Distinctive decorative effects for packaging, such as coatings, varnishes, stamping, embossing, and debossing, can create a uniquely personalized look. Decorating packaging in a unique way can give beauty brands a competitive retail edge.

And with processes and materials growing increasingly more “greenified,” brands don’t have to sacrifice their commitment to sustainability, whether they’re going for a finish that’s understatedly elegant or over-the-top maximalist. 

At Virospack, in-house decoration processes include metallization, spray painting, screen printing, transfer printing, and hot stamping. The beauty packaging supplier specializes in decorating glass bottles, glass pipettes, plastic caps, and rubber bulbs. Among the company’s newest innovations is a heat-transfer technology for glass bottles, which yields versatile, high-definition graphics and enhanced durability.

Verena Regina Fiori Ferreira, Senior Marketing Professional, Virospack, says that she is currently observing several design trends.

Six trends related to decorative effects for packaging, according to Ferreira, are:

1. Minimalism & Quiet Luxury—clean lines, soft neutrals, frosted and matte finishes
2. Tactile Finishes—embossed textures, soft-touch coatings, matte/gloss contrasts
3. Luxury Finishes—metallics, foils, gradients, and reflective surfaces
4. Personalization and Exclusivity—custom colors and graphics
5. Sustainable Luxury—glass, refill systems, and eco-friendly coatings
6. Consumer Experience & Storytelling Enhancements—unboxing rituals, multisensory elements, and QR/NFC for added content.

Elevating Packaging for a Luxury Look

Melanie Gaudun, Business Development and Marketing Manager at Viva, also disusses luxury decorating trends for packaging. She says that there has also been an increased use of soft-touch finishes on sticks and tubes. She says these finishes are a way to use decorative effects for packaging to add “a tactile sense of luxury and personalization” to everyday products.

“Translucent effects on tubes, closures, and sticks are trending. These looks are achieved with clear resins, clear IML, and translucent colors,” she says. Viva is advancing these effects further with a translucent PCR resin, aligning design trends with sustainability. “More brands are using spot gloss and spot matte or spot soft touch to create distinction between sections in the artwork,” Gaudun says.

Viva’s vertically integrated decoration capabilities allow for faster lead times. The supplier offers heat-transfer labels on jars, pressure-sensitive labels on sticks, and water-transfer decoration for closures and sticks. Plus, its award-winning capability—a 360° high-definition In-Mold Label (IML) decoration for tubes and deodorant sticks.

Viva also applies finishes through IML, including foils, soft touch, spot varnishes, cold foil embellishments. Glow-in-the-dark inks are also an option. Closure enhancements include molded matte or gloss finishes, resin opacity and translucency, vacuum metallization, hot-stamped rings, and custom debossed or embossed logos.

Related: Why Tubes Have Become a Go-To Choice

Cremo Partners with Viva

Men’s personal care brand Cremo tapped Viva to help create a signature packaging look for the launch of its deodorant and antiperspirant sticks. “The sticks feature color-matched 100% PCR resin and in-mold label (IML) decoration on both barrel and cap,” Gaudun explains. “Using IML with gold cold foil and spot gloss and spot matte varnishes delivers depth and dimension while ensuring a cohesive look with the Cremo bottle line.”

A custom debossed logo on the top of the cap completes the look. Made from 100% PCR polypropylene, the mono-material design is fully recyclable and How2Recycle-designated.

Decorating Packaging for Improved Sustainability 

Sustainability is impacting nearly every aspect of the packaging industry. In the decorative sector, service providers are fine-tuning material choices and processes for improved ecological alignment.

“More consumers are gravitating toward brands that prioritize high-quality, environmentally conscious packaging solutions that reflect their values. Embracing eco-friendly materials resonates with consumers who appreciate both aesthetics and ethics,” says Ruth Rugoff, Chief Communications Officer at Arkay Packaging. 

Rugoff adds that Arkay, which is certified Platinum by EcoVadis, is all-in on sustainable business practices. Sustainability is integrated into all its departments, processes, and company culture, guaranteeing that its materials are environmentally friendly. 

More Eco-Conscious Deco Solutions

One of Arkay’s latest deco offerings is Paint on Press, a trademarked and registered technique developed to showcase the full graphic potential of a brand’s artwork. “Using this advanced method, Arkay can amplify the artist’s design elements while refining and enriching them,” she says. 

Related: Sustainable Packaging That’s Driving Beauty Buyers

At a time when brands are seeking signature colors and textures, Liana Cook, Vice President, ABA Packaging Corp. says achieving standout decoration while maintaining recyclability continues to be a challenge, especially for glass packaging.

“Although we use eco-conscious solutions like water-based inks to minimize environmental impact, the recyclability of decorated glass can vary significantly from one municipality to another, even within the same country,” Cook explains. “This inconsistency makes it difficult to guarantee that decorated glass packaging will be properly processed through local recycling systems.”

In contrast, she continues, aluminum packaging offers far greater flexibility in both decoration and sustainability. “Aluminum bottles are 100% recyclable and widely accepted across most municipal recycling programs,” she says.

ABA’s decorative effects for packaging include 360° hot stamping, soft-touch finishes, and more, without compromising recyclability. 

Screen Tech + Spraye Tech provides spray lacquering, hot stamping, and labeling. The supplier also offers UV, tampo/pad, screen printing, and specialty gluing applications. The company’s sprays have been water-based and environmentally friendly since 2003. 

The supplier utilizes UV and organic inks in its printing process. These help minimize production’s impact on the environment through energy reductions, according to John Schofield, Owner.  “UV inks are cured in-line and do not require a post-curing process, which reduces energy consumption,” he says. “Organic inks are cured using low temperatures, further reducing energy use.” Ceramic inks require much higher temperatures.

Sprays, Coatings, & a Sputtering Process

Screen Tech + Spraye Tech’s latest decorative technique is a UV-inhibiting spray application. “The UV inhibiting spray is a clear additive added to the spray lacquer to help inhibit the transmission of certain UV light waves into the glass bottle,” Schofield says. He notes that the process can be used for certain nail care, skincare, and fragrance formulations in glass packaging.

In Europe, the VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) program aims to regulate and reduce emissions of harmful organic compounds that are emitted from specific sources. These sources include industrial processes such as painting, coating ,and surface treatment. VOC emissions can contribute to air pollution and have negative effects on human health and the environment. 

In addition to having one of the lowest levels of VOCs in Europe, Virospack recently launched a metallization finish for tubular glass vials. The cutting-edge sputtering process is an extension of the technology Virospack already uses for molded glass bottles. It creates a premium, customizable solution with stunning metallic effects in gold or silver.

What’s especially noteworthy about this technology for decorating packaging is that it supports sustainability goals. “The translucent coating can be adjusted in both effect and intensity, allowing brands to tailor their visual identity without compromising recyclability,” comments the company’s Ferreira. “With over 5% transparency, the glass packaging is considered potentially recyclable, contributing to a more circular beauty industry. Additional creative combinations—such as screen printing and metallization—open up endless possibilities for unique and eye-catching designs.”

Sustainability Drives Material & Design Choices

Sustainability also drives both material and design choices for decorating packaging at Viva. For instance, Viva works with PCR resin that can be color-matched across nearly any palette. “In addition, IML can be used strategically to reveal or fully cover the resin, depending on design intent,” Gaudun says.

Brands are also moving away from metal overshells, according to Gaudun. Lighter-impact decorating solutions are more popular now, she says. “These include vacuum metallization, hot-stamp rings, and pearlized resins, and cold foil accents that are starting to replace full metallic looks,” Gaudun adds.

More on Metallization and Foils 

Progress in decoration involving metallization is also evolving with eco-targeted upgrades for decorating packaging. 

“As sustainability becomes a bigger priority, brands are asking for coatings and processes that will reduce emissions, energy use, and waste. But—without compromising on quality or appearance,” says Glenn Mueller, President and CEO at Mueller Coatings. 

He says vacuum-metallizing has become a go-to solution for cosmetic brands. The process for decorating packaging delivers a premium, high-end aesthetic.

“We’re using UV-cure technology and high-efficiency spray systems to meet those goals. The finishes we create look beautiful, perform reliably, and support more responsible production,” he explains. “Even with our coatings applied, all the packaging enclosures we coat remain fully recyclable. We help brands achieve a premium look while supporting sustainable design.”

Mueller Coatings offers advanced vacuum-metallizing, custom spray coating, and UV-cure inline coating. These decorating processes add shine and durability to caps, closures, and small-format parts used across cosmetic and fragrance lines.

In the last year, Mueller Coatings has expanded its capabilities for decorating packaging with a fully automated vacuum metallizing system. It features Marca Technologies’ Revolution-3D Metallizer and four Fanuc robots. This machinery increases efficiency and serve high-volume clients in need of premium decorative coatings.

Related: From Plain to Premium

The company also began offering 3D printing and custom masking to help streamline production and ensure accuracy. “These are particularly effective on rigid plastic and glass packaging using state-of-the-art robotic application equipment,” Mueller says. “The result is increased efficiency, sharper detailing, and improved environmental performance.”

Hot-Stamping, Metallizing, Lacquering & More

JSN Cosmetic Packaging has experienced increased demand for foil hot stamping on tubes. The number of requests have warranted the purchase of new state-of-the-art hot-stamp equipment, according to John Ulibarri, Senior Account Executive.

A brand partnership with haircare brand Philip B produced a tube for its Gentle Conditioner. The tube was molded using sustainable sugarcane bio-resin. It’s topped with PP molded caps that are gilded with 1/8” gold foil hot stamp bands. The tubes were offset-printed, coated, and the foil-stamped caps were applied, registered to the front panel deco. Finally, the offset printed capped tubes were moved to JSN’s foil stamping equipment where the gold foil was registered to the offset and applied to create a beautifully cohesive finish.

At Anomatic, decoration techniques include: metallizing, lacquering, double anodizing, laser engraving, hot-stamping and various printing processes (offset, silkscreen, and pad printing). Jessie Buran, Senior Account Director, says the company is fielding frequent requests for domestic metallization. There are also increasing requests for multi-step processes, such as laser and other decorative effects.

Buran says, “Given the current geopolitical situation and the trend for regionalization, we are seeing a large number of deco requests at our local North American facilities.” The company continues to invest in its metallization operations to remain on the cutting edge. “We recently patented a technique for removing metallization from the hinge on flip-top closures,,” explains Buran. “This prevents flaking, which solves a consumer problem that many brands have faced in the past during development.”

A Translucent Metallization Technique

One of the latest advances from PGP Glass USA Inc. is a translucent metallization technique. Jeff Funk, Director of Sales and Marketing, says the decorating process is more sustainable than current metallization practices. “It’s a great fit for brands with eco-initiatives,” he adds. 

“Transparent metallization has less deposition of aluminum, compared to opaque metallization, which is very shiny,” he says. “Therefore, recycling transparent metallization bottles is relatively easy.”

Making Paper More Premium 

Paper and cardboard packaging rank among the top recycled materials. With the right decorative effects, paper packaging can look extraordinary. 

“Foil is starting to re-appear in a lot of packaging, especially a diversion from standard golds,” says April Lytle, Global Brand Innovation Manager at Scodix. “The push of sustainability made a lot of brands reduce their embellishments; however, they found consumers responded negatively. Brands are moving toward smaller runs and bespoke needs for packaging to reach consumers through social media and creative marketing like VIP unboxing, seasonal launches, collaborations, or pop-up events.”

Digital Embellishments

Scodix manufactures enhancement presses that apply digital embellishments like tactile texture, foils, varnishes, glitters, and Cast&Cure for high-impact, 3D-holographic effects, to folding cartons and other paper-based packaging. 

Lytle affirms it is possible to strike the right balance of environmental sustainability and bespoke embellishment. “Third-party vendors started feeling that pressure, and many have responded with materials that look beautiful, but also help brands in keeping with their sustainability messaging,” she says. “It is very possible to have beautifully embellished packaging that can be recyclable and de-inkable. That’s one of the benefits of digital embellishment. In fact, our LCA shows that the Scodix method saves brands over 80% in terms of energy and CO2, in addition to being recyclable.”

The newest technology released by Scodix in the last year was its MLE (Multi-Layer Embellishment) press. Lytle calls it “transformative for digital embellishment” for two reasons. “One, it removes the substrate barrier and introduces a huge line of uncoated substrates like Fedrigoni, Winter & Company, Gmund, Neenah, and more,” she says.

“Secondly, you’re able to build up varnish almost like a 3D printer. It’s perfect for brands struggling with how to efficiently decorate packaging with inclusivity solutions,” Lytle says. “The largest sheet size for the Scodix press is B1, which is pallet-fed. The press will fit into most existing production environments at packaging companies,” she explains.

Canopy’s New Glitter-Infused Packaging

Canopy Beauty Packaging (formerly Cosmetic Specialties International) has debuted a radiant new glitter injection process for jars and caps, just in time for holiday packaging and limited-edition products made to sparkle. 

Brands can customize every element of the look including sparkle size, color, density, and intensity, creating packaging with a sophisticated fine shimmer or vibrantly colored, bold flakes for maximum shelf impact.

Unlike sprayed-on finishes, the glitter is infused directly into the resin, ensuring even distribution, durability, and a sparkle that never fades. 

Canopy’s glitter injection technique is performed in the USA and is compatible with the company’s sustainable PCR resins.