Fall 2018, I entered a national design competition hosted by Independent Cosmetic Manufacturers and Distributors (ICMAD). I was given white, 8oz tubes and tasked with creating a brand for a cosmetic product.
VOUS is a brand dedicated to the consumer. This series addresses the lack of diverse hair products in the market today. Enhancing the users natural hair texture was key to how I approached the package. I chose three hair types to focus on: curly hair, straight hair, and beard hair. I named the brand VOUS, meaning "you" in French, to subtly show the consumer my product was created with them in mind.
Another area of focus for this product was sustainability. I wanted VOUS to address my consumers’ needs in an innovative, practical, and reusable way. Rather than paper that is torn and discarded, I wanted a package that would continue to benefit my consumer. I challenged myself with a medium new to me and learned to sew. I created reusable, spill-proof travel bags for my package design.
Winning this competition came with a few perks.
DID SOMEONE SAY SPAIN?
Awards Ceremony in Manhattan Beach, California
During this ceremony, I was able to mingle with the CEOs and founders of cosmetic companies such as Coola and Eos, and many other prominent figures in the packaging industry.
9 Month Package Design Internship with Mary Kay
It breaks my heart to say I was unable to accept this internship due to other obligations, but how cool is this?
$5,000 of Cold Hard Cash
This couldn't have come at a better time. The week I won, my computer at the time bit the dust. Hello new Macbook Pro!
$25,000 Promise to The Design Department
The winning designer's school (Oregon State University) was promised $25k to help build their design department,
All Expenses Paid Trip to Barcelona, Spain
While in Spain, I went on a private design tour of Barcelona, toured packaging and manufacturing companies, and shadowed designers at an incredible package design company, Quadpack.
