Dewi Pinatih, Head of Product Design at Stylus10.31.22
Demanding consumers expect their packaging to be sustainable, convenient and exciting. While these properties may seem conflicting, the beauty industry is facing challenges head-on. In this article, I will show you how to consolidate ease of use with eco-friendliness and premium product experiences in future-proof formats.
Noble Panacea’s skincare range, for example, uses packaging in optimal dosage sachets which are then recyclable through TerraCycle.
Accessibility should be another key priority for brands – don’t just see it as benefiting consumers with mixed abilities, but anyone who struggles to open tricky packaging. New ergonomic shapes and easy-to-open designs are emerging, like Fenty’s Instant Reset night cream pot which features a hinged lid that’s easy to twist open for anyone with long nails or slippery hands.
Brands are working hard to give refillable designs a premium feel with covetable, design-led packaging, such as Dries van Noten’s desirable lipstick refill cases, and By Far’s debut fragrance, which takes the shape of customizable and refillable bag charms.
Packaging manufacturer Aptar is focusing on brand equity and sales protection with its new Private Refill format. It revolves around a security key that is unique to each brand, and matches the base of the refillable case with the refill bullet. The format prevents customers from using the (usually cheaper) refill as a standalone format.
However, we believe brands would be wise to consider the possibility of standardized packaging that enables consumers to refill packs with a different brand each time. Instead of forcing brand loyalty, this could have a real sustainable impact.
So, it’s up to brands to aid responsible disposal and squash confusion with mono-material packs. Skincare company Susanne Kaufmann has eliminated the use of plastic labels, and instead prints directly onto recycled and recyclable jars and bottles using sustainable inks. And skincare brand Dermalogica has adopted a mono-material pump bottle that is fully recyclable yet features engineered elements such as a twist lock making it appropriate for e-commerce.
Showcasing how recycling and luxury can connect, Chanel’s No5 fragrance has been reimagined with the development of a crystal-like flacon created from recycled glass.
Samples are receiving a makeover, too. While traditionally, these create lots of small, unrecyclable plastic or paper waste, Ren Clean Skincare has adopted a 100% recycled aluminum monotube design that can be recycled again and even comes with a break-off closure instead of a plastic cap.
About the Author
Dewi Pinatih is head of Product Design at Stylus, the expert source for trends and insights. Dewi’s work defines how shifts in consumer behavior, material innovation and technological advancements influence the future of design, across industries.
Convenience Cosmetics
Smart usage is driving packaging innovation, with pre-portioned packs for optimal product delivery creating convenience cosmetics for on-the-go. Research from Oliver Wyman found that 63% of people expected to travel the same or more, post-pandemic, so the spotlight is on handy grab-and-go and preservation-enhancing packs.Noble Panacea’s skincare range, for example, uses packaging in optimal dosage sachets which are then recyclable through TerraCycle.
Accessibility should be another key priority for brands – don’t just see it as benefiting consumers with mixed abilities, but anyone who struggles to open tricky packaging. New ergonomic shapes and easy-to-open designs are emerging, like Fenty’s Instant Reset night cream pot which features a hinged lid that’s easy to twist open for anyone with long nails or slippery hands.
Refills Become Regular
The refill revolution is well and truly underway. In the U.S., from June 2020 to May 2021, the reusable packaging market for beauty and personal care products grew by about 65%, according to Mintel.Brands are working hard to give refillable designs a premium feel with covetable, design-led packaging, such as Dries van Noten’s desirable lipstick refill cases, and By Far’s debut fragrance, which takes the shape of customizable and refillable bag charms.
Packaging manufacturer Aptar is focusing on brand equity and sales protection with its new Private Refill format. It revolves around a security key that is unique to each brand, and matches the base of the refillable case with the refill bullet. The format prevents customers from using the (usually cheaper) refill as a standalone format.
However, we believe brands would be wise to consider the possibility of standardized packaging that enables consumers to refill packs with a different brand each time. Instead of forcing brand loyalty, this could have a real sustainable impact.
Infinite Recycling
Confusion and inconvenience remain strong barriers to recycling. The Paper and Packaging Board discovered that while 95% of Americans say they recycle, fewer than half know the basics of recycling.So, it’s up to brands to aid responsible disposal and squash confusion with mono-material packs. Skincare company Susanne Kaufmann has eliminated the use of plastic labels, and instead prints directly onto recycled and recyclable jars and bottles using sustainable inks. And skincare brand Dermalogica has adopted a mono-material pump bottle that is fully recyclable yet features engineered elements such as a twist lock making it appropriate for e-commerce.
Showcasing how recycling and luxury can connect, Chanel’s No5 fragrance has been reimagined with the development of a crystal-like flacon created from recycled glass.
Samples are receiving a makeover, too. While traditionally, these create lots of small, unrecyclable plastic or paper waste, Ren Clean Skincare has adopted a 100% recycled aluminum monotube design that can be recycled again and even comes with a break-off closure instead of a plastic cap.
About the Author
Dewi Pinatih is head of Product Design at Stylus, the expert source for trends and insights. Dewi’s work defines how shifts in consumer behavior, material innovation and technological advancements influence the future of design, across industries.
