When beauty and fragrance marketers plan an upcoming launch, package design is an initial decision. Choosing the best colors, shapes and textures to ensure a new product will instantly connect with consumers is key—and that the brand will make a lasting impression. 

“A decoration should always convey a brand’s image,” says Federico Prestini, managing director, Premi Beauty Industries. “The aim is always to differentiate and engage the consumer. Choose the right colors and decorating processes to achieve this and create an eye-catching, powerful, impactful design.”

Gold seems to be on-trend this year. Valdé, for example, created luxe, refillable metal lipstick packages—and the kit features a reusable keepsake box, covered in shiny metallic gold foil. 

Be A 10 Cosmetics, a new brand by Carolyn Aronson, CEO and founder of It’s A 10 Haircare, includes multi-tasking makeup in colorful packaging. Gold hot-stamped logos add a metallic decorative element on the brand’s lipstick, mascara and compacts. Beyond Belief Foundation is in a plastic compact with a matte finish. “It is custom sprayed with a gradient finish,” says Aronson. The line’s colorful cartons attract attention with photo-realistic images.

John Schofield, president, ScreenTech/SprayeTech, says he sees more requests for the opposite of flashy metallics—including softer colors for natural looks. “We see more brands choosing earth tones, and utilizing our decoration techniques such as our stain matte finish,” he says.

Decorating Requests, Balancing Luxe & Sustainability

Suppliers hear requests for all types of decorations, but sustainability is a frequent concern. “Sustainability is driving many decorating decisions, says Harry Blacklock, CRO at CPP Global. “We are all committed to decreasing our CO2 emissions and material consumption in everything we do—and decoration is no exception. We hear more requests from brands that don’t want to mix materials, for instance,” he says.

As the need for more sustainable packaging solutions rises, so are requests for higher percentages of post-consumer recycled content in plastics. Some suppliers say these materials can pose a challenge for decorators.

“Many companies are using PET PCR, which may limit color vibrancy,” says CPP’s Blacklock. “We are working toward incorporating a higher level of clarity in our PCR packaging—but its use is driving a shift toward a more clinical aesthetic, which is a trend in skin care,” he says. “Our Frost Colorant has this look and is ideal for jars that contain PCR,” he adds. (See this in the following section.) In addition to CPP’s Frost Colorant, the supplier’s silk-screened designs and labels are also popular.

Rosa Porras Mansilla, marketing communications manager, Virospack, says sustainable decorating solutions are continually in development to meet market demands. “Every year, we offer more innovative decorating solutions for our dropper packs, with techniques that are increasingly respectful of the environment,” she says. “We work with water-based paint without solvents to offer finishes in standard or custom colors, with a lower carbon footprint,” she says.

John T. Ziemba, vice president of sales and operations, USS, LLC, which specializes in decorating glass, says decorating and sustainability can co-exist, beautifully. “Today, sustainability is just about every brand’s primary goal for packaging—and glass is 100% recyclable, even after we decorate it,” he says.

Favian Guardado, marketing coordinator, North Pacific International, says he sees some brands switching to glass packaging due to sustainability concerns. “We see a rising interest in decorating glass—especially with metallic pigments and foils—so we have developed labels and foils that will work on glass surfaces. These substrates can be decorated just as plastic substrates, resulting in a luxurious look that is also ‘green,’ ” he explains.

USS’s Ziemba also says budgets are another concern—and when they are tight, decoration is often the first to get cut. “A trend that never goes out of style is the search for innovative looks at competitive prices, which we are able to offer our brand partners,” says Ziemba.

Tony Denning, president, Tapematic USA, also says that costs are a key consideration when deciding on decoration. “A high-end look can be achieved with an affordable in-line decorating process. Metallization combined with pigmented top coats and hot-foil, for example, will look luxe—and these decorations are now all possible to achieve in-line,” he says.

Matteo Rosetti, general manager NA, GTO, says the surge in CBD beauty in the U.S. is driving a demand for upscale decorations on droppers and roll-ons. For makeup and other types of beauty packaging, Rosetti says there are two trends. “At opposite ends of the decorating spectrum, beauty brands are either choosing bold laminate effects or subtle luxury details,” says Rosetti.

Pad or screen-printing combined with lamination are most often requested in the U.S., according to Rosetti. “It looks like a simple decoration, but with a sparkling accent,” he says.  “Apothecary style prints for plastic bottles and jars typically feature two-color graphics and clean lines. It is a popular aesthetic for skin care,” he adds. 

Rosetti also sees an increase in the demand for hot-foil and laminate printing. “Hot-foil and laminates are still definitely a ‘go-to’ look for perfumery, especially in Europe—and luxury glass, boxes, and embossed packaging are also very popular,” he says.

GTO’s sustainable decorating solutions include some of the most eco-sustainable inks available in the cosmetic industry. “They are metal-free, ROHS-compliant, and Prop-65-compliant,” says Rosetti. “We are currently working with our ink and foil suppliers to test water-based inks for paper and box packaging,” he says.

Conveying a Natural Image—in Striking Gold

Premi Beauty Industries says its team specializes in providing innovative decorating solutions that are in line with market trends. “The trend of ‘natural’ is evolving,” says Prestini. “Brands want to look ‘natural,’ but at the same time create the perception of high-value.”

Premi offers finishes that resemble ceramic and stone. “Gradient metallization fading into natural colors has a natural look, for a ‘ceramic’ feel or a ‘stone effect.’ These are very much in demand,” says Prestini. “They offer uniqueness and a special feeling of value.”

Premi’s new Himiko collection is in line with this trend, and includes bottles decorated with its “stone effect” varnish, which adds a tactile element. Another bottle is decorated with a striking gold metallized finish. “The glass bottles and jars are modern, and mixed with apothecary details. It’s a completely new design for the beauty market,” Prestini says.

Luxe Decorations for Glass

Glass can be transformed through decoration. Opaque colors and luxe finishes will give an ordinary shaped bottle a completely different look. These decorating techniques are most popular for fragrances—but will also give skin care packaging an upgraded, glamourous look.

Screentech/SprayeTech specializes in spray coating, screen-printing, hot-stamping, and labeling on glass packaging. The company offers eco-friendly water-based sprays. “Our water-based spray and organic ink printing are easily recycled,” says Schofield. “We see more companies utilize their existing custom tools or a stock mold—and create an upscale, luxe look with decoration,” he says. 

USS LLC is another supplier that specializes in decorating glass with water-based spray coatings. “Spray coatings are at the forefront of glass decoration—and come in a wide palette of colors, effects and textures. They can be sprayed on both the exterior and interior of glass containers for unique looks,” says Ziemba. “Recent improvements in spray materials and complex tooling designs offer creative professionals nearly limitless options,” he says.

A Frost Colorant for Plastic

Frosted decorations will elevate plastic packaging. CPP Global offers a Frost Colorant decoration for plastic jars. “Our customers often request luxe, quality looks, without excessive costs or environmental impact. Our frost colorant is a top contender, that checks all these boxes,” says Blacklock. “Many of our customers are excited about it because it looks identical to our painted frost decoration, while eliminating the potentially harmful process of painting,” he explains.

CPP’s frost colorant is an efficient, affordable—and an eco-friendly process, according to Blacklock. It offers shorter lead-times and reduced costs because the frost is part of the colorant added when molding the jar, without requiring a secondary decorating process. “This decoration is also popular due to the rise in e-commerce, because it’s durable and can withstand harsh shipping conditions—eliminating the possibility of chipped paint,” he explains.

Decorating Dropper Packaging

Dropper packaging is immensely popular for skin care, as well as CBD brands.

Virospack is known for its vast selection of dropper packaging solutions. “Decorating a dropper pack is an easy way to customize it,” says Porras. “Spray painting both the dropper and the bottle, then screen-printing, is by far our most popular decorating technique,” she says. “It is a way of achieving a personalized full pack without the high cost of metallization.”

Virospack produces and decorates its dropper packages in its own facilities, offering many types of finishes and processes. The supplier can decorate a dropper’s bulb and pipette—and offers screen-printing, hot-stamping, metallization—and more. Spray-painted bottles, texturized metallized bulbs, screen-printed pipettes, and perlés ink coatings are just a few of the supplier’s most in-demand decorations.

Virospack has its own electrostatic paint facility for spray-painting glass, offering a range of opaque and translucent colors, as well as bright and matte finishes. “Our process, and the fact that the paints we use are water-based, complies with paint industry regulations and respects the environment,” says Porras. “Recently, we incorporated an aerographic spray-painting line. It allows us to produce any special effect on glass and plastic, from degradé to pearly finishes, with two or three coats and conventional or UV curing,” she adds.

Labels for Glass—And How A Label Can Discourage Counterfeits

Labeling is another decorating process to consider—even on glass bottles, according to the team at NPI. NPI offers heat transfer labels and hot foils for decorating glass bottles and jars. 

“Our labels and foils work well on glass surfaces,” says Guardado. NPI’s beauty customers often request multi-color labels, which often include metallics. “Our pressure-sensitive labels and sleeve labeling techniques are popular ways to apply branding,” he says.

NPI offers two types of labels for glass. One type is an adhesive. “A release coat is hot-stamped at 235°C and requires a ‘baking’ process at 140°C for 20 minutes, for a permanent result,” explains Guardado. The second type uses a different type of adhesive and release coat. “And instead of ‘baking,’ the image is transferred during the hot-stamping process—at 245°C,” says Guardado. “Both types of labels have excellent performance characteristics and will retain a quality look for a long time—even when exposed to chemicals and abrasion,” he says.

Not only is a printed label a decoration, but it can also be an anti-counterfeit tool, advises CPP’s Blacklock. “Prestige beauty brands are very concerned about counterfeits. We have developed the ability to print an anti-diversion decoration with heat transfer labels.” CPP’s decoration provides an enhanced security feature.

Custom Decorating Requires the Right Tools & Equipment

Often, a supplier specializing in decorating will collaborate with a machinery manufacturer to help a brand achieve a specific look. USS LLC, for example, has worked with machinery manufacturers to design custom decoration machines. “With the right equipment, you can accurately print multiple colors in one pass, run various shapes at higher speeds, and minimize energy use,” explains Ziemba. 

Tapematic offers processing lines that will create a molded component, such as a lipstick or mascara package or cap—and then apply a coating or completely decorate the package. “Our machinery can decorate 100% in-line, including metallization,” says Denning. “Metallization is still one of the most popular types of decoration. The process can create various effects—either from in-line decoration or pigmented topcoats,” he says.

Tapematic will soon launch its IDM II, an innovative In-line Hot Stamping Decoration Module that allows hot-stamp printing in-line with UV coating and with the ability to add variable data as well. Denning explains, “It is in-line, with our coating and metallization PST II line. This is revolutionary because it offers hot-foil and variable data opportunities—but the most important aspect is that this is carried out immediately after the metallization process prior to applying the top protective coat. This ensures the entire package and decoration is protected to pass all testing and compatibility requirements.”

GTO specializes in machinery for pad-printing, screen-printing, hot-foil, and patented lamination techniques. “Our multi-pad machines are most popular, and allow an entire decoration to be done in a single-pass,” says Rosetti.

Looking Ahead To 2021

Like everyone in the beauty industry, packaging suppliers hope for a better 2021 after this year’s pandemic-related challenges. Despite issues, many suppliers say the industry’s growth, as well as the packaging market, are continuing on a positive trajectory.

“This year, Covid-19 presented serious challenges—however, USS continued operations and has been thriving,” says Ziemba. “We’re protecting our employees through careful planning and an ability to adapt. We use these same skills to recognize industry trends early, and plan for future success.”

Since sustainability concerns will no doubt continue to rise, will beauty brands begin to tone down decoration more, for future launches?

CPP’s Blacklock doesn’t think so, and says, “You shouldn’t have to sacrifice a quality, upscale look for environmental sustainability—you can have it all.”