When it comes to Beauty, more than ever it’s the look that counts—now, in an entirely new way. There’s an increasing focus on cosmetic packaging—and how well the products photograph in order to capture attention.

As with so many trends in the current Beauty arena, the penchant for everything from “eye-candy” palettes to sensorial brushes stems primarily from social-media obsessed Millennial and Gen-Z consumers eager to share their world—and their makeup routines.

YouTube videos, Instagram posts and other sites are abundant with products and instructional tricks for creating the perfect visage—as well as the applicators used to achieve it.

This month’s cover feature on Applicators (page 24) highlights some of the most progressive—and attractive—sponges, tips and brushes in this category, many of which are being photographed to show friends and followers how they enhance home vanities or shelves.

Suppliers tell of an increasing number of brands—both Indie and legacy—that are making purchasing decisions based on design and color in addition to functionality.

Our report on Indie beauty brands (page 64) delves into the packaging of a selection of up-and-comers that are also attuned to “Instagrammable” package design, much of it with an environmentally responsible approach. With good cause, packaging suppliers are working hard to accommodate this growing market’s demands for brushes, bottles, tubes, cartons and ink—and it’s a mission with a potentially big payoff.

The Indie Beauty Show has just expanded to new European destinations and Amazon has announced it will launch an Indie Beauty Shop within its Marketplace, where brands will sell directly to consumers.

At press time, according to a report by CNBC, TPG Capital was nearing a deal to acquire a minority stake in Anastasia Beverly Hills that could value the brand at roughly $3 billion. Not bad for an Indie brand, in this case, a 20-year-old veteran.

It’s an exciting time in the Beauty industry as we head into Luxe Pack New York and MakeUp in Paris. We’ll be sure to take lots of photos and videos on-site so we can share suppliers’ innovations with you online—and in print in our July/August issue.

Beauty Packaging’s publisher Jay Gorga and I hope to see you while walking the show floors.

Enjoy the summer!