In this episode of Product & Packaging Powerhouse, host Megan Young Gamble recaps her experience at Makeup in New York 2025, from day 1 and this episode focusing on day two themes of packaging innovation, sustainability, and beauty tech. She shares actionable insights from industry panels including advances in sustainable packaging (like APC Packaging’s patented mono-material droppers and refillable solutions), compliance considerations, smart packaging, and the importance of consumer psychology. Startup brand Rebel Queen’s all-in-one curly hair product is highlighted for its minimalistic approach, while expert Roberta Sironi provides a masterclass on mascara packaging, launching an academy for deeper industry education. Megan ties it all together with observations on tech (especially AI’s growing role in beauty and packaging), and offers advice for brands considering trade shows, encouraging startups to attend for valuable connections and inspiration. Be sure to check out Day 1 Recap HERE.

Access our other podcast episodes mentioned during the episode

• Inside MakeUp in New York: Day 1 Innovation and Tech” with Megan Young Gamble. Listen Here
• Packaging Design, Influence, & Integrity" with Vicki Strull, Founder, Vicki Strull Design. Listen Here
• The Truth About Stress, Skincare, and Your Immune System” with Dr. Ebru Karpuzoglu, Immunologist and founder of AveSeena and ChicScience Labs. Listen Here
• Roundtable: Packaging, Plastics & Platforms toward Circular Economy” with Emily Anne Friedman (Recycled Plastics Editor, ICIS), Ryan Fox (Packaging Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence) and Nicole Toole (Founder of ECGO.) Listen Here
• How Connected Packaging Shapes Sustainability and Traceability” with John Dwyer, Smart Packaging Expert at Smurfit Westrock & Maurizio Carano, Innovation & Marketing Director IML @ MCC Label. Listen Here

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Contact details of Jennifer Lehto, Senior Business Development Manager at APC Packaging

• Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferlehto
• Email id - [email protected]

Roberta Sironi, Chief Commercial Officer at Pibiplast Spa

• Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/roberta-sironi-0636982/
• Pibiplast academy - https://pibiplast.com/certifications

Quotes and Hooks:

• We've always been very conscious about our scalp health because you have to make sure your scalp is clean to help with promoting hair growth.
• Smart packaging gives each product their own digital passport telling consumers what it is, where it came from and what to do at the end of life.
• Everybody wants sustainable packaging, but the real question is: what does sustainability mean to you and your brand?
• Glass is heavier, costs more to ship, and is prone to breakage, so is it really deemed sustainable? Something to think about.
• I struggled for years to find the perfect curly hair product and I finally created it, an all-in-one that hydrates, defines, and controls frizz. (Bleema, Rebel Queen)
• Mascara is a really complex product, you need a lot of technicity to make the magic and make the product work. (Roberta Cerroni, Pibi Plast)
• AI is here to stay, and I use ChatGPT as my daily assistant all the time to help me think through things and shorten cycle times.
• Would I attend Makeup In New York again? Absolutely. Is it a trade show that I would recommend any company to attend? Absolutely.