Happy New Year! If you regarded 2015 as a whirlwind for beauty brands and packaging trends, 2016 promises to be more vibrant than ever. Seems like just when we think we have the market figured out, along comes a tidal change. Here are a few things we can expect:

More Focus on Own Brands: While new beauty subscription box companies sprang up in 2015, the original, Birchbox, opened in brick and mortar, and then launched several of its own cosmetic brands. H&M created its own brand beauty department, while Target premiered an eponymous line of nail polishes. This trend is bound to continue as retailers focus on capturing a piece—or a bigger slice—of the beauty pie.

Less Is More: Watch for a further cutback in SKUs. For the longest time, beauty was about always launching new, new, new and more, more, more. Looking ahead, brands will strategize around bestsellers, focusing on a tight core, cutting out confusion at shelf, and developing fewer innovative products with greater pop.

Devices and Tech Will Expand: Devices for skin care and makeup application—along with apps to experiment with color—will continue to attract users. At the Consumer Electronics Show, L’Oréal revealed a new skin sensor, known as My UV Patch that will warn you if you’re about to get sunburned. In a new application around scent, an alarm clock at CES drew interest: It uses seven aroma capsules to wake you up with a range of whiffs from coffee to croissants, rather than a loud bell or a beep.

New Dynamics: In her 2016 Predictions article on page 68 of this issue, Karen Grant, vice president, NPD Beauty—and a member of Beauty Packaging’s Board of Advisors—says, “The most noticeable transformation we expect to see continue into 2016 is the skin care-makeup dynamic.” New product categories like facial supplements, as well as color correction products and face oils, are expected to be high on prestige shoppers’ lists.

Packaging Plays a Critical Role: In each of these categories, the package plays a crucial role, and Beauty Packaging looks forward to an exciting year of coverage—in print, at BeautyPackaging.com and on your mobile device. Please email me with ideas or comments.

We hope you enjoy this issue—and have a wonderful year ahead!