The language of beauty in packaging design

Published: 8-Mar-2017

Nick Vaus demonstrates how brands can incorporate visual and verbal cues into their beauty packaging design to capture consumers’ imaginations

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One thing is clear about 2017 so far: the beauty sector is reaching new heights of fever-pitch activity. New lines, range extensions, brands, mergers and acquisitions and innovations abound. So much so that it’s increasingly hard to distinguish meaningful trends from passing fads among all the ‘noise’.

The big ugly truth for beauty brands in 2017 is that they’re operating in a marketplace that’s growing exponentially and is incredibly fickle, with consumers spoiled for choice. Any big brand idea keeps ruthless focus, and responds to emerging cultural truths and technological innovations. In packaging, that means being instantly recognisable and utterly captivating in-store and online.

Three visual and verbal pillars form the ‘language of beauty’. Beauty brands need to rest confidently on at least one of these, but the sweet spot is when they touch on all three:
Pillar 1 – Beautifully Uncomplicated Look
Pillar 2 – The Power of Touch and Emotion
Pillar 3 – Telling a Compelling Story

Sonia Kashuk’s Knock Out Beauty Skin Glow illustrates the way the sensory trend can be incorporated into colour cosmetics

Sonia Kashuk’s Knock Out Beauty Skin Glow illustrates the way the sensory trend can be incorporated into colour cosmetics


Pillar 1: Beautifully Uncomplicated Look

Much like a chic Parisian woman, less is more. Packaging codes – across skin care, cosmetics and fragrance – are cool and premium, and uppercase lettering has room to breathe in a calm white space. Think Chanel as the gold standard.

The Beautifully Uncomplicated Look is often

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