Consumers want cosmetic, personal care and household products that are convenient and easy to use. This has resulted in an increased demand for packaging where the applicator is included as part of the package and viewed as a key piece of the package design, rather than just an accessory.

Performance is driving innovation, with a growing demand for applicators designed to control dispensing and complement the product's formulation. A unique applicator can make consumers feel like they are buying something new while also increasing the perceived value of the product.

Applicator design utilizing thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) provides consumers with functional benefits. The added design flexibility of TPEs allows for ergonomic shapes that make it easier to reach every contour of the face or corner in a shower.

Consumers want to feel like they are buying something new and fun — particularly in the cosmetic and personal care segments. There might not be anything innovative about a product's formulation, but if the way it is applied can be redesigned to make using the product more enjoyable, it is a game changer.

TPE applicators also allow products to be applied more precisely, thus reducing waste. This is particularly important in the prestige beauty category where there has been tremendous growth in skincare products like creams, serums, masks and scrubs priced at $100 or more.

In some cases, applicators have the ability to go beyond aiding the user in dispensing and applying the product by helping the product to be more easily absorbed into the skin, increasing its effectiveness. Unit dose packaging that provides controlled dispensing and maintains the effectiveness of the product from the first to the last application reduces waste and is popular with consumers for its portability.

In the cosmetic segment, there is the need for applicators that help consumers apply makeup more precisely, like a pro. Social media has educated consumers on how to apply makeup, and they are looking to recreate the same looks generated by makeup artists, in their own homes.

Consumers understand the right applicator is important in achieving different looks for different occasions. Replacement heads for single use or heads that can be cleaned between applications, like the TPE mascara applicator above, reduce the risk of cross-contamination and are valued by consumers.