Today we’re going to be discussing one of the biggest industries in the world: the beauty industry. With trends galore and consumer preferences changing every single day, the beauty industry is an ever-evolving landscape that incorporates practicality and aesthetics. Everywhere you go, you’ll see some form of product of this industry. Whether it’s at Sephora or simply a grocery store, beauty products are widely accessible anywhere you go. So what can differentiate your brand from others? Packaging design.
Source: Freepik
Packaging design plays such an important role in the beauty industry nowadays. It matters so much that low-quality or poor packaging can actually do more harm for your brand. Not only does packaging designs influence a consumer’s decision-making but it also acts as the face of your brand and determines its memorability and recognition. Therefore, to emphasise the significance of packaging design in the beauty industry, let’s dive into what it influences in terms of consumer behaviour:
How Packaging Design Influences Consumer Behaviour
1. Aesthetic Appeal and Visual Attraction
Since beauty products are, well, for beauty, it’s important for the packaging to reflect your products. Especially since first impressions are the crucial stage of a consumer’s decision-making, eye-catching designs, vibrant colours, sleek finishes, or unique shapes help entice consumers to explore your product further. So, alongside a good product made with good ingredients, the packaging design is what initially pulls the consumer in or ultimately deters them. Would you rather buy lipstick packaged in a plain brown box or a sleek box featuring the lipstick colour alongside your logo and its unique selling points (USP)? Even with perfumes, people spot the bottle and packaging before they test its fragrance.
Source: Unsplash
2. Reflecting Brand Identity and Values
A good packaging design always reflects its brand identity and values. This is because brands that are consistent with their design elements across platforms and products, it garners trust as well as recognition. Ensuring elements such as typography, colour schemes or graphics are consistent will help your overall brand boost its reputation. On top of that, reflecting your values help consumers connect with a brand’s ethos and messaging, deepening the brand-consumer connection. This contributes to the influence your product and its packaging has on your target audience.
3. Conveying Product Information and Benefits
As we’ve mentioned earlier, good product packaging is often accompanied with your product’s information and benefits. Based on studies, about 53% of beauty and personal care consumers research beauty ingredients and their benefits to understand the product and its effectiveness better. Hence, it’s always a plus to have essential info included on your product packaging which includes clear labels, ingredients, key benefits, effectiveness, usage directions or USPs (such as being vegan, cruelty-free, and so on). Seeing this info will help the consumer make an informed purchase decision. To showcase an example, take a look at this product from Paula’s Choice, a well-known skincare and bodycare brand. They’ve effectively displayed their logo, the product name and it’s main ingredients along with it’s main function or benefit.
Source: Paula’s Choice Malaysia
4. Creating Emotional Connections and Aspirations
A good packaging design goes beyond just holding or protecting a product, it can incorporate imaging, different textures, or branding elements. These elements tap into consumer desires or lifestyle, creating a connection between the product and the consumer. It’s as if they’re saying, “wow, this product is meant for me”. When this connection is forged, it increases the chance of being purchased.
5. Innovations and User Experience
People love a unique packaging initiative. This may include innovations such as airless pumps, type of applicators or even as simple as a scooper included in a jar of moisturiser. These innovations help enhance consumer experience and convenience. Any functional packaging that makes the product easy to use or hygienic makes lives easier and that is what can attract people too, especially for skincare and makeup products.
As an example, take a look at these products by Maybelline and Originote; Maybelline’s concealer features a twistable top that dispenses the product onto the sponge at the tip and with every twist, the product is pushed to the top, making sure no product is left in the tube or wasted. On the right, Originotes moisturiser features a small spoon to help scoop the product in order to maintain hygiene.
Source: Adjusting Beauty (Maybelline) and Korea Cosmetics BN (Originote)
6. Social Media and Shareability
We discussed this in another blog about user-generated content (UGC) and packaging design trends; consumers enjoy sharing content about products and their packaging that are irresistible. When your product packaging as well as the product within perform well, it encourages UGCs and increases shareability and chances of virality. Great packaging also ensures a great unboxing experience, encouraging more UGCs which will lead to consumers sharing the content when they see packaging they like and boost brand awareness. All this sharing influences and encourages an increase in sales and boost brand awareness!
Source: Freepik
7. Sustainability and Eco-Consciousness
Nowadays, people are caring about the environment more and more. The reason is quite obvious, therefore, people are much more conscious about what they purchase, no matter what product that is. Innovations such as biodegradable, recyclable or refillable packaging can potentially win your brand extra points in consumer purchase decisions. Even minimising packaging materials can help attract consumers to your product. This shows how your brand cares about the environment as well, and that’s what people appreciate. This appreciation can even turn to brand trust and loyalty.
8. Limited Editions and Collectibility
Usually, the first step to attract a consumer is a good first impression, right? Well, aside from that, exclusivity and collectability attracts them as well. It encourages engagement with your brand while prompting purchases due to said exclusivity. Being limited-edition, exclusive or seasonal will give a sense of urgency, prompting swift purchases. Following that, it can potentially foster and enhance consumer loyalty and repurchasing.
9. Inclusivity and Representation
Being inclusive means to be able to cater to any skin type, any skin colour or other variables. Whether it’s skincare, beauty or fragrance products, being inclusive of multiple groups of consumers will not only enhance your brand’s reputation, it can also be the factor that builds consumer loyalty. For instance, people admire beauty brands that provide foundations in multiple shades that cater to light-skinned and dark-skinned people. Another example would be skincare products that people with sensitive skin can use. It all shows how genuine and thoughtful your brand is in terms of catering to everyone instead of leaving out a certain demographic or group.
Source: Freepik
CR8’s Experience With Beauty Product Packaging Design
One of our clients we’ve collaborated with on their packaging design is a fragrance brand named AGift. They wanted a unique and eye-catching packaging design that resonated well with not only their brand and consumers but also the series of fragrances. Their products were not only fragrant but it also looked great, making them a perfect gift either for yourself or for your loved ones.
Let’s Pack It Up
Overall, packaging design for beauty products goes beyond containment, it serves as the face of your brand and influences consumer behaviour. Good packaging design will always establish recognition and memorability, it provides a good first impression which intrigues consumers and influences decision-making. Therefore, investing in good-quality and good-looking packaging design will pay off in the long run for the success of your brand and its products. But if you aren’t sure where you should start or how you should approach packaging design, our team of seasoned designers are always ready to provide top-tier packaging designs that will both resonate with your brand and target audience. So give us a call and schedule your FREE 1-hour consultation with our branding experts.
Want to create a beyond remarkable brand guideline for 2024? Schedule a FREE 1-hour consultation with us today!