging, small series with several different colors.

Tip

It’s a colorful world

...with Lotte, Colortech and Mesgo!

Anti-dust solutions

Dust sticks to containers, regardless of the used basic polymers, because the containers surface becomes electrostatically charged. Prevent dust deposition with the new Lotte Starex® Anti-Dust (anti-static) ABS ready-to-use compound.

Antistatic additives may also be added for a permanent anti-dust effect. Ask Ambra for the right Orevac® or Lotader® compatibilizer to mix the most common permanent antistatic additives with any polymer matrix.

For packaging with shorter lifetime (e.g. samples, horeca or airway toiletries, etc.), less expensive temporary antistatic SwingAdd®masterbatches or ready-to-use Altair® PE, Avior® PP compounds by Mesgo are helpful.

Tip

Is your jar a dust collector?

The Lotte new Starex® Anti-Dust (anti-static) ABS will wipe it away.

Chemical and solvent resistance

Some cosmetics, pharmaceuticals or nutraceuticals creams, pastes or fluids may contain aggressive components for plastics which are used in common packaging, such polyolefins or styrenics. In this case the main matter is to prevent the corrosion of the packaging, and therefore to ensure the integrity of the packaging itself, the product and the environment.

Lotte Starex® include a range of ABS and ABS/PET with specific higher resistance for rigid cosmetic packaging. Specific PA6 and PA6.6 compounds for chemical resistance are available with Poliblend Polimid® portfolio. Specific tailor-made Ambramid® PA6 and PA6.6 can also be developed.

For softer applications in tube extrusion, blow-moulding or injection moulding, a very good combination of high chemical resistance, easy processing, colorability and soft touch can be obtained with Sipol Sipolprene®.

Coextrusion and extrusion coating

No oxygen in, no fragrances out: cosmetic, pharmaceutical or nutraceuticals packagings may also often require gas-barrier properties, either to protect expensive active ingredients from oxidation or to avoid the potential permeation of fragrances to the external environment.

PE tubes or bottles with high gas-barrier properties in general may require the use of SK Orevac® tie-layers plus Evasin® EVOH by multi-layer tube extrusion or blow moulding or sheet extrusion / thermoforming in complex structures.

Rigid PP packaging obtained by blow moulding or sheet coextrusion / thermoforming may be obtained with the specific new combination of SK Orevac® 18730 PP tie resin and Evasin® 3251FT EVOH.

Very high chemical resistance with good barrier to water vapour, oxygen and carbon dioxide – superior polyolefins, and comparable to those of PET, PA6 and PA6.6. – may be achieved with PVDF in conjunction with SK Lotader® or Orevac® tie-layers.

SK Lotryl®, Lotader® or Orevac® PP are used in extrusion coating or extrusion lamination of PE or PP onto other layers such as other polymer films or sheets, plain, metallized or printed plastic films, aluminum foils, cardboard, etc. Sealable-peelable multi-layers flexible lids are obtained with SK Lotryl® Bestpeel® in combination with Lotader® tie-layer and Lotryl® MM slipping, anti-block and mineral filled masterbatches.

Pencils, mascaras, eyeliners and flexible accessories

Flexible and soft-touch droppers for fluids, oils, creams are obtained with SK Evatane® EVA.

Sipol Sipolprene® TPE block copolymer for its flexibility, pleasant touch and colorability is a top-performing material for flexible make-up accessories such as twist-up pencils, pencil tubes, mascara and eyeliner brushes. With its superior chemical resistance to solvents, oils and waxes, Sipolprene® is an elective choice for top-segment make-up.

Case Study

Sipolprene® for mascara brushes

Opportunity: Combining high chemical resistance, processability and flexibility.

Sustainability: Bioplastics

Besides the new regulations which are being continouosly updated at the EU and international level, cosmetic producers are specially focusing to the global issue of microplastics marine littering, and sustainability of plastic packaging in general. Biodegradable packaging can be obtained by extrusion or injection moulding with Sipol Technipol® PBAT, PolyButyleneSebacate and PolyButyleneSuccinate.

Fully biodegradable Sipol Technipol® Polybutylenesebacate can be used as an effective bioadhesive for labels, tapes and gluing in general (with FDA and EU food contact compliance).

Jinhui Zhaolong Ecowill® are OK compost concentrated compounds based on proprietary Ecoworld® PBAT with starch and/or PLA, for the production of compostable bags and flexible casing, e.g. for monodoses and test samples.

Sustainability: recycled packaging

The EU proposal for new regulation on the ban or reduction of Single-use plastics to reduce marine litter poses serious changes to the plastic packaging industry. One focus is the increase of the use or recycled plastics into plastic packaging. Forerunner is Germany with a new law effective from January 1st, 2019, setting a mandatory increase of the recycling rate for plastic packaging from the current 36% to 63% by 2022. These new laws challenge the plastic and packaging industries to switch to high quality recycling.

Although such new laws may not immediately regard all cosmetic packages, cosmetic producers have a steadily increasing focus on recycled plastics.

Lotte Advanced Materials is posing a big focus on the development of recycled compounds for their range of cosmetic Starex® rABS and rPP compounds. Mepol has an existing range of Eco recycled compounds, EcoMeplen® rPP, EcoMeplac® rABS and EcoMepron® PS.

Wood-Plastic thermoplastic compounds based on post-production recycled wood-flour with great wood-like esthetic appearance in different colors are also available for injection moulding of rigid packaging or accessories. Version with 100% recycled materials or 100% biodegradable can also be designed.

Ambra TPC Regrind Black 1 was specifically designed for 100% sustainable plastics. It was developed by Ambra starting from copolyester regrinds of post-industrial automotive production, showing perfect quality and supply consistency, great resistance to chemical and thermal degradation, easy processing, and very appealing esthetic properties for matt black packaging and comfort touch. It is suitable for tube extrusion, blow moulding for flexible or semi-rigid packaging, or 2k-injection moulding or overmoulding in rigid pacakging.

Recycled polymers, either from post-industrial or post-consumer source, pose important technical challenges.

Poor mechanical performance cause by inhomogeneity and contaminations may be improved by SK Orevac®, Lotader®, Lotryl® and Ambra Impact, Upgrade compatibilizers and anti-shock modifiers.

Residual water content may be removed with Mesgo SwingAdd® PE dessiccant masterbatch.

Esthetic properties maybe significantly improved with Mesgo Jazzwhite®, Tangoblack® and color masterbatches.

Issues on smell on any reprocessed polyolefin, ABS or SAN can be overcome by Ambra Upgrade MBF fragrance masterbatches with very high perfuming power - based on Pollena Aroma® amitahc Flavors & Fragrances huge know-how on fragrances with a library of thousands of scents, and SK Evatane®, Lotryl® or Sipol Sipolprene® highly impregnating resins. Tailor-made Upgrade MBF with desired fragrance matching is also suitable.

Tip

Need support on sustainable packaging?

Ambra is your reliable partner

Saving perfect esthetics with effective 4clean purging

The production of cosmetic packaging requires frequent color changes, and the esthetic properties are crucial. 4cleanpure® and 4cleanmix® by 4clean are non-abrasive, highly efficient and versatile purging compounds which will increase the reliability and efficiency of your production.

Tip

Sleep tight, use 4clean

Use 4cleanmix® or 4cleanpure® to clean your extruder and prevent your production from esthetic defects, increase production efficiency, save time, make your customer happier. 4clean is non-abrasive for your screw.