Slideshows

11 Standout Color Cosmetic Launches

Creative packaging plays a key role in bringing these brands to market.

1. Beautycounter Moves Toward 100% Eco-Friendly Packaging by 2025

Beautycounter says two of its latest products take a giant step toward its goal of 100% Recycled, Recyclable, Refillable, Reused or Compostable Packaging by 2025. The mirrored compact for Cheeky Clean Cream Blush is refillable with any shade and an estimated 100% of the plastic is also composed of PCR resin. Purchasing a refill reduces the estimated energy use. For the brand’s Think Big All-In-One Mascara, 31% of the plastic in the package is composed of PCR resin.

2. Jazmine Beauty

Jazmine Lip Lock Satin Lipstick, packaged in SeaCliff Beauty’s unique airtight BeautiLock system, used a custom pink color with pearlized effect and matte rose gold bullet shell. Proceeds from Jazmine Beauty go towards diabetes research and support groups at UCI Health. Additionally, the brand is building a community for those who have been diagnosed with the disease.

3. Urban Decay Launches Wild Collection

Urban Decay’s Wild collection features clean, vegan products, and highlights the brand’s first ever plant-powered mascara, with ingredients including avocado and sunflower oils; and the eye-catching paperboard Wild Greens Palette, with a unique foldout lid, and which houses 12 silky shadows all with a touch of California avocado oil ‘for bold, brilliant color that stays put.’

4. Pat McGrath Collaborates with Bridgerton on Regency-Inspired Cosmetics Line

Makeup artist extraordinaire Dame Pat McGrath joined with Shondaland and Netflix to create the first-ever beauty collaboration inspired ‘by the romance and searing passion’ in the hit series Bridgerton. “In celebration of the series and the mutual admiration between Pat McGrath and Shonda Rhimes, McGrath created ‘a modern, royal cosmetics collection that flatters every skin tone.’ The new MTHRSHP Eye Palette, Divine Blush + Glow Trio and Highlighters are contained in ‘covetable, collectable packaging. The collection reportedly sold out in days after its December 2021 launch.

5. Danessa Myricks Multi-Purposes with Dewy Cheek & Lip Palette

Dewy Cheek & Lip Palette from Danessa Myricks Beauty has just launched, with the goal of ‘reimagining beauty with multipurpose products for all.’ The founder/CEO, makeup artist, photographer and educator, says, ‘This skin-loving, ultra-luxe, cheek and lip palette is filled with 4 multi-use cream shades ideal for all skin tones. Our moisturizing yet lightweight formula easily melts into skin to create varying intensities of radiant-rich color. This easy-to-use texture is perfect for beginners and pros alike.’ The brand’s first refillable component will be available shortly.

6. Seven7een Winks at Mascara and Eyeshadow

Seven7een received a packaging design in the latest Pentawards competition for its whimsical packaging that features bold, impactful designs that will stand out on both digital and physical shelves.

7. Caliray: CA-Inspired Beauty, PCR Materials, a Mailback Program and More

Caliray is Wende Zomnir’s (founder of UD, now part of L’Oreal) new ‘clean’ beauty, skincare, and wellness brand with Jenna Dover, developed with sustainability in mind. The Surf Proof Easy Glider Eyeliner is touted as ‘the first clean stay-in-place pencil in a sugarcane plastic barrel for perfect lines and waterproof wear.’ Products, which are formulated according to the latest CLEAN AT SEPHORA standards, include a prepaid mailing label to send empties to a recycling facility geared toward small parts.

8. Deck of Scarlet Aims to Shake Up Clean Beauty

Deck of Scarlet prides itself on creating ‘bad-ass formulas with good-for-you ingredients,’ and targets ‘the maximalist makeup lover who likes to be bold and creative with their makeup. The brand’s latest limited-edition packaging merges the worlds of art and beauty, with their best-selling Threeway Solid Lip Oil in Goldcrown, a sheer peach shade, created with artist James Goldcrown, a self-taught artist/photographer based in Los Angeles, and now internationally renowned.

9. Rinna Beauty’s New Lip Kit Is a Showstopper

Rinna Beauty’s latest launch—from Lisa and her daughter Amelia Gray Hamlin, is the ultra-glam Show Stopper Lip Kit, which comes with lipstick, gloss and liner. The new kit follows Hamlin’s best-selling Amelia Lip Kit in 2021. The kit features a trio of lipstick, liner and gloss, and ‘re-interprets Hollywood elegance through the lens of Rinna—timeless beauty meets sexy, glittering style, and attitude galore.’ “Show Stopper glamorizes brown in a sexy way that most people think is reserved for red, and makes gold your best friend,” says Rinna. “These tones come together in a chic, timeless style that dreams of a new golden age for beauty. Everyone can wear these colors, and everyone can be sexy. Everyone deserves to be sexy.”

10. Elina Organics Is Housed in a Recyclable Paper Palette

Elina Organics Naturally You Eyeshadow Palette, is housed in a paper, recyclable palette. Featuring vegan, mineral-based & cruelty-free matte and shimmer shades, this multi-tasking palette can be used for eyeshadow, highlighter, bronzer, eyeliner, and even brows. The non-toxic shadows are formulated without talc, parabens, formaldehyde, lead, artificial dyes, and synthetic fragrances—and instead, are enriched with plant-based ingredients like jojoba, lavender, rosemary, peppermint and lemon. The brand says their makeup products are 100% natural and contain very minimal ingredients, making the line perfect for even the most sensitive complexions.

11. Monsieur Big

Lancôme’s Monsieur Big Mascara promises to deliver ‘thick, fluttery lashes,’ without flaking or smudging. Its soft brush and wavy fiber bristles coat each lash without clumping.

By Jamie Matusow, Editor-in-Chief 03.10.22

Color Cosmetics launches may have taken a dip during the pandemic, but the category is back on track, and an impressive number of products have debuted over the last six months. Design and materials have played prominent roles in attracting and engaging beauty consumers with color palettes, lipsticks, mascara and more—all with online and in-store eye-catching appeal. Here’s a look at 11 brands we have noted.