Skincare is a rapidly evolving subset of personal care, and as consumer interests evolve, packaging is starting to change too. According to a recent study from Diagonal Reports, "Skincare Market and Consumer Behaviour 2015-2025: The changing needs of the beauty buyer," skin care will remain central to the beauty market in coming years.
Innovation in the skincare industry is driving a number of trends, according to the report. Skincare is becoming more scientific and medicalized. This means at-home skincare regimens are more professional than ever. Naturally, these trends are causing an evolution in packaging to meet new skincare needs.
Here are some of the trends companies can expect to see with skincare products:
In Western skincare regimes, customers are starting to move toward the use of oils. According to Beauty Packaging, one reason for this may be that oil is perceived as natural. Another is that at-home spa treatments are taking off. Consequently, the dropper bottle could become a mainstay in the cosmetics world as a way to dose out smaller amounts of product at a time. Many companies have already started using this packaging method. For instance, Skin, Inc. uses dripper bottles for its skin serums. The bottles are clear to show off the colorful nature of the product itself.
Traditionally, most skincare brands have used white for their packaging, which makes the products appear clinical, and therefore more scientific and reputable. However, lately, more skincare brands have started introducing color into their packaging, as well as decorative elements like UV coating and glosses. Rather than emphasizing the clinical side of skincare, these products promote a more premium offering. A similar trend is to go beyond simple white by adding a matte finish or other textural element to give the white more depth and luxury.
Another major trend is packaging skincare products to increase ease-of-use, according to Beauty Packaging. This trend mirrors a shift across markets. As customers adopt on-the-go lifestyles, packaging is catching up. In an interview with Beauty Packaging, Jacqueline Clarke, analyst at Diagonal Reports, said that beauty buyers are responding to lifestyle changes by going to products that are convenience and effective. Consequently, unit dose packaging and wipes could be more popular ways of packaging skincare products.
According to a report from Mintel cited by Cosmetics Design, more than 30 percent of customers are open to purchasing items dispensed from vending machines or kiosks on the go. If this trend takes off, companies will have to start packaging items for single uses.
Mintel also found that smart devices appeal to consumers because they provide both convenience and control. As the world goes digital, skincare products might follow to a certain extent. In an interview with Refinery 29, Marla Beck, founder of skincare company M-61 Laboratories, predicted that someone will soon invent a product that is like FitBit, except for skincare. It will be like a pocket dermatologist and give users access to water and collagen levels that will let them adjust their regimes on a day-by-day basis for the healthiest skin possible. This particular product may or may not come to fruition, but skincare companies can prepare for connected consumers by embracing augmented reality in packaging that tells customers how a product would fit in with their own process.
Skincare is evolving and packaging will change along with it. Consumer lifestyle evolutions, as well as new types of products are moving the skincare industry in an exciting direction.