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Editors’ Choice Awards

Celebrating the Best in Beauty Packaging

Each year, the editors of CPC Packaging review hundreds of product launches from the previous year in order to choose packaging winners in each of the following categories: color cosmetics, fragrance, personal care, and sampling. This year, we have added a new category—sustainable packaging—to recognize the efforts and progress being made by beauty companies to reduce packaging’s impact on the environment.

During the judging process, we considered entries from our readers and editors. Eligible products were those that launched in the United States between January 1, 2006, and February 28, 2007.

In the following awards stories, we discuss what we think is unique about each winning package, what we liked about the design concept, and what parts of the package might have been challenging to produce from a technical point of view. A package that conveyed a brand’s essence well, that might have been a challenge to engineer, or that used a new type of decorating process, component, or unusual material scored higher points in this competition.

After choosing the winners, we recruited the help of a panel of industry executives. These experts helped us to critique each winning package during a conference call. Their comments are incorporated in each article.

Our awards program wouldn’t be possible without everyone’s support. We would like to thank all of our readers who sent us nominations. We are also grateful to our panelists for taking the time to participate in our awards coverage. Most importantly, we would like to thank the many people who agreed to be interviewed, and those who helped us to compile all of the information we needed to write the articles on the following pages. We hope you enjoy reading about our picks for outstanding packages this year. Congratulations to all of our winners!

Dennis Furniss, vice president of strategic branding and design for design firm Kaleidoscope, helps create new identities for his clients, many of which are beauty companies. Furniss has 18 years of experience in design and a proven track record in developing world-class brands. He has worked extensively with Unilever and Alberto-Culver on new product launches. His expertise lies in corporate branding, packaging, corporate identity, and brand marketing.

Peter Hargraves is P&G Beauty’s section head of global packaging and device development for cosmetics—a position he was appointed to last December. Hargraves leads a team of engineers and researchers, working on packaging for the CoverGirl and Max Factor cosmetic brands. His career at Procter & Gamble has been extensive. During the past 33 years, he has worked in a variety of packaging categories, including food and skin care. Prior to his current position, Hargraves was involved in the development of Olay’s Total Effects and Definity product lines.

George Kress, vice president of corporate packaging innovation at The Estée Lauder Companies, has a huge responsibility—to lead Estée Lauder and all of its brands into new territories by being a driver for new packaging concepts. He has been working for Estée Lauder’s packaging innovations group since 2001 and has an extensive design background. In prior positions, he was instrumental in developing concepts for Estée Lauder’s Bobbi Brown and Clinique brands, as well as for Lancôme and Ralph Lauren Fragrances.

Paul McLaughlin is the director of creative for all brands at Liz Claiborne Cosmetics, which include Curve, Realities, Ellen Tracy, Juicy Couture, Lucky Number 6, and Usher fragrances. One of his many responsibilities is to design fragrance packaging, making sure a concept always reflects a brand’s image. His work on the Juicy Couture fragrance is recognized this year in CPC Packaging’s Editors’ Choice Awards. Prior to working at Liz Claiborne, McLaughlin had a long career in the prestige fragrance and beauty industry. He was the head of creative at Ocsar de la Renta Parfums, as well as for all of Sanofi Beauty’s European brands, which included YSL, Nina Ricci, Van Cleef and Arpels, and Lalique.

President and founder of Cargo Cosmetics, Hana Zalzal, started the company more than 10 years ago. It has since grown into one of the most sought-after brands among professional makeup artists, celebrities, and consumers worldwide. Cargo has launched innovative products and packages throughout the years—including a CPC Packaging Editors’ Choice Award winner this year. Zalzal’s achievements have also been honored by Canada’a Top 40 under 40 and by the New York Fashion Group International’s Rising Star Award.