How to Design Cosmetic Packaging: The Ultimate Guide

Paying attention to the recent news of Yusu Packaging, you can see that Yusu Packaging has been emphasizing the importance of cosmetic packaging materials recently. So far, a series of introductions to cosmetic packaging materials has been formed. If you have not noticed the previous articles, you can review them through the following:

1. Why do you need to reconsider the color of cosmetic packaging?

2. How to choose the color of cosmetic packaging?

3. Common materials for cosmetic packaging

4. Innovative environmentally friendly packaging of organic cosmetics

5. Master the essence of cosmetic packaging

6. What are the characteristics of cosmetic packaging design?

7. A brief analysis of cosmetic packaging design

8. The importance of cosmetic packaging

Careful readers will definitely refute the editor after reading the above article, “I know the importance of packaging, do you need to teach me? If designing cosmetic packaging is the problem”, yes, the above articles are all some preparations, and the real dry goods are this article: How to design cosmetic packaging? I hope the following content can give you some inspiration and direction in packaging.

Pre-design preparation
Let cosmetic packaging trends inspire you
Create the perfect cosmetic packaging
Choose your packaging type
Choose the focus of your design

I. Pre-design preparation

Before you start working on your packaging design, there are a few things you need to clarify:

Define your ideal customer

It is important to know who you are designing for. Who is your ideal customer? Are they as obsessed with sparkles on girls as they are with boy bands? Are they women of color who want makeup that (finally) matches their skin tone? Once you know who they are, what are they looking for in a cosmetic brand? What grabs their attention?

Define your brand personality

Just as important as your customer’s identity is your identity. What is your brand? Are you sleepy (like Urban Decay)? Simple and classic (like Bobbi Brown)? Luxurious (like Dior)? Your image as a brand and the personality you want to show your customers will determine which design elements you use in your packaging.

Define your ideal customer How will you buy your product?

You also need to think about how you will sell your product. Will you sell it online or in stores? In small boutiques or large retailers? Your design strategy may differ depending on where you want to place your case.

Create a Mood Board for Your Brand

A good thing to do before you start designing is to create a mood board for your brand. Put together images, colors, advertising, and anything else that captures your brand’s personality; these will serve as inspiration as you work through the design process.

2. Let Cosmetic Packaging Trends Inspire You

If you need some packaging design inspiration, there’s no better place to start than by researching the latest cosmetic packaging trends. Once you understand what’s trending, you can create packaging that caters to current issues that are important to your customers and speaks to them in the right way.

Remember, you want to choose a look that’s modern and on-trend, but also timeless and universally appealing, so your packaging design should stay current for as long as possible.

Here are the cosmetic packaging trends we’re seeing everywhere right now:

1. Complex Line Drawings

 

Intricate drawings using thin lines and lots of detail are a timeless and beautiful trend for cosmetic packaging. In particular, floral and hand-drawn drawings work well and can be subtly placed in specific areas or covered all over the product. If you’re looking for something feminine but also elegant and sophisticated, a more geometric, clean and cool drawing style might be for you. If your brand is detail-oriented or you’re looking for a subtle yet beautiful way to showcase what’s inside the packaging (by drawing the ingredients used), this trend is perfect for you.

2. Unique custom fonts

The bold font trend we’ve seen in graphic design naturally extends to packaging as well. A unique font can give your packaging a lot of character. Typography is the perfect way to express who you are as a brand, and a treated font can set you apart from the crowd. Whether it carries a vintage vibe, a bold statement, or a quirky style, a unique font is sure to stick in people’s minds.

3. Eye-catching, bold graphics

With loud stripes and wild color combinations, the bold pattern trend will make your packaging fly off the shelves in an instant. Well-placed, eye-catching patterns make your packaging pop and give your brand a confident, youthful look that sets you apart. Irregular patterns, in particular, are a recurring trend that can give your packaging a certain edge. But that doesn’t mean your brand has to be young and loud to use this trend: abstract patterns can work for any brand as long as you choose the colors and shapes right.

4. Earthy colors

One chic retro trend we can’t get enough of is cosmetic packaging covered in rich, warm florals and natural earth tones. While this trend has a feminine and sometimes even sexy feel, it can also feel warm and comforting. Lush, rich floral illustrations combined with simple typography create a classic style that creates an approachable, luxurious look.

5. Modern Simplicity

Pastels and minimalism are a match made in heaven. Pastels can soften an otherwise harsh-looking minimalist packaging design, while minimalist and clean designs will ensure that your pastel packaging looks modern and grown-up. Combine these two concepts to find the right combination for your brand. You can keep it simple and chic by choosing a pastel hue that speaks to your customers and brand, or you can combine pastels for a playful and dreamy look.

When it comes to cosmetic packaging, anything goes. Dare to be different! Try a design that speaks to you and expresses what your brand is about. Unique designs stand out from the crowd. Need more inspiration? Check out our article on packaging design trends.

3. Create the perfect cosmetics package

Now that you’re inspired, it’s time to start designing your beauty packaging and cosmetics labels.

Set your brand design standards

When designing your packaging, the first thing you want to do is set the design elements.

There are a few different elements you need to consider:

Style

The first thing you want to think about is the mood and personality you want to bring to your packaging. Are you going for minimalism in your design? Or do you want to go for more personalization?

Knowing which style to shift to will help lead the rest of the design and ensure that packaging decisions are made that fit your overall design goals.

Color

When choosing colors, you want to pick colors that a) match your brand personality, b) grab your customers’ attention, and c) stand out from the competition. This last point is especially important in the ultra-competitive world of beauty and cosmetics.

Font

Next comes the font. As with color, you want to choose branding that is unique and instantly recognizable to customers as they scan the shelf.

Choose Your Packaging Type

Just like you start with primer, finish with foundation, and end with powder, there are three different layers you need to consider when it comes to packaging: outer packaging, inner packaging, and product packaging.

The outer packaging is the first thing your customers have to dig into to get your product. This can be the box used to ship customer orders from your warehouse or the bag that holds your cosmetics at your retail location.

The inner packaging is the container that holds your product, just like the box your customers open to hold your lipstick.

Product packaging is the packaging itself: the container that holds the product inside, whether it’s a lipstick tube or a foundation bottle

Common Packaging Types in the Cosmetic World

When it comes to beauty and cosmetic packaging, the sky’s the limit. The first thing you need to consider when choosing cosmetic packaging is the “what.” What is the purpose of the packaging? What kind of product are you producing? Obviously, a product packaging that works for lip gloss isn’t the right choice for a body moisturizer, so you want to choose the product packaging that makes the most sense for each product.

Some popular packaging choices in beauty and cosmetics include:

Vacuum bottles
Pumps
Sprayers
Jar
Tubes
Droppers
Compacts

Obviously, there are certain packaging standards for different products now. Most lipsticks will come in a lipstick tube. But that shouldn’t make you think outside the box! Take lip glosses, for example. In the past, it was standard for them to come in a tube with a wand. While that is certainly still the most common packaging choice, many brands have strayed from the “norm” and opted for other options like squeeze tubes, jars, and twist-tops. So you don’t feel like you need to stick to the limitations of “standard” packaging!

Once you know what type of packaging you want, you need to figure out how and where to get it. There are tons of cosmetic packaging companies where you can buy packaging at wholesale prices. You can also design custom bottles, boxes, or tubs, which can make your product stand out on the shelf, but it will definitely cost you a pretty penny.

5. Choose a focal point for your design

Once you know what type of product packaging you want to use, it’s time to start thinking about the design. The best place to start? Choose a focal point.

When your customers look at your product, you have a second to get your message across before they move on to something else on the shelf. What is the one thing you want your customers to know about your product? Whatever it is, that’s what needs to go through in your packaging design.

Do you want to build brand awareness and let your customers know that the lipstick or face cream they’re buying is you? Then you need to put your logo front and center. Is there an ingredient in your beauty product that you know will wow customers and drive them to buy? If so, that will be the focal point of your design.

By focusing on one core element in your packaging design, you can ensure that key information gets through to your customers.