Sample packaging for beauty—and minis—are in demand for makeup, skincare, haircare, and fragrances. Samplers and trial sizes are a strategic marketing tool that can quickly get a new product into the hands of millions of beauty consumers.

Mini packages have become essential in a beauty brand’s lineup. They’re not only appealing to consumers for travel, but also to budget-conscious shoppers. And they’re escalating sales at online and in-store checkout, as consumers make last-minute impulse purchases.

The hashtag #mini is often trending across TikTok Beauty—and social media’s effect on beauty purchases is well-researched. NIQ reports that social commerce drives 68% of global beauty purchases. In the U.S., 41% of beauty and personal care sales are attributed to e-commerce.

Beauty retailers are responding to the rising demand for minis by offering more options. Sephora was first to expand its mini category on its website, and other retailers are following suit. Target now offers more than 300 minis online, in nearly every beauty category from lipstick to hair gel.

Procter & Gamble’s innovative new brand, Gemz, uses a unit-dose package as its main packaging.

An Innovative Formulation & Unit-Dose Design

Gemz doesn’t use any bottles or full-size packaging for its hair care collection. Shampoo and conditioner are packaged as single-use, hexagonal-shaped “gems.” The product’s innovative solid formulation completely dissolves when activated with water. The outer unit-dose package features a hook shape to hang in the shower.

Following Gemz’ lead, suppliers say all brands are looking for ways to innovate. “Innovation and sustainability are two main trends in the beauty industry, and especially for sampling and minis,” says Jordi Calduch, CEO and Co-Founder, Sampling Innovations Europe. “Brands are looking for differentiation—and we specialize in designing sampling campaigns for cosmetic and perfume brands that will convey a brand’s values, while always striving to elevate through innovation.”

See More about Gemz in our Online Exclusive

Most Popular Types of Beauty Samplers

Sustainable sampling solutions are in demand, suppliers say. “Interest from beauty brands is growing significantly,” says Anthony Gentile, President of Xela Pack. The supplier produces its innovative eco-conscious Xela Pack pouches in standard or stand-up styles, with various closure and material options. Gentile says his team is busier than ever, because “brands are now embracing sustainability more honestly.”

The team at Aveda turned to Xela Pack when it redesigned its samplers to push the bar on sustainability even higher. (Read on for more about this launch.)

Beauty brands aren’t just looking for “product testers,” experts say. “Sample packaging must tell a brand’s story,” says Calduch. He suggests one way to catch the consumer’s eye is by printing a QR code on a sampler. “It can provide traceability data, while delivering a more interactive, memorable user experience,” he says.

The Versatility of Sachets & Vials

Some beauty brands are using sachets in creative ways. “We see an uptick in brands using sachets for skincare and hair care samplers, to sell as sets, and marketed as routines. The products are meant to be used together,” says Doug Rofheart, Senior Sales Executive at JP Packaging. “We offer numerous ways to produce samplers to sell together as a kit,” he says. 

Arcade says its most popular sampling format is its fragrance vials. “It’s a top-selling technology and highly versatile—we see them used both as individual samples, on a card or in a carton, and as part of larger discovery sets,” says Larry Berman, Senior Vice President Sales, North America, at Arcade.

Aveda & Xela Pack Designed a More Sustainable Sachet

The Estée Lauder Companies—and Aveda’s packaging team—continually raises the bar with its sustainable packaging innovations, including its samplers. The team recently partnered with Xela Pack to redesign its sample sachets. 

Aveda’s new paper-based samplers cut plastic use by over 80%. “It’s a 3D structure with a controlled orifice that allows for precise dispensing and temporary resealing,” says Nicole Call, Director of Global Packaging Development at Aveda. “This design mimics the usability of a small bottle while being recyclable and reducing environmental impact—showing that sustainability and user-friendliness don’t have to be a compromise,” she explains.

Aveda debuted its new sachets for the launch of its Botanical Repair Bond Building Pre-Shampoo Treatment. The sachets will roll out across additional sampling programs for more products this year.

Development Challenges for Sample Packaging & Minis

Brands often face a unique set of issues when developing sample packaging for beauty products. Sustainability is one issue for smaller-sized packaging, versus full sizes. Although sample sizes and minis require less material and resources to produce, packaging components that are too small to be sorted by automated recycling machinery have a greater chance of ending up in landfills.

Combining sustainability goals with functionality is often a challenge. “Sample packaging needs to protect high-performance formulas and maintain product integrity without relying on traditional barrier materials,” explains Nicole Call, Director of Global Packaging Development at Aveda. “For prestige brands like Aveda, the packaging must also deliver a luxurious look and feel, even in a sample size. Achieving certification can involve years of testing and material refinement,” she says.

Aveda’s Call describes the development process as a balancing act. “It requires balancing sustainability with product protection, the consumer experience, and varying regional recycling standards,” she says. “Small formats like sachets are often filtered out by recycling systems. The multi-layer materials typically used, including aluminum, polyethylene, and polyester, are not curbside recyclable,” she explains. (Aveda recently redesigned its sachets to be more eco-conscious—see the sidebar.)

Minis Often Mimic the Look of Its Full-Size Counterpart

Mini packaging is more than just a sample package, or trial size. And, they’re not just for travel. Beauty minis are a standalone products, and an affordable way for beauty consumers to try new products.

Mini packaging often mimics the look of the full-size product, which increases brand recognition. Since they’re resealable, the user can try the product multiple times before committing to buying the full-size version.

Hårklinikken’s Travel Set is one example where the mini packages look just like their full size counterparts. The set includes a chic toiletry bag with three mini products. Balancing Shampoo and Daily Conditioner are in mini tubes, and the Hair Mask is in a mini plastic jar.

Hårklinikken’s mini packages are all 75ml, and use a minimalist design to convey the brand’s aesthetic. The tubes and jars are white, with a text-heavy decoration that reflects the brand’s clinical roots. Hårklinikken is a scalp and hair health clinic that began in 1992 at its flagship in Copenhagen, Denmark. Lars Skjøth, known for his diagnostic, consultation-based approach to hair health, is the company’s founder and lead researcher.

Rising Requests for Mini Tubes

Mini tubes, such as Hårklinikken’s travel sizes, are popular. The team at SR Packaging says it’s receiving rising requests for its smaller single-use tubes. “Tubes have a short lead time, allow for various types of cost-efficient decoration, and often ensure product compatibility,” says Eric Wu, CEO of SR Packaging North America. “Beauty brands often request both our trial sampler tubes and travel sets with mini tubes,” he says.   

Related: Why ‘Right-Sizing’ Is More Important Than Ever for Today’s Price Sensitive Shopper

Mini packages with premium decorations, like Hårklinikken’s, that align with a brand’s full-size packaging is often requested, suppliers say, because it conveys a luxe look. “The ‘premiumization’ of sampling is a trend,” says Lindsey Khosla, marketing director, North America at Arcade Beauty. “Deluxe minis are popular, and can be sold at the point-of-sale, alongside full-sizes. They are often decorated to help brands maintain a cohesive story,” she explains. 

The Rising Appeal of Fragrance Minis & Discovery Sets

Unlike minis in other beauty product categories, mini fragrances are often in a standard travel-size round vial, equipped with a spray pump or rollerball, no matter what the full-size fragrance bottle looks like. It’s also becoming increasingly popular to sell smaller fragrance vials as a trial-sized set, rather than distribute them as giveaways.

Voluspa chose 1.5ml glass vials for each of the seven fragrances in its Discovery Set. The brand says it’s a way to introduce consumers to its full “wardrobe of scents.” “Our Discovery Set gives the consumer a way to explore the olfactive spectrum,” says Jimmy Tea, VP of Product Design at Voluspa. The brand’s mini travel-size fragrances are in 10ml glass bottles with spray pumps.

Mini Fragrance Sets are Trending

Mini fragrances are especially popular among younger consumers due to their lower price points. Gen Z and Gen Alpha beauty shoppers seek “affordable prestige,” reports Mintel in “The Future of Fragrance 2025.” The report says the growing interest in discovery sets is accelerating fragrance sampling—and Mintel’s team calls it one of the biggest fragrance trends this year. “Consumers are rationalizing the cost of sample sets, even when the price is equivalent to a full-sized bottle, as a way to stay on-trend and explore a wider variety of scents. Gen Alpha and Gen Z seek recognizable, high-status scents without overspending,” Mintel states. 

Search data further backs up these points. Google searches for “perfume discovery set” rose by 31.9%, according to Spate, in a recent report. This number represents year-over-year growth when comparing search volume from September 2024 vs predicted search volume for September 2025 in the U.S. “Rising searches for experimental fragrance sets and subscriptions highlight consumers’ growing desire to explore and diversify their scent choices,” Spate’s team said in a recent webinar.

Suppliers, such as Arcade, are seeing rising requests from beauty brands in line with trend reports. “We’ve seen a significant increase in requests for sample packaging and minis, especially for fragrance discovery sets,” says Larry Berman, Senior Vice President Sales, North America, at Arcade. “This surge is largely driven by the fragrance layering trend—and the overall value these sets offer,” he says.  

Arcade produced the packaging for Jo Malone London’s fragrance Discovery Set. The supplier also produces high-quality 4ml glass vials for leading brands, including NARS, Tom Ford and Laura Mercier. Arcade manufactures these at its Phoenix Glass facility in New Jersey.

The Latest in Beauty Sample Packaging Solutions from Suppliers

Looking for inspiration—and solutions for beauty sampling and mini packaging?

Here, we highlight the latest innovations from packaging suppliers, in sample packaging and beauty minis. Read on.

Sachet Sets—& Single-Use Packs as Kits 

JP Packaging offers a wide range of sample packaging for beauty. The company can produce its tandem and tri-pack sachets as one-unit samples. “These are ideal for a skincare range, such as a cleanser, moisturizer, and serum,” says Rofheart. “This format also works well for haircare brands, for a shampoo, conditioner, and hair mask,” he says.

The team at JP Packaging often works with beauty brands to develop custom kits. “Often, different formats are required to accommodate various types of formulas. For example, we can include sachets, mini tubes, thermoformed blisters, and a towelette in a flexible zipper pouch,” he says. “Beauty marketers often use this concept to create a saleable unit, such as a travel pack—not a giveaway,” he says.

Xela Pack’s ‘Ultra-Mini’ & New Material Innovation

Xela Pack pouches are available in a range of sizes, up to 30ml. The supplier’s new “ultra-mini” size is 1.5ml. “This is our smallest Xela Pack yet, and provides brands with a more environmentally conscious vehicle for very small doses,” says Gentile. “It has a better LCA than comparable-sized multilayer sachets commonly used for these small dose applications,” he explains.

Xela Pack’s most recent innovation is its Xela AlOx material. Launched this year, the material is foil-free and over 80% repulpable. “After a long effort that took several years, we succeeded in producing this new recyclable material that provides high-barrier protection,” says Gentile. The material has earned several certifications for recyclability, including Western Michigan University SBS Equivalency Testing Protocol. 

Xela Pack is a family-run company specializing in contract manufacturing for over 30 years. “We’ve been embracing and focusing all efforts on environmentally conscious packaging since we started in 1987,” Gentile says.

Rising interest in the Xela Pack is due to the visibility of the company’s brand partners, including Aveda. “We work with some of the best beauty brands, which shows that we produce packaging at the highest level,” says Gentile. Xela Pack’s certifications, not always typical for a contract manufacturer, include Intertek’s SQF and NSF’s GMP. 

Samplex Offers Alcohol-Free Sampling Solutions

The team at Samplex says it specializes in producing sample packaging made from eco-friendly materials. “Our fragrance samplers are suitable for brochures, catalog applications, magazine inserts, and direct mailings,” says Jim McNeil, CEO and Co-founder, Samplex. “We also produce on-product and on-display samplers—and more brands are creating handouts for events, such as concerts.”

Samplex produces its sample formats without alcohol, so they are classified as non-hazardous, which is important when shipping or storing. “Many sampling methods use alcohol. Due to our extensive experience in this area, we offer an alternative,” explains McNeil.

Samplex offers high-end printing and print management. “We assure that the brands we work with receive the highest quality turnkey products,” McNeil says. “We collaborate closely with a brand’s marketing and design teams throughout the process to meet all expectations—from the receipt of art files, through delivery,” he says. 

SR Packaging’s Tubes Deliver Numerous Benefits

SR Packaging produces tubes for sampling all types of products. Different size tips are available to accommodate various formulations. “Our .75-inch tubes are popular for makeup and skincare products,” Wu says. “These mini tubes are ideal for a moisturizer, primer, foundation, concealer, lip gloss, eye serum, and many other products,” he explains.

SR Packaging’s mini snap-off tubes are ideal for precise dosing, such as a hair color or cosmeceutical. They are also an alternative to a sachet or pouch. “Our snap-off tubes offer a secure seal that’s easy to open—for an effortless, user-friendly experience. A sachet or pouch with a tiny slit can be frustrating for the user if it fails to open,” Wu explains. 

SR Packaging North America offers its unit-dose tubes in diameters as small as 10mm, with a capacity of 2- to 5ml. “Whether a brand uses our mini snap-off tube for a free sample or a single-dose product, the volume matters. A smaller tube is more budget-friendly,” says Wu. 

SR Packaging offers its mini snap-off tubes in mono-material PE, for an eco-friendly sampling and unit-dose solution. “It can go directly in a recycling bin, helping brands to improve post-consumer recycle rates and fulfill sustainability goals,” says Wu.

Arcade’s Innovative Eco-Conscious 80% Paper Packette

Arcade’s newest innovation is its 80% Paper Packette. The supplier worked closely with the team at Origins for two years to develop it. “It’s the first recycle-ready sampling solution of its kind on the market,” says Khosla. The two-ply structure consists of paper with a dual-purpose barrier and sealant layer.

Origins debuted the innovative sampler in early 2025 for its Drink Up Intensive Overnight Hydrating Mask. The packette was recognized in the Luxe Pack in Green Awards for Best Sustainable Packaging Design. 

Developing a recycle-ready sample package that would meet the beauty industry’s demands presented a multitude of challenges. “Balancing product protection while increasing the paper content required evaluating a wide range of materials and overcoming technical challenges—including modifications to our filling and sealing equipment,” Khosla explains. “Another key hurdle was adapting our printing, filling, and packaging processes to accommodate this new paper-based material—requiring technical adjustments across our production lines,” she says.

It’s important to note that “fully recyclable” depends on a brand’s product formulation inside the packette, as well as decoration choices. Arcade offers gravure printing in various colors and finishes. Since it’s made with 80% paper, it’s compatible with paper recycling streams. “It represents a 76% reduction in plastic use and a 63% decrease in CO₂ emissions compared to traditional sachets,” says Berman. 

Arcade’s team says it’s proud to have worked with Origins to bring this innovation to market. “This collaboration marked a major milestone, combining performance and eco-conscious design without compromising product integrity,” Berman says. “We are excited to now offer it to other brands,” he adds. 

Orlandi’s Innovative Paper Label—the ‘EcoPro’ 

Orlandi’s new EcoPro fragrance label, a trademarked name, is an innovation that aims to advance the recyclability of fragrance samplers. Made from paper, without any plastic or foil, the label is ideal for various types of samplers, including point-of-sale handouts, magazine inserts, and others.

“We are thrilled to introduce our EcoPro Sampling Technology to the market,” said Sven Dobler, CEO of Orlandi. “Our goal is to provide a sustainable solution for fragrance sampling that does not compromise quality, aesthetics, or performance. This product is a testament to our commitment to innovation and environmental stewardship.” 

The company says that its EcoPro label will help brands achieve sustainability goals while delivering an exceptional sampling experience to consumers. It’s a cost-effective, versatile design that provides a large surface area for customizing with a decoration. 

Orlandi’s Reveal fragrance technology makes it possible for the paper-based label to deliver a true rendition of the fragrance. In traditional samplers, plastic films and foils are commonly heat-sealed. “These materials act as a barrier to contain and protect products from degradation, oxidation, and weight loss,” says Dobler. These mixed barrier materials are challenging to recycle. Eliminating them meant we had to find new ways to protect, contain, and seal the contents, while still delivering a good application and sampling experience,” he explains. 

Orlandi’s team solved this issue by developing a new type of fragrance formulation to protect the perfume. “We also needed a new paper with coatings and surface treatments to contain the fragrance formulation, and a new type of adhesive as a closing system,” Dobler says. “Together, these innovations are what makes it possible for a 100% paper structure to be sealed, and peel open without tearing,” he explains.

Orlandi is a family-owned and operated company headquartered in Farmingdale, NY. The supplier produces over 25 different fragrance and cosmetic sampling solutions to the beauty industry. Its services include contract packaging, filling, design, and turnkey manufacturing.

Multi-Use Sachets & ‘Thermoformed Pearl’

Sampling Innovations Europe has several innovative sampling solutions. The supplier introduced its Multi-Use Sachet earlier this year, in 15- to 40ml sizes. “Its multi-use design allows the consumer to try a product over a longer period,” Calduch says.

The sachet features a cap, available in two styles, with numerous color and dosing options. “We developed a practical lid for easy opening and closing that keeps the formula intact,” Calduch says. A mono-material style is offered in PE, which is the same material as the lid, for easy recycling. Various finishes are available to decorate the sachet, including matte, gloss, foil-printed, and a matte-glossy reserve.

The supplier offers its standard single-use sachets in a wide range of finishes, including recyclable mono-material laminates. “Digital printing now allows us to offer sachets with lower MOQs and more competitive pricing,” says Calduch. “It has a large surface area for decorating,” he says. 

The supplier’s newly designed Thermoformed Pearl is ultra-lightweight, weighing less than a gram. The eco-conscious on-skin sampler consists of a tear-drop shaped blister, which holds a perfume, skincare, or makeup product. The blister is slightly pointed on one end, making it easy to apply the product with precision.

The Thermoformed Pearl is made using 100% recycled materials, including 80% recycled PET. It’s available in custom sizes, from 1ml. “It’s cleaner, smarter, and more aesthetically pleasing,” says Calduch. “The innovative design blends sustainability and functionality, with a premium look,” he says. Brands can choose from a wide range of presentation options, including a card or wallet format. 

A First-of-its-Kind Biodegradable Scented Label

Sampling Innovations Europe has another innovation—a scented label called Scent Green. “As a fully recyclable paper olfactory label, it’s the first-of-its-kind on the market,” says Calduch. “It allows brands to interact with consumers in a new way,” he says.

Scent Green features a mono-material design, made entirely from FSC-certified paper, which makes it fully recyclable. Adhespack manufactures the label using Suzano’s Greenpack paper. “The paper offers exceptional olfactory qualities and preserves fragrances,” says Calduch. The paper is compostable and biodegradable. “It easily degrades in just 154 days, without leaving any harmful residue,” says Calduch.

The scented paper label is fully customizable and available in various formats, sizes, and finishes to align with a brand’s identity. “We can produce Scent Green in low volumes, requiring a low financial investment,” says Calduch.

Looking Ahead: Predicting What’s Next in Sample Packaging

What will be trending next in the world of sample packaging for beauty?

Some suppliers say they are engineering new designs for sampling solutions. New types of mini packaging is being developed, for better protection and easier dispensing.

The team at SR Packaging North America is developing a mini tube for sunscreen products. “It will be ready for the market by September, and reflects the rising interest in suncare,” Wu says. 

Sampling Innovations Europe says it will stay faithful to its commitment to the environment by continually developing sampling solutions that use less material, fewer resources, and require fewer processes. 

A constant challenge is to balance aesthetics with sustainability, says Sampling Innovations Europe’s Calduch. He explains, “We will continue to invest in eco-conscious R&D. Our vision of sustainable innovation means exploring new formats and designs, because sampling is constantly evolving.”

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