The industry of cosmetics and personal care products is developing rapidly, while the competition for the consumer is also growing tough. How can you package your product to make it look good on the store shelf and attract the attention of the customer? What shall you consider? We will discuss this and other issues in this new Dairy Blog article and also tell you about how the agency develops packaging for cosmetics.
What to Consider When Designing Cosmetics Packaging
Therefore, when promoting your cosmetic brand, you shall make sure that the packaging meets the following criteria:
- Aesthetic qualities. It is the aesthetics of the packaging that to a greater extent shapes the emotional connection between the product and the consumer, which directly affects sales. Nicely packaged cosmetics look good on a vanity table and make you want to use them.
- Memorability and recognition. Design product lines coherently, and add recognizable visual elements to the package so that a potential buyer can easily find your product on the shelf or look for it after seeing it in an advertisement.
- Correct targeting. It is important to understand precisely who your potential consumer is and use this information to develop product positioning and packaging. Also, don’t forget about the price factor.
- Usability. The packaging shall be easy to use, prevent the product from damage, and at the same time contain all the necessary information, i.e. a barcode, composition, conformity marks (for example, EAC), shelf life, recycling symbol, weight marks, brands, and awards, etc. Our team can advise you on what elements to include in the packaging of your cosmetic products.
- Format. Don’t forget to pay proper attention to the format when designing the package. The shape of the packaging can convey product positioning ideas and complement the design. A striking example is perfume bottles that look like works of art. Note: The material of the packaging/label defines the printing options. It is crucial to plan cooperation with certain suppliers and printers in advance and share the contacts of the selected contractors with the agency you are going to work with. Moreover, the use of a box for packaging somewhat expands the horizon for the designer and allows you to place much more useful data.
Some people opt for functionality, others for the pleasing appearance of the product, making it important for you to strike a balance between the aesthetics and the functionality of cosmetics packaging.
Where Cosmetics Packaging Design Development Starts
Depending on the complexity of the project and input data, the stages may have minor differences. The ultimate goal of these two stages is to find an original and interesting idea and translate it into packaging design in the best way possible.
Strategic Stage
It always starts with filling out a brief, followed by a briefing. The scope of the information collected by specialists will define the quality of the final result.
This is followed by market research and analysis of the collected data. The resulting information is used to determine what the product category is, what colors can and shall be used, what fonts are preferable, and most importantly, what idea shall be put into the packaging.
Ideally, design sessions are held with the business owner. This is a highly creative event aimed at finding that cool idea for cosmetics packaging. It shall take the form of brainstorming. Why it matters? No one knows the product better than the manufacturer. The aim of the agency during a design session is to dive into the project as deeply as possible, feel the meaning that the owner puts into those delicious-smelling tubes and jars and what the real advantage of the product is, etc.
Our agency holds design sessions upon request.
Having completed the strategic stage, you can proceed to develop the concept that will lay the basis for the design. Thus, the creative stage begins, during which the elaborated idea is brought to life by the designers.
What a Good Idea Is and How It Works
Cool ideas conveyed through the packaging design emphasize the positioning of the product and help to create and maintain a positive image in the eyes of the consumer, which ultimately affects sales.
So, for example, our portfolio features a project with an interesting idea, elegantly embodied and placed on store shelves. Our agency developed the packaging for the PURE BALANCE cosmetics line from Masstige.
The line consists of 7 products designed for problem-prone skin. To achieve the desired effect promised by the manufacturer, one shall use the products in combination, thus we designed the packages to look coherently.
We used the fact that each person’s skin is unique, and has its own relief and characteristics, as the basis for our idea. To reinforce this idea, we placed graphic elements on the packaging that showed the textures resulting from a particular PURE BALANCE product coming into contact with the skin. We complemented the design with nice pops of color, as well as concise and readable fonts.
Look Into Trends for Inspiration
Following the trends is great, provided that you do it mindfully and engage experienced professionals. The lifespan of a trend can vary greatly, and the choice of a fashionable trend can lead you to either a triumph or a failure depending on the market situation. Therefore, we do not recommend following trends blindly. Create designs in accordance with the developed strategy and use trends for inspiration.
Minimalism and lots of air
Low-budget cosmetics usually feature a bright and noticeable design, while the luxury ones ooze austerity, with their minimal details and plenty of space. However, we can now witness a steady trend toward the use of minimalist design in cosmetics from various price segments. Minimalism definitely helps you to sell at a higher price.
Craft features
The beauty market grows, and so does the demand for organic product formulations or those that are somehow close to being natural. Craft packaging design, e.g. use of natural motifs, eco materials, neutral colors, and simple shapes, will help to emphasize the natural essence of your product and attract the attention of a demanding customer.
Pop art
The packaging of product lines for teens and youth often features pop art design, depicting characters who are popular with certain groups or making references to them.
Luxury Vintage
Everything new is well-forgotten old. Luxurious images from the past are extremely attractive. At the same time, the vintage design implies a century of history and hints at the fact that the brand has existed for a very long time, which makes it reliable and time-tested.
Conclusion
One shall understand that there is no 100% working formula for perfect selling packaging. The success of any product, not only a cosmetic one, is always based on an adequate price-quality ratio, a clear understanding of the target audience and its needs, a thoroughly planned advertising campaign, and so on.
Cosmetics packaging design, like any other design, is not a matter of imagination and experience of a particular person. Successful projects are always based on large-scale work, which includes shelf and category research, in-depth interviews with target audiences, fruitful collaboration between designers and the customer, and, of course, the idea. If you want the design to work and result in sales, you can:
● Either vest the success of the brand in the designer’s subjective taste and hope for good luck;
● Or safeguard the desired outcome by contacting the creative guys from our agency.
If you happen to have any questions about creating packaging for cosmetics, please contact our experts for consultation.