Skincare Packaging That Works Harder

At a Glance: Suppliers are offering new types of skincare packaging for face creams, eye serums, treatment products, and more. As the skincare market grows and formulas evolve, packaging is rising to the challenge. Here’s what’s new.

The skincare market is thriving as one of beauty’s strongest-performing categories in 2026. This growth is driving demand for new types of skincare packaging and applicators. 

Circana reports that skincare was the fastest-growing prestige category during the first half of 2026. Sales rose by 9%, and units are up double digits. Skincare also outperformed the mass beauty market.

Core facial skincare routines are driving the category’s health, reports Larissa Jensen, SVP and global industry advisor at Circana. (Jensen is also a member of Beauty Packaging’s advisory board.) “Face cream, facial cleanser, and eye treatment all posted solid growth. This demonstrates ongoing consumer investment in daily treatment and maintenance regimens,” Jensen explains.

Earlier in the year, Circana reported that face creams, serums, and eye treatments drove most of prestige skincare’s first-quarter growth. Clinical brands captured more than one-third of prestige skincare dollar sales. This points to the growing importance of science-backed positioning and treatment-focused products. 

As products become more specialized, packaging formats are evolving. 

“One of the biggest trends we’re seeing is skincare blurring with other categories. These include suncare, haircare, color cosmetics, and nutraceuticals,” says Moira Stein, Insights & Strategy at Berlin Packaging. “Skin-first formulations are popular. And ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and ceramides are showing up in scalp serums, lip balms, sunscreens, and more. Packaging formats are evolving alongside these product formats. Examples include hair serums, sunscreen sticks, and precision applicators with needle-nose tips, roller balls, and massage heads.”

Suncare is one example. Prestige suncare sales rose 19% during the first half of 2026, according to Circana. The company reports that consumers are prioritizing preventative skincare, which is fueling demand for SPF-containing products. 

Rituals is one brand combining skincare benefits with sun protection, showing how the category is evolving. The Ritual of Karma Stick Sun Protection SPF 50+ is a non-sticky, transparent moisturizing formula with the brand’s Hydro-Boost technology.

Liana Cook, Vice President of ABA Packaging, says many brands are expecting more from skincare packaging. 

“One of the biggest changes we are seeing is that skincare brands are asking packaging to do more. The package still needs to look beautiful and reinforce the brand’s positioning. But brands are also paying much closer attention to functionality, formula compatibility, sustainability, dispensing performance, and speed to market,” Cook says. 

As formulas advance, Cook says choosing the package also requires a close look at the product inside. 

“As skincare formulations become increasingly sophisticated, the relationship between the formula and the package becomes even more important,” she says. “We believe in a ‘formula first, package second’ approach.”

Cook explains, “Before recommending a packaging system, we want to understand the viscosity of the product, formula sensitivity, desired dosage, and how the consumer is expected to use it. The package can’t simply look good. It has to perform properly with the product inside it.”  

Skincare Still Relies on Airless Packaging Solutions

Airless packaging continues to answer many of these needs, especially when formula protection and controlled dispensing are priorities. 

“Airless bottles and jars are still as popular as they have always been,” says Kristen Cohen, Senior Manager of Marketing at PKG Group. 

Cohen says brands value airless packaging systems. No air re-enters the package once it’s sealed, helping to protect the formula from pollutants. Airless systems also offer precise dosing and full evacuation.

“Airless components are more a necessity now than ever,” Cohen says. “With sensitive formulas on the rise, brands learn the benefits of an airless system as opposed to a dip-tube package. Once sealed, the airless package keeps the formula fresh by preventing air from re-entering the package. It also allows for a complete dispense of the formula.”

Skincare brand Crystal Clear recently switched to airless packaging. In April 2026, the brand announced it was relaunching several of its formulas in new airless packaging. The brand wanted reduced air exposure, controlled dosing, improved product evacuation, and more hygienic application.

Lumson also sees a continuing demand for airless packaging. The supplier offers an extensive portfolio featuring pouch technology designed to protect formulas from air and external agents. 

The range includes bottles and jars from 15 to 100ml, with options in plastic, glass, paper, and aluminum. The different systems can accommodate formulations ranging from high to low viscosities.

Silvia Losacco, Marketing Department, Events & Communication Specialist at Lumson, says brands continue to choose airless for “highly customized solutions that combine quality, performance, and aesthetic refinement.”

Airless Solutions are in Demand

The team at Berlin Packaging sees a similar demand. “Airless packaging remains very popular,” Stein says. 

Berlin’s Airglass collection includes airless bottles and jars in travel and full sizes. The company offers slim and standard silhouettes, with a variety of decorating options. Berlin also offers refillable options. Its Airtight Refill collection translates the Airglass design into PET and is available in post-consumer recycled plastic.

ABA also offers several airless packaging designs. Its “Aspen” and “Sage” are mono-material airless systems in sizes ranging from 15 to 50ml. Its Leah PP airless family ranges from 7.5 to 150ml.

“Airless packaging continues to be an important category for skincare,” Cook says. “Controlled dispensing and limiting exposure to air are important considerations for serums, treatments, and eye products.”

Airless packaging isn’t replacing all other formats. Brands are still choosing conventional jars and tubes for many skincare products. “Traditional jars are extremely popular,” Cook says, adding that premium glass jars work well for creams, masks, balms, and other treatment products. “The weight and feel of glass can immediately communicate quality to the consumer.”

Cook adds, “We don’t really view it as an airless bottle versus a typical jar. The best package depends on the formula, dispensing requirements, brand positioning, and the experience the brand wants to create for its customer.”

Precision Packaging Becomes Part of the Treatment

Packaging is also playing a bigger role in how consumers apply skincare, especially as clinical and treatment-focused products gain momentum.

Verena Regina Fiori Ferreira, Global Marketing & Digital Director at Virospack, says the supplier has seen a clear shift over the past year. There’s a move toward “more clinical, professional, and efficacy-driven beauty,” particularly in skincare. 

“Consumers are becoming more educated about ingredients, skin concerns, and treatment routines. And brands are increasingly positioning their products closer to dermatology and professional care rather than traditional cosmetics,” Ferreira says. 

She also notes that beauty consumers are becoming more familiar with med-spas and in-office treatments, including injectables and lasers. Skincare brands are responding by using professional-sounding language for product claims. Popular terms include lifting, collagen stimulation, skin regeneration, and post-procedure maintenance. 

This shift is affecting packaging in various ways. “We are seeing greater demand for precision, controlled dosage, and targeted application. Packaging needs to support the efficacy and credibility of the formula,” Ferreira says. 

Virospack’s syringe-inspired push-button droppers are one example. Ferreira says the format can reinforce a professional, dermatological positioning while also delivering a precise dosage and application experience. 

Nuon’s High-Tech Packaging Solutions

Nuon Medical is taking treatment-focused packaging even further. 

“The biggest shift we’ve seen is brands moving away from packaging as a pure vessel—and toward packaging as part of the product experience,” says Zainab Ait Messaoud, Marketing Manager at Nuon Medical.

Ait Messaoud says that a year ago, many conversations with brands began with requests for a light-up cap to add shelf appeal. Today, the requests are more functional.

“Brands are asking us to integrate real functional technologies. These include phototherapy, cooling, microcurrent, and vibration. We’re integrating these directly into the applicator or cap, so the packaging will actively deliver or enhance the formula’s benefits at home,” she says. 

Nuon is also receiving more requests for multi-technology tools rather than single-function devices. For example, one applicator might combine cooling with an ion-conducting tip or pair vibration with phototherapy.

Nuon’s Precision Serum Applicator combines red light therapy, microneedling, and EMS with automatic serum dispensing. 

“Rather than applying serum separately and then using a device, the tool delivers the formula directly as it’s used. Red light and EMS support skin renewal and tone, while microneedling helps the serum penetrate more effectively,” Ait Messaoud explains. “It’s designed to turn a multi-step routine into one simple, complete at-home treatment.”

Nuon’s Vitality Eye Applicator (shown above) targets the eye contour area. It pairs red light therapy and EMS with a squeeze tube for manual, zero-residue dispensing. “Both are part of our applicator collections. We developed the line to meet the growing demand for tools that combine active technology with built-in product delivery,” Ait Messaoud says.

La Roche-Posay’s Massage Roller

La Roche-Posay’s Hyalu B5 Eye Serum is another example of how an applicator can add to the treatment experience. The serum features a massage roller applicator that delivers a cooling, soothing effect as you apply the product around the eyes. The formula includes two types of hyaluronic acid, plus a complex of caffeine, niacinamide, and Hepes.

Clinical Looks Meet Brand Differentiation

As skincare becomes more science- and treatment-focused, clinical cues still influence package design.

RéVive Skincare demonstrates the trend with its 2026 brand update. The science-driven luxury skincare brand introduced new technology and enhanced formulas. Its refined packaging system is inspired by laboratory science.

The new design features RéVive’s signature green more prominently. Lab-inspired silhouettes reinforce the brand’s science-led positioning.

Berlin is seeing similar clinical cues for skincare packaging. “Today’s consumers are increasingly influenced by medical-grade formulations and clinical credibility. We’re seeing many clean, clinical design cues, including white packaging and minimalist branding,” Stein says.

Berlin created custom packaging for Doft New York that combines a clinical look with understated luxury. The glass bottles and jars feature a soft heel that complements the soft shoulder of the custom plastic caps. Together, the components form an ovular silhouette rather than the standard round profile common in skincare.

“We sprayed the bottles and jars using a soft white to achieve a clean, clinical aesthetic. We added a gold medallion on the cap for an elegant finishing touch,” Stein says.

Translucent Looks, Subtle Color, & More Design Trends

Virospack sees demand for translucent materials and finishes. Ferreira says the look aligns with skincare brands’ increasing focus on simplicity and transparency. Virospack has developed translucent PP caps for its droppers, designed to complement the premium, translucent look of glass bottles.

Using subtle color is one way to keep a minimalist package distinctive. “Rather than move toward completely transparent packaging, we see an opportunity for brands to combine translucency with carefully selected color accents,” suggests Ferreira. “Packaging will convey a clean and contemporary feel while remaining highly recognizable and ownable for the brand. It will also improve recyclability,” Ferreira says.

Cook agrees that the clean skincare aesthetic doesn’t have to mean plain packaging. “Brands are using custom colors, frosted and tactile finishes, and selective metallic accents. These details create differentiation while maintaining a premium look,” she says.

ABA offers decoration techniques including spraying, frosting, silk screening, hot stamping, metallization, anodizing, embossing, debossing, and labeling.

“Glass and aluminum are especially interesting because decoration can completely change the personality of the package,” Cook notes. “The same stock container can become clinical and minimalist for one skincare brand and luxurious and highly decorative for another.”

ABA also sees more brands creating cohesive packaging families. Bottles, jars, droppers, treatment packages, and closures are being designed to look related on the shelf—and on social media.

Customization doesn’t always require developing a completely custom package. “One trend we think is particularly important is customization without unnecessary complexity,” Cook says.

ABA works with brands to customize premium stock glass, aluminum, airless, and dispensing packages using decoration and component selection. Cook says this approach can help brands balance a premium appearance with development costs, minimum order quantities, lead times, and speed to market.

Playful Packaging Succeeds on TikTok

Berlin sees another design direction emerging as younger beauty consumers gain influence. “As Gen Z continues to gain influence and Gen Alpha comes of age—entering the marketplace earlier than any other generation—we’re seeing more products and packaging geared to these younger consumers,” Stein says.

“They’re digitally savvy and influenced by social media. Aesthetically unique designs and playful packaging that encourages sharing will attract attention on platforms like TikTok and Instagram,” Stein adds.

Berlin provided stock packaging and custom decoration for Heavenly Skincare, a new brand targeting Gen Z.

The team at PKG Group says some brands are moving toward simpler decoration. “We have seen brands using less deco, such as vacuum metallization and spray,” Cohen says. “Customers seem to be moving toward simpler decorations. In-mold color for bottles and pumps is one example,” she explains.

Cohen also notes a rise in requests for polypropylene components, which ties into another continuing priority for skincare packaging: sustainability.

Sustainability Is in the Packaging Conversation

“Sustainability has moved from being a special request to becoming part of the packaging conversation earlier,” Cook says.

But experts emphasize that “there isn’t one sustainable solution that works for every skincare brand or every formulation. We work with customers to evaluate sustainable packaging options while also considering product protection, decoration, manufacturing efficiency, cost, and supply requirements,” Cook explains. 

ABA offers brands several materials. Glass remains a top choice for skincare because it’s recyclable, looks premium, and is compatible with many formulas. Aluminum is also highly recyclable and offers extensive design and decoration possibilities. In plastics, ABA offers mono-material airless systems and PCR options.

“The important thing is to look at sustainability practically and holistically,” Cook says. “The package still has to protect the formula, function properly, and make sense for the brand and its supply chain.”

The team at Lumson says it’s important to balance design, performance, and sustainability throughout package development. The supplier’s options include mono-material designs, lightweight packages, and refillable formats. Lumson’s airless systems are designed to facilitate component separation at end-of- life for proper recycling. Lumson also offers aluminum, paper, and PCR materials.

One of Lumson’s latest launches is FREE PUMP. The metal-free pump earned RecyClass certification and is fully compatible with the PP recycling stream.

PKG Group is also seeing brands prepare for the future of sustainable packaging by considering recycle-friendly plastic materials, metal-free pumps, PCR, and refill systems. “We offer many types of eco-friendly packaging and our catalog is always expanding,” Cohen says.

PKG Group offers mechanically and chemically recycled PCR options, along with refillable packaging such as its EZ Rotate Airless, Eco Dual Cylindrical line, and Glass Dual Light. Cohen says they now offer more than 20 refill packages, and in some cases the pump can be reused.

Upcycled Materials Are Meeting Sustainable Packaging Demands

Berlin Packaging is exploring upcycling as another option. Its new XOCO material combines natural fillers derived from discarded hazelnut shells with a polypropylene base. The material can be used for functional and decorative components, including pump covers, collars, droppers, jar caps, and accessories.

“It meets industrial requirements for torque resistance, snap-fit reliability, and chemical compatibility,” Stein says. “We’re transforming recycled agricultural waste into functional, durable, recyclable packaging components.”

As skincare evolves, packaging needs to keep pace. Airless systems protect sensitive formulas and improve dispensing. Precision applicators are changing how treatments are applied. New technologies are beginning to make the package part of the skincare experience itself.

At the same time, suppliers face the challenge of delivering new types of skincare packaging with functional benefits that look distinctive, meet sustainability goals, and are compatible with increasingly sophisticated formulas.

For skincare brands, choosing a package is becoming less about finding a container—and more about finding the right delivery system for the product inside.