Some of the gift set packaging on shelves for Holiday 2016 is cute, eye-catching, and innovative. Brand marketers no doubt hope that when the sales figures roll in, they will find that a cleverly designed box or bag did its job of attracting the attention of shoppers this season.

There are paperboard boxes and cartons in unexpected shapes, as well as plastic bags with handles that resemble totes. These designs instantly make any product look “giftable.” Other options include boxes in plastic, wood, or metal that can be reused long after the products. Some brands opt for a clutch or makeup case instead of a box – and these certainly say “present.”

Take a look at the slideshow above to see what these beauty brands have done this year to make these cosmetic, hair care, nail polish and skin care sets gift-worthy.

Cartons & Cases in All Shapes

A cleverly shaped box will instantly transform a set of products into a stocking stuffer. Nails Inc. has a candy-cane shaped box this season, which contains three nail polish bottles. Sephora’s “Give Me Some Bold Lip” set includes six lip products in a lip-shaped box.

Cargo Cosmetics packaged three of its Liquid Lipsticks in a wintery blue paperboard box decorated with snowflakes to make its limited edition set a festive gift. Buxom’s ‘6 Degrees Below Sexy’ Mini Full-On Lip Polish Collection is in an 8-sided silver paperboard box, adorned with a red velvet bow – and printed with a glitter coating.

Some brands have redesigned paperboard cartons to resemble tote bags – complete with a handle at the top. Laura Mercier’s ‘Layer Up’ Caviar Stick Eye Color Collection is packaged in a leopard print carton that looks like a bag. DevaCurl’s Ultra Moisture Sampler Kit is in a festive green paperboard “bag.”

Bobbi Brown’s Bobbi’s Party Picks set is in a stylish chocolate brown cosmetics case. Christophe Robin’s Regenerating Mask Kit is in a bright red travel pouch adorned with gold.

Viktor & Rolf’s Spicebomb Fresh Gift Set includes the fragrance in an Eau de Toilette Spray and a travel spray, packaged in a round, reusable tin. 

Keepsake Boxes in Acrylic

Keepsake packaging always adds value, and several brands are using clear acrylic boxes this season. The Smashbox Light It Up Holiday Collection features seven limited edition kits in giftable hot pink acrylic boxes, which are semi-opaque, and have neon orange trim.

Jill Tomandl, vice president, product development & innovation, Smashbox, describes the boxes here in the Color Cosmetics section of the story, Two Paths to Cosmetic Packaging Innovation.

Milk Makeup is using clear acrylic boxes to turn sets into gifts. The brand’s limited edition Triple Threat Eye Set and Triple Threat Glow Set are shown in the slideshow above.

Pat McGrath Labs Packages Sequins

The brand that has the most festive, attention-getting packaging this holiday season is Pat McGrath Labs. The brand’s kits, in sparkling metallic packaging, first launched last year, and are still only available in limited quantities. Each new launch will typically sell out within hours on the brand’s website.

Pat McGrath Labs’ new Metalmorphosis 005 limited edition kits are exclusive to Sephora this holiday season, and beyond. The kits are packaged in a heat-sealed pouch with a clear plastic front and metallic foil back. The packaging comes in is gold, silver, copper or bronze, to match the color of the products inside, while the “Everything” kit has gold packaging.

The pouches are stuffed to the brim with glittery sequins, which surround the products inside. The consumer cuts the package open with a scissor, and the sparkling filler falls to the floor.

The kit contains two glistening metallic makeup colors, a pigment and a cream, in one of the four metallic hues – gold, silver, copper, or bronze. The colors are formulated to use as an eyeshadow, highlighter on cheeks – or anywhere on the body.

The kit also includes Mehron, a mixing liquid to “liquify the colors and paint with light” the brand states, as well as a black eyeliner in a dual-ended marker pen. The brand’s Everything Kit includes both pigment and cream formulations in all four metallic hues.

See these gift sets in the slideshow above.

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