View of the trend of world beauty products packaging

The basic elements of beauty product packaging - colors, shapes, materials and dispensing systems - are constantly evolving to meet the demands of trends and functions. The globalisation of the cosmetics, perfumery and personal care industry is now moving rapidly towards these trends, driven by the mainstream of continuous innovation by multinational distribution companies.

The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) has created a packaging development system that captures the latest developments while creating new concepts. Among the Estée Lauder brands, the most obvious trend in recent times is the use of color, especially how color reacts to light, surface and transparency. According to the person in charge of the company's design, they are using a much more sophisticated mixture and color combination in all areas of packaging.

Novelty new inks and decorative technologies have promoted this trend of improving color. At the same time, cosmetic packaging also benefits from technologies that have evolved from other industries, such as the automotive market and architecture. In terms of technology, there are many advances in methods that combine various materials in a seamless manner, such as plastic to metal, and plastic to glass.

With a line of 50,000 products sold in more than 140 countries, Avon understands the appeal of packaging to consumers. “Bright and vivid colors are very popular in beauty products packaging,” said Kathy Kordowski, vice president of Packaging Engineering and Marketing Services. "Orange is currently very popular. We are also seeing the popularity of soft, feminine-shaped packaging that is easy to grasp and carry. Hybrid materials are also emerging, such as plastic-incorporated fabrics and cardboard boxes."

Where is the growth point

The new category of products has increased the interest of consumers and has also increased the development opportunities of brand dealers. Currently there are areas of development potential for men's series, including men's cosmetics, and "cosmeceutical" brand will continue to emerge in large numbers. Industry experts believe that male consumers have higher expectations for their line of shaving and cleaning products. They both want to fit their own skin care benefits, and they also want masculine and functional packaging.
Another growth category for Avon is the ethnic series, which goes beyond the main hair care series. In cosmetics, we have seen that shades that match the color of local residents are added to foundation products to cover a wide range of skin tones. In addition, there is also a demand for products that can convey interest. For example, the Summer Dreams propaganda package reflects the tone of youthful pleasure in a bright, translucent organza package that is decorated with fixed flowers.

Future forecast

The Estée Lauder Companies, which have been brand renewal for the past few years, are seeing their efforts in the packaging of the entire product range reflected in the sales counter. According to the company, their attention in the coming years will continue to ensure that all their packaging embody the modern image of Estee Lauder.

Avon's responsible person also pointed out that the increasing importance of large-scale retail stores has also changed the global beauty business, and big-name products are also moving toward large retail stores. The company expects that in 2004, this continued momentum will be driven by the expansion of skin care products to make-up and fragrance products. Among them, product and packaging innovation will be the key to progress.

Pushing new concepts into the market is a challenge to speed. The appearance of rapid prototyping facilitates the development of packaging. It also enables beauty product developers to see the specific form of packaging design and the suitability of packaging design early in the design process.

Communicate quality and value

Gary Korba, vice president of Estee Lauder's Innovation Global Packaging Development Group, believes that with further advancement, beauty product packaging will need to be pure, convenient and valuable. Consumers respond well to quality and purity. These two elements can be expressed by using transparent materials in thick-walled containers. It can be interpreted in many ways, including the combination of transparent materials and other materials.

Advances in thick-walled clear plastic and glass packaging have led to attempts to create 3D effects in all parts of the package (double walls of containers, and/or lids, outer layers of secondary packaging). In addition, in the transparent wall trend, changes in transparency (alternating or co-use of matt, reflective, and flash effects), and transparency with color are being used as alternatives.

The distribution system that can conduct precise quantities of product is airless (gas does not enter the container during dispensing), and/or the ability to distribute dual-phase products is increasing. Pumps that convert liquid formulations into foam are gaining popularity. According to relevant industry sources, Ponds and Stridex use foaming agents as a convenient skin cleanser. Even perfume delivery systems have a tendency to allow consumers to precisely spray the required amount.

Packaging as a brand spokesman

For a product, good quality and good packaging are not enough. Globally, excelling is the only way to survive today. Prestigious product packaging must implicitly convey "I am brilliant, luxurious and effective" information. In addition, although packaging must draw attention, ideally, it should not be surprising because it distracts consumers. And this type of packaging requires no simple packaging.

For international product packaging design, the biggest challenge is to maintain the visual consistency of the entire product family. For example, Dove of Unilever has added hair care and skin care products to its original soap and bath products. All products are unveiled in a simple, feminine package.

Transnational companies that serve large retail supermarkets are more willing to invest in custom packaging. Unilever, for example, has created custom tools for its new Dove Hair Care and Skincare products, applying a frosted/pearlescent finish to the bottles.

On large personal care products shelves in Europe, we can see a lot of frosted, colored plastic containers, hiding pumps and dispensers to make them look like a whole, rather than a combination of bottle and lid.

Environmentally friendly packaging

Environmental protection is also gaining attention. Some packaging suppliers are constantly looking for environmentally friendly packaging from a material perspective and looking for ways to make packaging more natural.

Another aspect of this green trend is the rethinking of existing natural ingredients. It is not an original earthen container, but a modern, complex package. This is mainly because consumers’ awareness of protecting the environment and avoiding harmful chemicals through the use of all natural ingredients is improving.

Savage Beauty, an organic skincare line in New York, is a good example.
Its packaging is modern and simple in appearance, and the contents are said to be chemical-free and preservative-free. Pumps and squirt tops are used to dispense products and avoid direct contact with the contents; dark violet glass is said to provide maximum protection from light and ultraviolet light, photo organic pollutants, and harmful Absorption of gas through the wall of the bottle.

Elegance trend towards elegance

Industry insiders point out that the trend of packaging and decorating now tends to be very juvenile, soft and free design. This trend is expected to slowly infiltrate the beauty product package through a softer shape. There is also an interest in nostalgia. Young designers are mixing retro decorations with existing styles. Perfume bottles are also showing the same effect, with some retro feel.

It seems that the perfume packaging has returned to the classic, attractive bottle, and has turned from a tall, thin profile to a more spherical and square shape, which is stronger and fits well with the hand. Consumers realize that bottles have added value. At the same time, whether it is stained glass, or colored fragrances, and heavy glass or heavy plastic, its interest in color still exists. Designers used to try to hide the launcher, but now they are often seen in a transparent lid.

Rosen's latest "Shanghai" fragrance is a testament to fashion trends: women who face the future with nostalgic perfumes. The eye-catching spherical bottle is divided into two hemispheres: the bottom is transparent, strong glass, the same transparent top is filled with bright red perfume. The cover is transparent plastic, showing gold-tone nozzles and bottlenecks. A transparent plastic band extends through the lid and has a subtle Chinese flair. The entire package display is very charming and exotic.

Another excellent example of the latest trend in perfume bottles is Cartier Baiser de Dragon. As a display on the dresser, its shape does not fit well with the hand. This bottle was developed by Cartier. The original meaning of its materials, patterns, and logos used to link Chinese art with artistic decoration.

The use of lacquering has been greatly increased, and the effects range from transparent and pearl to metal jets, producing bright colors, often pink, pink, plum red and red, such as Escada's Magnetism. It is expected that varnishes will continue to increase, and SGD is investing more in production. All of SGD's decoration factories are installing a lacquer coating line. The company has also developed a new type of lazer decoration technology that offers the possibility of decorating any shape or angle bottle through the enamel deposit.

Transparent cover

Perfume caps, formerly usually metal or monochromatic plastics, are also being affected by the trend of clear development. The use of clear plastic can be seen on the lid of the display spray dispenser.

According to reports, Eastman's new glass polymer (Glass Polymer) in the mold is faster than some other resins; and the closure is often the use of a variety of materials and thus more complex. Sometimes the entire package is unique, such as Ocean Pacific's latest, which uses Crown Risdon's new technology, ColorPour.

Ocean Pacific's packaging consists of an irregularly textured glass bottle contained in an outer transparent tube (made by Eastman's Glass Polymer) and a blue liquid placed between the sleeve and the bottle. When the bottle is moved, the liquid produces an interesting wave.

In Europe, the transparent appearance of luxury consumer packaging is also being transplanted onto glass lids. Some new technologies, such as Rexam's new technology, make it possible to use real glass using friction instead of glue to attach plastic or metal to it.

A spokesman for injection molder C+N Packaging stated that as producers of plastic covers, they are seeing increasing interest in transparent, glass-like components. The company uses DuPont's Surlyn extensively on well-known perfume packaging lids because it provides customers with transparency similar to glass, excellent resistance to chemicals and abrasion, and a choice of final appearance for many products - matte, hued, crystal-like and transparent.

The requirements for heavy lids can be achieved in two ways: either by overmolding with a high-density resin or by increasing the weight of the lid for a heavier feel. The final appearance of the lid has various ways: flash or matte, transparent or translucent/paint flash. The special effect is also integrated into the perfume bottle cap.