There are so many design directions in makeup packaging, it is hard to focus! Color cosmetics are often more closely integrated into the packaging than other product categories.  It is not a question of a jar, a pump, or a tube: it is the impact of the brush and the wiper on mascara performance. It is the way the lipstick tube feels in the hand and the fluidity of the swivel mechanism. 

Makeup products are generally more public-facing than skincare or fragrance. When the lipstick or lipgloss is flaunted in public, the packaging tells a story about the user. 

And then of course, there’s TikTok, which is pretty much driving all things beauty!

Here are my favorite package design trends in the makeup category.  I am sure they will be with us through 2026.

• Luxury and Glamour: perhaps a bit retro, Florasis and House of Sillage are great examples
• Clean, High-Tech, Minimal:  Ilia Beauty and Milk MakeUp
• Youthful, Colorful, Playful  (the Labubu effect for beauty!): ColourPop and SheGlam

Function, TikTok-friendly, and sustainability remain top consumer drivers.  However, let’s be realistic where sustainability is concerned. Cosmetic packaging is frequently made of mixed materials that resist separation. Consumers say they are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly packaging, but we know when that moment arrives, saving the planet drops to the bottom of the list. And those adorable, collectible minis we love just clog the recycling equipment! 

Makeup remains a playful, aspirational, glamorous category, virtually irrestible. Packaging is a critical component of that irresistibility!

Stay tuned to our March issue for a special feature on Color Cosmetic Packaging!

About the Author

Before opening The Young Group in 1999, Karen Young was Vice President of Marketing, Advertising, and Product Development for Lancôme, the prestige division of L’Oréal. Before to joining Lancôme, she spent 17 years at Estée Lauder, where she held a variety of executive positions, including Executive Director of Color Cosmetics.  

Karen is an active board member of Fashion Group International. She is a certified personal trainer and nutritionist. Karen divides her time between New York and Paris, where The Young Group has an offices.

Since opening The Young Group, she has worked extensively in all categories of the cosmetic industry.   She has developed concepts and products for Dove, Bath and Body Works, Neutrogena, Vichy and Canyon Ranch.  She has worked on numerous established brands in the beauty category, including Christian Dior Beauté, Shiseido, Chanel, Parfums Givenchy, Avon and 3M Products. 

Karen is an adjunct professor at The Fashion Institute of Technology, teaching the graduate course in product development. Karen@ygroup.com; www.TheYoungGroupNY.com