What are the key assets that make some packs stand out from others, what trends are growing (or shrinking), and what do the newest categories and entries tell us about the future of packaging? These are some of the key questions that the Pentawards—the global packaging designs—set out to answer each year.

The London-based competition, which draws over 2,000 entries each year from across the world, marks its 20th anniversary in 2026, celebrating two decades of global packaging design excellence. To highlight the milestone, Pentawards has introduced a new PR & Influencer Gifting category, based on increased activity in this sector. The sector recognizes packaging created specifically for PR mailers, influencer gifting, and social-first brand experiences; a reflection of how far packaging design has evolved over the past two decades.

The 2026 jury will comprise 54 global packaging design experts from 21 countries, representing leading brands, agencies, and independent studios.

Adam Ryan, Head of Pentawards, says, “Reaching our 20th anniversary is a significant milestone for Pentawards and for the global packaging design community. Over the past two decades, we’ve seen packaging evolve in where and how it’s experienced.” 

The 2026 Pentawards shortlist will be announced in July 2026, with winners revealed later in the year at the Official Pentawards Gala Ceremony. 

I recently caught up with Ryan to ask him some specifics about what this year’s packaging entries signal for the future:

Jamie Matusow: Looking back across two decades of Pentawards entries, how has cosmetic packaging evolved in terms of creativity, accessibility, and user experience?

Adam: Across the last 20 years, we’ve seen how cosmetic packaging has evolved from something designed primarily to look good, to something expected to be seen – and now, increasingly, to do good.

In the early 2000’s, creativity was largely surface-led, focused on premium visual cues such as gloss, weight, and material richness, with success driven by shelf impact. Packaging functioned mainly as a container and status signal.

During the 2010’s, the rise of e-commerce, DTC, and social platforms shifted packaging into a storytelling role. Packs became brand messengers, designed for unboxing, online discovery, and emotional connection as much as physical retail.

Today, beauty packaging is increasingly treated as a value asset with ethical and cultural impact. Creativity now spans sustainability, accessibility, and emotional design as core design criteria, rather than add-ons. Designers are solving a different brief: how to express value through simplicity, responsible material choices, and meaningful storytelling.

Accessibility has become a defining shift, with clearer typography, stronger hierarchy, ergonomic forms, and inclusive usability built into design logic from the outset. At the same time, sustainability has moved beyond recyclability to include material innovation, refill models, and modular systems. Aesthetically, boldness and personality are also returning – but with far more responsibility and function behind the form.

JM: Why does the introduction of the PR & Influencer Gifting category feel like a natural next step for beauty brands and their approach to packaging today?

Adam: User experience has evolved in parallel with beauty packaging. Screen-first and social-first behavior, particularly on video-led platforms, has changed how designers think about packs. Packaging is now choreographed as a sequence of moments – reveals, pacing, and texture – rather than a single static object. Designers are effectively creating short brand experiences, optimized for both hand and screen.

At the same time, the rise of beauty and lifestyle influencers has fundamentally reshaped how consumers discover and evaluate products. Influencers don’t simply recommend – they unbox, demonstrate, and narrate products in real time, and those moments increasingly form part of the product experience itself. Around two-thirds of beauty shoppers now say they discover new products through influencer content.

As a result, packaging has become a content asset, not just a functional or promotional tool. The packs sent to creators are often the first and most visible brand touchpoint, designed to perform visually, emotionally, and sensorially on camera.

The introduction of a PR & Influencer Gifting category reflects this shift. It recognizes that packaging now plays a direct role in storytelling, social amplification, and brand perception – and that creators are a central stage for how beauty brands are experienced today.