The liner is extremely tough. A long, thin tube, a cap, not anything very fragile. However, the most important part, the applicator tip, is one of the most sensitive cosmetic items. If the tube is OK but the product is ruined – bend it, dry it, or crush it. Why is the applicator so easy to damage, and how does the correct box protect it?
The Tip Is the Whole Product
Begin with the changing point. The applicator isn’t the detail with an eyeliner. It is the product.
The finest point of a liquid eyeliner is its fine felt or brush tip. That is the end of the tip, and when it bends/splays/frays, then the eyeliner won’t work even if the formula is top-notch. The tube may be perfect, but its contents may be of no use.
The tip is of greatest importance because of the following:
- Draws the line.
- Will not bend back once bent.
- Damages the product if damaged.
When it comes to eyeliner packaging, it’s all about ensuring the safety of that one delicate component.
Pressure on the Cap Reaches is the term used for this.
This is the secret threat. The tip is located inside the cap; therefore, any pressure on the cap is directly transferred to the applicator.
If the box is stacked or closed too tightly, the pressure on the cap doesn’t end. It crawls down to the soft end and crushes it against the cap, bending or splaying it. There’s a lid pressure-seal box on every unit, so the pressure is leaking out of the eyeliner, causing serious damage.
The following are the damaging effects of cap pressure:
- Stuffing it in the cap.
- To flex the fine point.
- Splaying the felting or bristles.
Damage cannot be seen externally. You only notice it when the eyeliner does not glide well on the skin.
The ability to Bend Incredibly Easily with Fine Tips.
Try to imagine how fragile these tips are. A fine eyeliner tip is meant to be accurate, that is, thin, soft, and bendable.
The smaller the tip size, the more delicate it is. There is virtually no structural strength in a fine-point felt tip or a thin brush. It is easily bent out of shape and returns poorly if bent. It is precisely the tip’s accuracy that makes it vulnerable.
Fragile fine tips are:
- Very narrow and fragile.
- Soft by design.
- Cannot bounce back when bent.
Precision and fragility are always hand in hand, and packaging needs to compensate for this.
Movement Makes It Worse
Pressure is not the only source of damage. It is also derived from motion, and a loose eyeliner is a moving eyeliner.
The eyeliner that can move around in the box bumps the walls and adjusts to all the bumps on the trip. Every small movement could risk dislodging the tip or the cap. It is much safer to keep a product still rather than leave room for it to rattle.
Damage is caused by movement when it:
- Allows eyeliner to play.
- Tube the small end.
- Is able to disassemble the cap while traveling.
A tight fit isn’t a matter of appearance. This is what prevents the tip from being knocked out of shape.
Drying is a less conspicuous threat.
Damage can be non-physical. Drying out is a risk with liquid eyeliners and packaging can help prevent them.
If the cap doesn’t fit correctly or the applicator is exposed, the liquid at the end may start to dry. A dried tip will stiffen and discontinue the smooth application of color. The packaging must maintain the seal and not exert pressure on the cap that would crush it. A good eyeliner box should keep the cap from being pushed out of place.
Drying is a hazard if:
- The seal is compromised.
- When pressure is applied, the cap can open.
- The tip is left exposed.
A secure and unstressed cap will ensure the product’s usefulness.
This is the one that got me first.
Then, what does the applicator get protected by? Not the outer box, but the content in it. The protection is actually with the insert inside.
A good liner insert is designed to hold the eyeliner securely in place, with no tendency to slide, maintain the lens in an upright position, and provide space around the cap so the lens tip does not press against it. It supports the tube without compression along its length. The difference is between getting a perfect product and one that is bent.
A good insert provides:
- A tight grip with little or no movement.
- Space around the cap.
- Upright positioning throughout.
The sensitive tip is safeguarded on all sides once the insert is in place.
The Small Size adds to the Challenge.
Another impediment is against the applicator. Eyeliners come in small, thin sizes, making them difficult to grip compared to larger products.
The smaller the surface area of a tube, the less it will hold a tube insert and the easier a small product will be to move within a box. The packaging needs to be very accurate, and no space at all should be left for a small eyeliner to move.
Small size is a challenge as it:
- Has very few points to hold on to.
- Relaxes and moves quickly in open areas.
- Needs tighter tolerances.
The smaller the product, the more accurate the packaging needs to be to stabilize it.
Final Thoughts
Eyeliner applicators can be easily broken because they’re the most important part and the most vulnerable. It is soft, malleable, and will not bounce back when bent or stretched, and will be positioned where cap pressure is applied.
Movement will jolt it, poor sealing will dry it out, and the product’s small size makes it difficult to hold. None of these can be solved with a robust, outer box only.
The solution is a precise eyeliner box featuring a liner insert that keeps the product in place, supports it upright, and prevents the cap from being pushed over the tip, allowing product to escape. Make sure to protect the applicator and protect the entire product, because with an eyeliner, the tip is the product.
