Before a potential customer even has a chance to smell, feel, and fall in love with your product, they will be checking out your packaging…and beginning the decision-making process on whether to purchase your product – or leave it on the shelf. Just like beautiful wrapping on an exquisite gift, the exterior of your skin care product will give a hint to the contents inside.
What Makes Good Skin Care Packaging?
Your packaging is the first thing that skinthusiasts on the prowl for new product are going to see. If your packaging grabs their attention and checks the boxes for what they are looking for, it is likely that they will give your product a try. If not, then it will simply be another beauty line that sits on the shelf collecting dust (no matter how spectacular your INCI is). When designing your labels, make sure that they satisfy these requirements for getting your products into customers’ carts and ultimately on their faces:
Define Before You Design
Define Your Ideal Customer – Whether your marketing niche is the Organic Hippie, the Young & Hip, or the Haute High End, you will need to define your ideal client and then get to know about them. What are their packaging preferences? Do they prefer recyclable containers without “wasteful unnecessary” boxes? Or do they desire flashy metallic airless bottles with shrink wrap and luxurious boxes? Are organic botanicals important enough to land “front and center” on your label? Or would your customers rather know if glycolic acid and retinol are what’s hiding inside your mysterious lotion? The better you understand how your ideal client shops, the better you can create packaging that appeals to them, and the greater the chance you have of landing a new loyal fan.
Define Your Brand Personality – So now that you know your customer’s identity and what type of packaging is attractive to them, you need to determine your own identity! Are you a fresh and fun brand accessible to teens and young adults? Do you have an edgy, rebel-without-a-cause streak redefining the beauty industry while creating your own trends? Or are you exclusive and luxurious selling not only skin care products but a certain high-end “lifestyle”? Or perhaps you are a smart no-fluff line and want to appeal to “skintellectuals” who spend their free time pouring over the latest clinical data backing claims of new active ingredients. Once you determine your personality, create your branding story and stick with it. Afterall, nobody likes a brand having an identity crisis.
Define Where They Buy – Does your tribe love to shop in brick and mortars where they can experience products before purchase? Or is overnight delivery to their doorstep their preferred purchasing paradigm? Figure out where you will be peddling your goods as this may influence things like shape of containers, font size, colors, and whether you choose a matte or glossy finish on your labels.
Skin Care Packaging Trends
1. A Defining Color
Color has always held a big branding role. Everything from monochromatic to ombré to the boldest brightest colors will define your product line and set the stage for all of your marketing and advertising collateral. Watch for new trends such as “color misting” where a white package gets a pop from a spray of color. Muted complimentary colors are popular creating a feeling of calm and serenity while neon colors and geometric shapes bounce us back to the 80’s and 90’s for a nouveau retro feel.
2. Airless Packaging
With more active ingredients being utilized in products, the desire to keep them fresh and functioning has popularized the airless container. As implied by its name, there is no air in this bottle reducing the damaging effects of oxidation. Products stay fresh and finger free while looking absolutely fabulous.
3. Unique Custom Fonts
Many companies are opting out of a having a company logo. Instead, they are opting in for a unique font to write the company name and use on their labels and other materials. There are lots of on-line places to buy “rare” fonts that will make your brand stand out. And if you prefer your fonts “extra rare”, you can even hire a designer that will make a custom font just for you! Remember to ask your graphic designer about all of the font options available to you.
4. Intricate Line Drawings
Piggy backing on the unique font movement is the customized drawings that are appearing on packaging. Gone the way of the dodo is Clip Art. Instead, we see beautiful intricate line drawings adorning labels that are worthy of framing or appearing on your next mood board. Artists can be hired on-line to create masterpieces that tell your brand story through imagery.
5. Sustainable Packaging
Ranging from refillable to recyclable to renewable – the latest movement is to use packaging that is a little less destructive to the environment. Many companies are even ditching boxes and shrink wrap as they are seen as unnecessary items for successful product sales. Recyclable plastic and glass are carefully considered while renewable components made from bamboo are not only creating a unique “look” but are also a way to pitch the products as “environmentally aware”. Refillable packaging is also a way to not only cut waste, but also to cut costs both for the seller and the buyer. The planet, the company, and the customer all benefit from mindful packaging.
Enhance Your Private Label Skin Care Line with Custom Products & Packaging for Skin Care Products
Trilogy Laboratories keeps their finger on the pulse of skin care packaging. Beautiful options allow you to mix and match your favorites to create a unique look just for your line. Our graphic designers work one on one with you to create 100% customized labels allowing you to integrate the latest trends into your branding. Check out our innovative Packaging Catalogue and speak to your Project Consultant about the label design options available to you. We are here to help at 239.470.0240 or customerservice@trilogylaboratories.com.
Posted in Professional Skin Care
