Drawing on the culture of Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Ayres beauty line is the essence of passion: A line of four body-care collections and one home range is as full of the sights, sounds and scents of Argentina as the Pampas themselves. Ayres has designed its products to bring a Latin touch to the beauty packaging world.

Founded in 2014 by Argentina-born Alejandro Rasic, Ayres’ line includes the Midnight Tango, Pampas Sunrise, Patagonia and Sweet Nostalgia collections, each comprised of a body lotion, shower cream, body butter, body polish, hand cream and bar soap. The home range includes two candles – one for calming and one for energizing.

Rasic is a former Estée Lauder, Kenzo and Givenchy Parfums executive who moved to the US from Argentina at age 19. He has brought his love of his native land to both his beauty line and his packaging. “Like tango and the city itself, Ayres is sophisticated, feminine, intriguing and sensual,” Rasic says. “In fact, the packaging and labels were inspired specifically by the traditional matte black fishnet pattern that is a staple of Argentine tango.”

Given their history, it is no surprise that the Ayres labels are equally evocative, due in part to the materials used. The cream and black labels, with their surprising pop of passionate color, were digitally printed by Chicago-based Fort Dearborn using Avery Dennison rigid films. According to Ayres, Avery Dennison films offer undeniable shelf appeal, with label graphics that almost pop off the package. The white BOPP used for Ayres creates intense, eye-catching blacks with a beautiful pearlescent finish that really stands out on the shelf. Rasic believes that Ayres’ labeling and packaging is already proving to be an important differentiator for the brand.

According to Gwen Chapelaine, director of marketing for Fort Dearborn Company, digital printing offers clear advantages for companies like Ayres. “Digital has opened the door to variable data and short run printing like no other printing technology – capabilities that dovetail perfectly with the market’s need for more versioning and brand variation, greater personalization and late stage product differentiation,” notes Chapelaine. “Our recommendation to use digital on the Ayres product line has really paid off for the brand.”

Ayres’ formulas are created by an award-winning R&D team with 17 years of experience in the fields of aromatherapy, ayurvedic and organic sciences. All products are formulated with naturally derived materials, including pure essential oils. Tim Bohlke, marketing innovation manager at Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials, instantly saw how different the line is at the recent Cosmoprof beauty show. “Walking the floor at Cosmoprof, you meet many brands that are trying to differentiate themselves. Ayres instantly stood out. The line just has an indefinable…something. In part because of its labels and packaging – and in part because it epitomizes all that is magic about Argentina.”