Beauty and cosmetic products–and their packaging–have evolved steadily over the centuries. Bag-on-valve, or BOV, filling technology not only improves the performance of aerosol cans but also protects the cosmetics from contamination. The simple filling system also enables creative entrepreneurs to develop their own cosmetic brands and package them with the highest degree of professionalism.

What Is BOV Filling Technology?

BOV filling technology is simple but effective. A pressure-resistant bag is filled with gel or liquid, seated in a can or other type of container and attached to the valve. Compressed air or nitrogen is pumped into the can, which is instantly sealed. The eco-safe gas forces the product through the valve but never comes into contact with the product.

Unlike a traditional aerosol can, BOV aerosols can spray at any angle including upside down. About 99 percent of the product sprays freely without wasting a good percentage of product that remains in the cans of traditional sprays. The product doesn’t come into contact with the propellant, so there is no contamination. Oxygen can’t get in, so the product enjoys a longer shelf life. Many manufacturers use a sterilized BOV filling system that provides a sterile packaging environment, which is particularly useful for hypoallergenic products. [1]

BOV technology is growing rapidly across many sectors of industry including aerosol can products and gels for the beauty industry, home care products, medical sprays, food sprays and many others. Although aerosol cans will be mentioned many times, BOV products are not considered aerosols. The technology is 25-years old, and BOV products were first marketed as non-aerosol sprays. [2]

Consumers are expressing a big preference for using products packaged with BOV technology because it maximizes the yield from aerosols, prevents contamination, uses eco-friendly propellants like nitrogen and renders beauty product containers safe for recycling. [3]

A Brief History of the Cosmetics Industry

Women–and many men–have always worked to improve their appearances with cosmetic products. Some were home remedies in the early centuries. Changes in beauty products were slow for countless generations, but technology in the 20th and 21st centuries have triggered explosive changes in perceptions of beauty, cosmetic product options and the people who use them. Men now buy beauty or personal care products almost as enthusiastically as women.

The sale of cosmetics and personal care products rose more than 200 percent between 1998 and 2010. [4] Technology has advanced and given manufacturers and sellers options to manufacture small runs of more diverse types of beauty products. Emerging markets raise the demand for products to enhance the beauty of people with different ethnic backgrounds and skin colors. Tastes in beauty are also changing and expanding. BOV technology is certainly one of the factors in today’s explosive growth of new beauty products given its increasing popularity and market share.

Emerging markets in China, Indonesia, India and other countries are driving sales and expanded product lines. More consumers are handling personal care and beauty regimens in their homes with over-the-counter products instead of scheduling salon treatments. Consumers are learning that they can get the same product quality online that was formerly available only in salons. [3]

Two of the top features that are driving the sale of beauty products in today’s beauty ecosphere are products that last longer and those that save time. BOV aerosols do both. The unique packaging protects the product better so that there’s little or no contamination, which makes the product have an extended shelf life. The ability to spray at any angle saves time for busy people on the go.

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Virtual Beauty Applications

One of the big changes caused by technology is the ability of people to check their appearances under different lighting conditions. There are apps like Modiface that enable people to view their faces in different lighting, change their hair color and adjust their makeup with virtual technology. [5] These kinds of apps encourage people to experiment and expand their definitions of beauty.

The Importance of Choice in Cosmetics

The biggest change in cosmetics sales and marketing over the past 25 years is the importance of choice. People want to choose what’s important to them instead of having generic products forced on them by peer pressure and a limited public presentation of what is considered beautiful or attractive. Feminists support the concept of living comfortably with any type of body. If someone wants to bleach his or her skin, wear no make-up or trowel makeup on in a thick layer, he or she is free to do so without raising eyebrows except for people who consciously choose to raise their eyebrows literally.

How BOV Filling Technology Expands the Cosmetics Industry

Today’s small, agile brands often target niche markets based on their preferences for organic ingredients, special formulas for difficult-to-manage skin and hair and environmentally friendly products. Customers are more demanding about the products that they buy; they often want information about the supply chain, ingredients and product packaging. BOV sprays offer the right technology to impress these consumers, and savvy entrepreneurs are responding accordingly. Both men and women often eschew traditional beauty products in favor of “personal care” products, which are a big niche in today’s cosmetics industry.

Niche market cosmetics and beauty products from celebrities and media influencers are capturing significant shares of the cosmetics market and expanding its reach. Global access to new products over the internet is also increasing sales. There are more choices of cosmetic brands for anyone living anywhere, and that kind of access can’t help but increase sales while making customers more demanding about the products that they buy.

Today, color cosmetics have become the third largest segment of the cosmetics industry. [4] The global beauty market has grown by 4.5 percent annually for the last 20 years. Much of that growth can be attributed to the diversity of product choices. In marketing beauty products, manufacturers increasingly claim sustainability, which means the products are made from natural ingredients without preservatives and in a way that doesn’t harm the environment.

Key Benefits of BOV Technology

The benefits of products using BOV filling technology extend to product developers, affiliate marketers, consumers and the environment. These benefits include the following:

• Safe propellants that aren’t flammable
• Reduced need for preservatives
• Product that doesn’t generate a chilled effect
• Eco-friendly
• Full emptying of product
• Longer shelf life
• Reduced noise when spraying
• Works with gels, creams, liquids, lotions and some ointments
• Allows spraying at any angle

Suitable Products for BOV Packaging

Almost any fluid or viscous product can be dispensed using BOV packaging as long as the viscosity is low enough to permit the product to pass through the valve. Some of the possibilities for beauty marketers, manufacturers and distributors include:

• Hair spray
• Colorizing spray
• SPF sunblock
• Tanning spray
• Lotions and creams
• Personal hygiene products
• Ear washes
• First aid spray
• Body spray
• Baby care products
• Body paint

There are many possibilities form packaging spray products, and these are only limited by the developer’s imagination and a few practical considerations. BOV technology works equally well for food-based products, home care products, fire extinguishers, hunting products, disinfectants, cleaners, furniture polish and flavorings.

Signature Filling Company Services Encourage Cosmetic Innovation

Accessing a reliable provider of BOV filling services is easy for any aspiring entrepreneur to do over the internet. Signature Filling Company offers a suite of filling services that make it easy for small-to-medium-sized businesses to package their cosmetic products professionally with eco-friendly and efficient spray containers. The company offers the following services:

• Contract packaging of BOV aerosols
• Formulation services
• Low costs
• High capacity runs
• Private label opportunities
• Products samples
• Technical support services

The benefits of POV airless packaging extend to medical companies, food manufacturers, affiliate marketers, distributors and cosmetic entrepreneurs with strong brands that they want to package in the best possible way. Airless packaging technology can help any company deliver a sterile product with a longer shelf life, and companies can do this while using fewer or no preservatives. The packaging strategy also addresses the issue of government regulations that increasingly demand reduced contamination, hygienic cosmetic preparations and the protection of sensitive ingredients.

References:

[1] Openpr.com: Bag-on-valve Technology Market – An Insight On the Important Factors and Trends Influencing the Market
https://www.openpr.com/news/1214306/Bag-on-valve-Technology-Market-An-Insight-On-the-Important-Factors-and-Trends-Influencing-the-Market.html

[2] Nist.gov: Bag-on-Valve Technology
https://www.nist.gov/sites/default/files/documents/pml/wmd/Paul-BOV-PPoint-Final.pdf

[3] Grandviewreseasrch.com: Bag On Valve Technology Market Analysis
https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/bag-on-valve-technology-marketender

[4] Toknowpress.net: GLOBAL BEAUTY INDUSTRY TRENDS IN THE 21st CENTURY
http://www.toknowpress.net/ISBN/978-961-6914-02-4/papers/ML13-365.pdf

[5] Forbes.com: How The Beauty Industry Is Adapting To Change
https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardkestenbaum/2017/06/19/how-the-beauty-industry-is-adapting-to-change/

[6] Ecoconsultancy.com: Seven ways social media is shaping the beauty industry
https://econsultancy.com/seven-ways-social-media-is-shaping-the-beauty-industry/ 9]