In a post-pandemic world where shoppers are less able to inspect beauty products before purchase, impactful packaging is vital. Color has never been more important as it provides a visual language to help achieve shelf appeal in real life and online, messaging the product at a safe distance.

WGSN’s five key colors for this season are timeless, rich and classic. Beauty brands can adopt them with confidence, knowing they will last beyond one season, making them sustainable and strategic choices.

Honeycomb is excellent for beauty packaging because it reflects an ingredient used in skin care and body care. Bringing warmth and comfort, its natural and ancient roots make it trusted and authentic, and an excellent selection for sustainable packaging.

Jade’s natural green color is synonymous with wellness. The gemstone’s rich heritage and premium connotations will see jade resonate with luxury consumers. The jade facial roller has familiarized the beauty consumer with this material, and it’s already been adopted by tools and compacts. Jade will transition into primary packaging, bestowing indulgence and well-being.

Dark oak has been elevated from basic to premium. In dark lacquer and antique finishes, this color resonates with consumers seeking nostalgia for comfort in a post-Covid era. Ideal for boxes and secondary packaging, where its look can change with use and age, it is suited to reusable and refillable executions. This color has a strong appeal for men’s grooming. A stylish alternative to blacks and greys, its richness conveys prestige while looking grounded and credible.

Lazuli Blue, another gemstone-inspired hue, creates a moment of indulgence in the cosmetics bag. Its deep pigmentation lends an air of ultra-glam sophistication. As one of our palette’s more sensorial colors, Lazuli Blue lends itself well to secondary packaging featuring velvety finishes and soft textured boxes, as well as glass.

Our color of the year, the hedonistic Orchid Flower, has trans-seasonal appeal. Uplifting with a strong connection to nature, this color will have on-screen appeal and make attractive in-store displays. Its luster and intensity will translate well into high-gloss finishes of lipstick casings and compacts, as well as colored glass for fragrance and body care.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Clare Varga is Head of Beauty at WGSN, where she helps shape the future trends across WGSN. She marries an understanding of product design and innovative technology to create future visions for customers in manufacturing and retail, and is interested in how human behaviour influences the products and services people want to buy.