Since CEO Nova Covington founded safe skincare company Goddess Garden in 2009, the company has grown to include a greater number of products with even greater effectiveness and sophistication. So too, over that time, has its packaging grown in sophistication. Now, with the launch of a new line of SPF 50 reef-safe sunscreen products, Goddess Garden has further refined and updated its packaging, with mindfulness—in materials and aesthetics—at the core.
Goddess Garden introduced the new SPF 50 sunscreen in Baby, Kids, and Sport formulas in March 2019. “Demand for higher SPF sunscreen is growing among consumers, so we wanted to show that we are listening and responding to their needs,” says Covington. “We’ve also reformulated to make our sunscreen more sheer than ever, so we can increase the mineral content to provide SPF 50 without that thick, whitening consistency some people expect from mineral sunscreen.”
Created to solve problems, rather than create more, according to Covington, Goddess Garden chose 100%-recyclable inverted polypropylene tubes from Viva IML Tubes for the new products, a deliberate package choice that she says is rare in the sunscreen industry. Viva supplies both the tubes and the caps, which reduces emissions from transportation. “They also use less material per tube than the industry average and have a molding process that aims to minimize waste,” she adds. “Overall, their life-cycle analysis shows that their polypropylene tubes can actually save 25 percent to 35 percent of energy compared with other forms of tubes.”
The new SPF 50 line also includes sunscreen sticks, packaged in 0.6-oz PP/high-density polyethylene roll-on containers, supplied by Federal Package. These containers are also recyclable, once the label is removed. Copy on the tubes and sticks encourages consumers to recycle the packaging, with more comprehensive instructions on how to recycle located on the company’s website.
All of the new packaging is oval in shape. “For the sticks, this makes application easier and more convenient. They fit virtually everywhere and can cover more area with each swipe,” explains Covington. “For the tubes, we decided on this shape because we’re introducing these new premium formulas with ultra-sheer polished zinc, and the oval shape felt in line with that more luxurious user experience.”
With the new formula also came “elevated” packaging graphics that include vibrant colors and henna-inspired mandalas, positioned within an area of the design that previously comprised a block of solid color. Says Covington, the mandalas represent mindfulness and symbolize the company’s internal mission to be authentic and transparent. “We’re dedicated to having a positive impact through our business, and we make it easier for consumers to live more mindfully with reef-safe, plant-powered products that respect both people and the planet,” she says.
The bright, sunny colors of the packaging were chosen to reflect the brands’ focus on enjoying life. Each line is represented by a different color, to enhance shoppability. Says Covington, the use of pink for the Baby line and Blue for the Sport line were always intuitive, but orange for the Kids line is new for the brand. (Previously, both Daily and Kids were green.) “It captures the bright, fun energy of childhood in a way that will resonate with consumers,” she explains.
While the new reef-safe SPF 50 products were launched in spring 2019, it has been a soft transition to ensure products currently on shelf with a 2020 expiration date don’t go to waste.
