Harmony Luxe Aluminum Lipstick

HCP’s Harmony Luxe Aluminum Lipstick / Source: HCP

AluminiumAsiaBeautyEuropeHarmony Luxe Aluminum LipstickLightweightMoisture BarrierNorth AmericaOxygen Barrier PackagingRecyclableRigidStrong

WHAT WE SAY:

Cosmetic packaging giant HCP knows that convenience is king. Which is why it’s created the Harmony Luxe Aluminium Lipstick tube, a lightweight, mono-material pack designed for easy recycling – an in-demand quality for beauty products among consumers today.

The completely aluminium holder is simple to dispose of in household recycling in many countries, while remaining visually inspiring and appealing. Now to ensure the lipstick itself is also plastic-free….

Harmony Luxe Aluminum Lipstick

WHAT IS HARMONY LUXE ALUMINUM LIPSTICK?

HCP’s Harmony Luxe Aluminum Lipstick is a luxury interpretation of sustainable packaging – a sleek mono-material tube that makes recycling easier for consumers while retaining a premium appearance.
The holder is a cylindrical tube made of 100% Aluminium from Huai’an, China, that can be disposed of in household recycling. It is not refillable.
The tube can be customised with additional parts to create a distinct look, and measures 65 millimetres in height and 18 millimetres in diameter.
Although lightweight, the tube is resistant and durable, according to HCP.
Released in response to beauty brands’ demand for more easily recyclable packaging, the lipstick was developed as part of the company’s expansion into new sustainable materials in 2020.

KEY PROPERTIES:

Lightweight
Moisture Barrier
Oxygen Barrier
Recyclable
Rigid
Strong

INDUSTRY:

Beauty
Packaging

AVAILABILITY:

Mass Market

DIVE DEEPER:

The demand for more easily recyclable packaging grew post-pandemic, with many coming to realise just how much packaging we throw away every day, and how little of it can be easily or effectively recycled. According to research by packaging manufacturer Amcor and OnePoll in 2021, 76% of consumers across six countries want to recycle more, and consumers care most about the recyclability of packaging when compared to options such as a pack’s reusability.
For lipstick, making a tube recyclable means making it from one material, and HCP’s choice to use aluminium is thanks to its infinite recyclability and ease of disposal in most countries. The average recycling rate of aluminium worldwide stands at around 60% and can reach up to 90% in some countries – relatively high when compared to other materials.
HCP’s Harmony Luxe Lipstick, launched in December 2020, is part of a bigger push into aluminium packaging by the company. In September 2020, the company acquired 100% of aluminium packaging manufacturer Hetian Packaging in Huai’an, China, because aluminium is “becoming more and more important in the cosmetics market”, according to HCP.
The company says with 100% ownership of the manufacturing plant it will make “more aggressive investment” in “new product development and innovation” deriving from aluminium.
HCP has 10 production facilities worldwide, with three in the US, two in Europe and five in China. HCP Group reported a turnover of EUR 373 million (USD 467 million) in 2019.

KEY FACTS:

60-90%

The average recycling rate of aluminium worldwide stands at around 60% and can reach up to 90% in some countries

$467mn

HCP Group reported a turnover of EUR 373 million (USD 467 million) in 2019

76%

of consumers across six countries want to recycle more

Key Questions to Ask:

Are you sourcing your aluminium responsibly?

Despite aluminium’s high recyclability rate, HCP has chosen not to use recycled aluminium in its lipstick case. Virgin aluminium is highly carbon intensive to create, and sourcing from China has directly impacted the country’s recent surge in primary aluminium production – up 5% year-on-year from 2019 to 2020, an all-time high. According to a research paper by Ember, this equated to 667 tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2020, greater than the total emissions for Indonesia that year. Look to aluminium manufacturers that are prioritising recycled content, such as Ball, whose recycled materials currently make up 50% of its output.

What is the aluminium recycling rate in your target consumers territory?

While recycling rates are generally high across countries such as Japan, Brazil and many European territories, in China, recycled aluminium accounted for only 15% of its consumption in 2019. Consider if the metal is the most efficiently recycled material in the territory you are serving.

What volumes of product do you need?

HCP is a leading provider of cosmetics packaging and says it produced more than 249 million lipstick holders in 2020. Mass-market brands have the opportunity to swap to less impactful solutions at scale.

Do you need secondary packaging?

Most lipstick tubes come packaged in a cardboard box that’s then wrapped in plastic. Given the durability of aluminium, is this process entirely necessary? The HCP tube can be customised and personalised to a brand, meaning a box isn’t needed for shelf presence, and a QR code printed on the case can transport a consumer to ingredient information. Protective tertiary packaging will be required, but eliminating dead space with simple cardboard separators will protect packs in transport without adding to the plastic tap.