Nivea Bets the Soft Touch Will Stand Out

To capitalize on product differentiation, Belgian cosmetics manufacturer Beiersdorf GmbH has chosen Santoprene thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) from Advanced Elastomer Systems for the actuator head of its Nivea shaving foam and gel products. The actuator head is manufactured using two-shot injection molding; a soft TPV surface is added to the hard polypropylene actuator body.

“We anticipate a growing market for all plastic materials that exhibit a high-quality touch, especially for applications which require a feeling that is similar to human skin,” says Norbert Menzel, packaging management, Cosmed, Beiersdorf. “In this application, for example, the soft Santoprene TPV is particularly appealing to consumers and provides an excellent contrast compared with products using only hard polypropylene.”

A 55 Shore A Santoprene grade was selected because it provided a grip with a non-slip surface, even when wet.

According to AES, this Nivea project is one of the first packaging applications for Santoprene for a mass-market cosmetics and toiletries brand.

Advanced Elastomer Systems 330-849-5000