Dear customers, dear partners,
The best part of our job is being right at the heart of creation. MR MOCK-UP LAB helps the biggest brands in fragrance, spirits, and everything in between to bring their designs, new products, and ideas to life. Here at MR FACTORY, we often support newcomers as they launch their brands, and it’s a real pleasure!
This time, we wanted to tell you about our collaboration with Sarra Beldi Vencatachellum, whose THE ISLAND COSMETICS products will be coming your way shortly. The launching of a brand often comes down to chance encounters.
“It all began with an emotional blow. A family member was diagnosed with skin cancer. The sun is devastating on the island of Réunion. I’d always been into beauty and makeup, and having now become more health-conscious, I adapted my routine. Suncream. Foundation. It was harder than I thought. With the help of a dermatologist, I discovered that there’s absolutely no compatibility between applications. So I decided to create an innovative face product to really combine beauty and protection. It took over 4 years for The Island Cosmetics to see the light of day, with a perfect-coverage foundation that boasts an SPF 50 rating.”
Sarra learned the intensive process behind creating a cosmetics brand. She chose a laboratory that could create clean, natural formulas, went through testing, checks, regulations, different certification operating procedures, acquired the COSMOS NATURAL label (meaning a minimum of 98% natural-origin ingredients), found standards, complied with quality and compatibility constraints, and opted for an Airless bottle. She raised all the capital she needed on fundraising platform Ulule in only 4 days! She developed her start-up with passion and vigour.
When the time came to create secondary packaging, however, she was at a loss. Eva Lagarde, a consultant on sustainable companies, pointed her in the direction of MR FACTORY. “There’s no one better than MR, they really help small brands out”. A huge thanks to Eva for your trust and for putting in a good word.
“They immediately understood my project. I told my story. I wanted an experience. I wanted a box, a case, a beautiful and encouraging object that tells a story. AND I wanted the lowest possible climate impact. We immediately clicked!” The whole project was full of mutual trust. We designed the shape, created blank mock-ups, conveyed the case’s visual identity, and used a folded cardstock with an integrated brace (delivered as a flat-pack – perfect for shipping and stocking). No glue required.
The final design features acrylic varnish, water-based inks, minimalist decorations, FSC-certified cardboard, and to round it off, it’s as light as a feather. Can’t get any cleaner than that.
A subtle, double-embossed palm frond adds a pleasant texture reminiscent of the soft, shaded shelter of a palm tree – and the protection this product offers. MR ARTWORKS fine-tuned the decorations and depicted each of the 10 available shades on the box-case’s sides. After many WhatsApp videos and submissions via an ever-fickle Fedex, we capped off our 6 months of development with an impeccable first run of 10 x 1,000 pieces.
MR FACTORY’s strength lies in its digital assets, speed, and zero-stock, zero-waste benefits. That’s what allows us to create small-scale runs at accessible price points. Our knowledge of the packaging industry, trends, and brand identity is entirely at your service, as are our financial and CSR design instincts, whether for shop aisles or logistics. We love sharing our knowledge, and we know that a successful launch is a great indicator of what is to come 🙂
Big thanks to Sarra for entrusting us with this project. We wish The Island Cosmetics all the success it deserves!
It’s a pleasure to be part of this beautiful partnership,
The MR Team
Learn more about THE ISLAND COSMETICS
Learn more about MR ARTWORKS
Learn more about MR FACTORY
We will be present next week at
Luxe Pack New York
on Wednesday May 8 and Thursday May 9.
We will be waiting for you on stand D05!
