Gel cosmetic applicator
Cosmetics packaging and applicators including a gel based tip are described. Gel applicators may or may not be provided with a through-hole. In various embodiments, the gel may be a stand-alone gel or may be encapsulated in a membrane. The gel applicator provides a soft feel and may have cooling effect as well. In some embodiments, the applicator is mounted to a platform or a hollow insert and coupled to a container housing the cosmetics product.
1. A cosmetic applicator comprising:
an applicator body formed from a first material encapsulated by a second material, wherein the first material is a gel material, the applicator body defining an application surface for applying cosmetics, wherein the gel material has a hardness of 90 or less on a Shore 000 scale; and
an insert including a first end disposed within the gel material and a second end extending out of the gel material, the second end configured for coupling to a product reservoir.
2. The cosmetic applicator of claim 1 , wherein the gel material has a hardness of 10 or less on the Shore 000 scale.
3. The cosmetic applicator of claim 2 , wherein the gel material has a hardness 1 or less on the Shore 000 scale.
4. The cosmetic applicator of claim 1 , wherein the applicator body defines a through hole.
5. The cosmetic applicator of claim 1 , wherein the second material is thermoplastic, metal, foam, or a gel of different hardness than the first material.
6. The cosmetic applicator of claim 1 , wherein the applicator body is a flow-through applicator.
7. The cosmetic applicator of claim 1 , further comprising a housing including a product reservoir, the housing coupled to the second end of the insert.
8. The cosmetic applicator of claim 7 , wherein the housing is a bottle, tottle, tube, container, or click pen.
9. The cosmetic applicator of claim 1 , wherein the first end of the insert includes a flange configured to provide a snap fit or friction fit to connect the insert to the applicator body.
10. A cosmetic applicator comprising:
a product reservoir;
an applicator body formed from a first material encapsulated by a second material, wherein the first material is a gel material, the applicator body defining an application surface for applying cosmetics, wherein the gel material has a hardness of 90 or less on a Shore 000 scale; and
an insert including a first end disposed within the applicator body and a second end coupling the applicator body to the product reservoir.
11. The cosmetic applicator of claim 10 , wherein the insert couples to the product reservoir with a snap-fit, adhesive fit, friction fit, or threaded connection.
12. The cosmetic applicator of claim 10 , wherein the applicator body defines a product pathway extending at least partway between the product reservoir and the application surface.
13. The cosmetic applicator of claim 12 , wherein the product pathway extends only a portion of the way between the product reservoir and the application surface.
14. The cosmetic applicator of claim 12 , wherein the insert defines at least a portion of the product pathway.
15. The cosmetic applicator of claim 10 , wherein the insert and the product reservoir are co-molded as a single integral piece.
16. The cosmetic applicator of claim 10 , wherein the gel material has a hardness of 10 or less on the Shore 000 scale.
17. The cosmetic applicator of claim 16 , wherein the gel material has a hardness 1 or less on the Shore 000 scale.
18. The cosmetic applicator of claim 10 , wherein the first end of the insert includes a flange configured to provide a snap fit or friction fit to connect the insert to the applicator body.
19. The cosmetic applicator of claim 10 , wherein the second material is thermoplastic, metal, foam, or a gel of different hardness than the first material.
20. The cosmetic applicator of claim 10 , wherein the second material is a membrane.