Livcer is in great shape!

That, at least, is the conclusion we can draw as 2025 draws to a close, allowing us to forget September 2021, when the entire factory went up in smoke in a matter of hours, watched by fifty employees gathered in the parking lot opposite. It’s a wonderful story of resurrection for this French company, a leader in its field, specializing in the production of thermoformed samples for the makeup and skincare sectors. “A resurrection,” emphasizes its owner and CEO Aude de Livonnière, “that was only made possible thanks to the commitment of all our teams, our suppliers, and our customers!” The result: a turnover of €15 million this year for forty million doses delivered! Among the objectives for 2026 is to expand commercial activity more widely in Europe.

Almost four years ago to the day, it was a heavy blow!

Aude de Livonnière: That’s the least we can say! Imagine... No more factory, no more machines, no more stock, no more raw materials... just offices! We were lucky, though, because we managed to find four second-hand thermoforming machines. A month later, we restarted production with a first second-hand machine, hosted by one of our subcontractors in a neighboring department. As for the filling machines, most of which were “homemade,” the teams set to work manufacturing them. This allowed us to order other thermoforming machines, new this time, with a delivery time of no less than eighteen months.
But I really want to emphasize the spirit of solidarity and mutual aid that prevailed throughout this period on the part of our suppliers and customers. After getting the first machines, our workload was already full.
We currently have nine production lines in operation and will end 2025 with a turnover of €15 million.

When we think of “samples,” we often think of “cheap products”!

Aude de Livonnière: Well, “WE” are wrong! Beyond the excellence of our technology in preserving formulas in the best conditions, we are concerned with aesthetics, down to the smallest detail (impeccable texture, ergonomic use, aesthetic quality of the packaging). What’s more, innovation is in our DNA. From Lipstick, the first secure blister pack lipstick tester, to cushion samples, two-phase formulas, and mini-grapes, we are constantly inventing new
ways to enhance our customers’ products. We have mastered the art of thermoformed miniatures and are committed to faithfully reproducing skincare and makeup products.
Studies prove us right, as the opening rate for thermoformed doses is 30% higher than for simple sachets, and the conversion rate is 20% after opening.
Personalized skincare, single-dose masks, treatment kits, travel kits... The market for single-dose cosmetics is booming, and we have been experts in this type of packaging for 30 years.

How does the process work with you in practice?

Aude de Livonnière: We are there from the design of the mold to the packaging of single doses. We are delivered the bulk products and we offer a turnkey service (selection of a standard model from our 130 molds or custom manufacturing, compatibility tests, single-dose packaging, assembly of the dose and its accessories, management of secondary packaging printing and final packaging (card or case), delivery (bulk or boxed), quality control at all stages of production.

Your main markets remain makeup and skincare! These are sectors that are always eager for innovation.

Aude de Livonnière: Absolutely! 50% makeup and 50% skincare. As for this spirit of innovation, it is very much alive and well here.
We have what we call a “POC” (Proof of Concept) mindset to accelerate the development process.
From our initial discussions to the signing of the quote, we bring sample projects to life by delivering a mock-up, a careful replica of the product and the brand identity. And if it’s a question of developing a single-dose product for sale, our design teams assist in the design of the model.
As for new products, there are many. We can mention the mini lipstick sample for Louis Vuitton released last September, not to mention our new compressed powder technique (powders pressed into small blisters), which is a fairly complicated process.
We can also mention “Touch Kiss,” an innovative reverse printing technology (an ideal format for sampling in the press or by mail), not to mention “Beauty Press,” where lipstick sampling technology in the press has reached excellence (all on the lips, nothing on the fingers!). A word about “Bi-Color,” a revolutionary double-casting technology in the same cell, not to mention “Cushion,” the single-dose Cushion innovation.

There is a lot of pressure right now in terms of the environment and regulations!

Aude de Livonnière: For many years, we have been choosing to source increasingly virtuous materials. For the past five years, we have been offering an APET that contains 50% recycled material—a rate that will reach 80% in 2026. Beyond this environmental commitment, we are also developing complexes that combine exceptional transparency, to highlight the colors of our customers’ cosmetic products, with high barrier performance, which is essential for preserving increasingly delicate formulas. However, quality and traceability standards are currently the biggest constraint: they require significant resources, with six of the 31 people in our Packaging department dedicated to this task.