Are you curious about the manufacturing process of the cosmetics industry? Cosmetics are the marriage between art and science and are made from a wide array of ingredients and processes.
The cosmetic development process begins with an idea, whether it is something new or an improvement on a current product. Ideas could come from brainstorming sessions, or they could be brought on by market or customer requests.
A brief is then created for the labs to begin the work. The brief outlines all the parameters needed to make the product successful. These include the product claims, texture, payoff, packaging, price, whether it is vegan, and if it will be dermatologist tested. As many details as possible are included in the brief so that the chemist knows from the beginning what the criteria is.
Once the formula is developed, the product developers start testing for efficacy. This preliminary testing is meant to give feedback to the chemists so they can perfect the product.
Once the product has met the criteria, a more in-depth testing occurs of the formula. The packaging is also tested against heat and cold extremes. If all tests are passed, the product then requires a scale-up.
A scale-up is the process of taking the product from the lab, to manufacturing, and finally to the shelf. This part is critical in the cosmetic development process. If the scale-up is not successful, then you must head back to the drawing board.
The scale-up starts with a pilot, which is a smaller quantity being made. This is normally a good learning experience for all. Observations are made by chemists, engineers, operations, and product development.
Once the pilot is successful, a full-scale production is run. After the pilot, product development works on more testing, whether it is with consumers, clinical labs, and other safety testing.

There are numerous product categories. They are skincare, haircare, fragrance, personal care, and color cosmetics.

Color cosmetics include foundations, lipsticks, and eye shadows. Over-the-counter (OTC) also falls under this category. OTC refers to products purchased without a prescription from a doctor. For example, skin tint with SPF.

As you can see, the product forms for color cosmetics are rather general. But, there are classifications inside each subcategory. Eye shadow, for example, can be further divided into creams, powders, and hybrids, such as demi press, slurry, and amorphous textures.

A baked powder is a product that undergoes a particular high-temperature curing or baking process to provide a product that is both wearable and weightless on the skin.

A slurry powder is an example of a powder subcategory. This technique converts powder into a mud-like consistency. It also produces a dry powder that’s ultra creamy and smooth.

The industry is moving toward hybrids due to our need for innovation and multi-use products. A hybrid combines qualities from two or more groups. A moisturizer with color and SPF, such as a BB cream, is an example. Another example is a pearl-infused primer that contains a skin-brightening cream.

The distinctions between skincare and cosmetics are becoming increasingly blurred. Transformative textures for tactile and visual senses, such as powder to lotion, cream to water, oil to lotion, cream to oil, foam to liquid, or new color forms, such as color shifting, transforming, and encapsulating, are becoming essential.

Swirl technology combines a variety of uses and colors into a single composition. It isn’t only visually appealing in lip gloss, lips, creams, hybrids, foundations, tints, skin creams, and primers. Special effects are especially significant since they provide various benefits while also satisfying a craving for beauty.

These ingredients provide a new texture or advantage that you can add to these formulas. Infusing a skin tint with extra moisturizers for quick hydration, SPF in a lipstick, and highlighters in a concealer are just a few examples.

We fragrance everything from perfume to bath and body products, cleaning products, household products, and home fragrances.
We may not realize it, but all products have a base odor. Fragrance is then used to either mask or neutralize a scent, or to add something new to the product.
The addition of fragrance is used to enhance the experience of consumers and meet their needs or demands. Specific fragrances can target specific consumers. It’s often cultural and demographic tastes that dictate what we gravitate towards. We tend to look towards what we’re familiar with.
The generations also provide different tastes and influences. Socio and economic factors can change the trends in architecture and colors. Fragrances really mirror those trends. For example, younger generations prefer fruity fragrances, while older generations may have grown up with floral, green, powder, or heavier scents.
Another example is that American cleaning products are fragranced with pine and citrus notes, while Latin American cleaning products are fragranced with lavender. Baby products in the US use powdery notes, while in Europe orange flower and citrus notes are used for baby products.
We’re also drawn to fragrances that make us feel positive emotions like feeling special, powerful, confident, sexy, successful, clean, energized, or relaxed. Sometimes we select a fragrance based on the mood that we’re in or the experience that we’re going to have for the day. Citrus notes, for example, are energizing notes and make us feel fresh and clean. Heady floral fragrances in ambers and woods can make us feel sexy or feminine. And in the workplace, we might want to choose a fragrance that is not too intrusive or distracting but makes us feel confident.
In a competitive environment, fragrance can really make or break the viability and success of any given product. If you don’t like the way something smells, it will be hard to purchase it for the second time. Fragrance is the key.

We understand a lot more about marketing than we used to. An important part of the marketing process is identifying and analyzing your target customer.

After this point, the marketing process involves creating your first product and deciding on a price. Once you’ve set your price, you need to find ways to distribute it and promote it.

Marketing professionals use a tool called the marketing mix to help build their businesses and organize products.

The marketing mix is sometimes referred to as the ‘Four P Model’. But what are the ‘four P’s?

The first P is product. What kind of product is your target customer going to be interested in? For example, if you own a fragrance brand, consider the different aromas that people enjoy in each area of your target demographic. Different fragrances will be popular in different countries and even within the different regions of each country.

The important thing is to understand your customer and develop a product that’s going to appeal to them.

The second P is price. It’s not only important to have a product that is going to appeal to your target customer, but you have to have a product that your target customer can afford.

Make sure the price matches the product. Take a look at what kind of products are sold by other companies and compare them to your product. You can use this comparison to determine your price. Set your price so that it is accessible to your customers but will also provide you with a profit so you can grow a successful business.

The third P is called place or placement. You might also hear marketers call this distribution. This involves finding a place to sell your product, whether that’s in a brick-and-mortar store or online.

The final P is promotion. This involves communication and advertising to let your customers know about your product.

The role of a packaging designer is both critical and multifaceted. These designers collaborate closely with an interdisciplinary team that includes marketing experts, designers, engineers, researchers, material specialists, suppliers, manufacturers, and production teams. Their ultimate goal? To transform a product from concept to a shelf-ready marvel. Candace Allenson, a seasoned professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), sheds light on the critical role packaging designers play in preparing a product for its market debut.

The Workspace of a Packaging Designer

A common inquiry among those intrigued by the field of beauty packaging design relates to the environments in which these creatives operate. Marianne Klimchuk, a design professor at FIT, notes the curiosity of online beauty education students regarding not just the types of companies packaging designers collaborate with, but also the nature of their workspaces. In today’s digital era, the landscape of design agencies stretches globally, allowing packaging designers the flexibility to work from virtually anywhere. Whether it’s a cozy home office or a bustling design agency, the work environment can vary significantly.

A Global Network of Specialized Agencies

What sets apart packaging design in the beauty industry is the presence of specialized agencies focused solely on this niche. Unlike general graphic design firms or advertising agencies, these specialized entities are dedicated to the art and science of beauty packaging. Working on projects for both small firms and major brands, such as Glossier, packaging designers find themselves in diverse team settings, from small creative clusters to large interdisciplinary groups.

The Creative Environment

The physical workspace of a packaging designer is often designed to stimulate creativity and foster collaboration. It’s a space brimming with visual inspiration, from desktop computers to an array of design tools, packaging samples, and sources of inspiration. This environment mirrors that of architects and graphic designers, where the ambiance is crafted to enhance creativity, inspire innovation, and facilitate teamwork. For freelance designers or those with work-from-home arrangements, creating a personal workspace that echoes these principles is key to producing amazing packaging designs.

Crafting Packaging Designs in Beauty

The journey to creating compelling and effective packaging designs in the beauty industry is intricate and rewarding. For aspiring designers or professionals looking to deepen their understanding and skills in beauty packaging, specialized education can be a game-changer.

Whether you’re new to the field or seeking to advance your career, many of online beauty courses offer comprehensive insights into the world of beauty packaging design. These courses can provide a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical application, preparing students for success in this exciting industry.

Take the Next Step in Your Beauty Packaging Design Career

If you’re passionate about beauty packaging and eager to make your mark in the industry, exploring specialized education is your next step. Discover how the FIT Beauty Business Essentials Course and the FIT Beauty Industry Essentials Course at Yellowbrick can give you new opportunities and improve your design skills. Start your journey towards becoming a leading packaging designer in the beauty world today!

Like all other consumer-based industries in recent decades, the beauty industry has undergone an enormous change. There are a lot of reasons for this.

The internet has impacted every possible business on the globe. This is partly to blame for the changes within the beauty industry. But I think the beauty industry is also very cyclical.

It goes through periods when larger brands and corporations are very powerful. Then it switches to periods where small businesses dominate the industry.

Until around a decade ago, the beauty industry was all about the big companies. We’re all familiar with Estee Lauder, L’Oreal, Avon, and Revlon. They’re the most well-known beauty brand across the world.

But we’re now at a point in the cycle where the beauty industry is much more consumer-driven and customers are much more excited about smaller businesses. And it’s not just the beauty industry. It’s also the fashion and food industries too. The small players aren’t faced with the same challenges that they use to be.

The Internet has enabled any business, no matter how big or small, to become global. They can create a stunning website and build their social media accounts to grow an audience quickly. The internet has given businesses the chance to grow but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will have the resources to keep up with this growth.

But this is much less challenging than it used to be. It’s less expensive and requires fewer resources. The barriers to entry are much smaller but you usually need a large volume of resources to keep your business going.

The biggest shift in the industry is the move towards smaller businesses. The second biggest shift is the shift in consumerism.

The beauty industry is now more personal and consumer involvement is tenfold what it was just 15-20 years ago.

The beauty business is quite competitive and fast-paced, but there are three important traits that will help you succeed. Jihan Thompson, the co-founder and CEO of Swivel Beauty, believes persistence is number one.

Persistence means not giving up, whether you’ve heard no a million times or you’ve tried and failed. Keep figuring out solutions, advance your online beauty education, hone your craft, and keep improving. This level of persistence and not taking no for an answer is incredibly important.

Number two, be a risk taker. Be willing to say yes when others say no. Be willing to put yourself out there, even if it feels a little bit scary. Your willingness to take risks helps get you to that next level in your beauty career. It will put you in a position for massive opportunities for growth. Put yourself out there.

Take those calculated risks. No matter how scary they are, those are the ones that are going to really help grow your career.

Lastly, Thompson says to focus on being business-minded. While the beauty industry can be such a creative field, it’s also super important to have business acumen. Think about how you’re going to strategically grow your business and invest in your ongoing beauty education. Contemplate how you’re going to get from where you are to where you want to go, your dreams and goals, and the steps you’ll need to take to get there.

Don’t be afraid to think about the business side of things too at the start of your beauty career. When you put all of those traits together – you’re persistent, a risk taker, and understand the business side of what you’re doing – it creates a triple threat and helps you grow in your business.

Writing a headline for digital is very different from writing a headline for print. [INSERT SPEAKER HERE] believes that was actually probably one of the hardest things about switching over to digital after about four or five years in print. “When you’re writing for the magazine, a headline needs to get your point across in two to three words. You’re looking at idioms, and song lyrics, and movie titles to find a witty, kind of fun way to express the story in such a succinct manner,” explains [INSERT SPEAKER HERE].

When it comes to digital, the headline needs to do a number of things. It needs to draw the reader in, and it needs to make it clear what they’re about to read. The story online is only as strong as the headline. No one’s going to read it if it doesn’t have a great headline. “Think about all of the things that you see on your Facebook feed or your Twitter feed daily, and what you click on. It’s the headlines that draw you in, it really is,” says INSERT SPEAKER HERE].

[SPEAKER] explains the process of choosing a headline for digital copy, “At Allure, our process for a story is we submit three headlines for each story. One that’s super straight across, saying this is what you’re about to read. Then one that’s a little more vague. It kind of leaves the reader wondering, ‘what am I about to read? This is really interesting.’ Then the third can be a little bit more fun, funny, or witty. We actually have four or five editors from the social team and the editorial team weigh in on which headline we should use.”

Choosing a headline for digital is a real process. “There was definitely a transition of before, when we used to just-the writer used to just submit a headline that’s what went up, to when we put this process in.” [SPEAKER] believes this process has really strengthened the content and traffic numbers. “I think brainstorming a couple headlines is always super helpful for me when writing one for digital. And again, think about what would make you click, and that’s what you want to write.”

 “The most important point I’m going to talk on is mastering what I like to call the new language of beauty. I say ‘new language of beauty’ because the way we used to speak about it when I started seven or eight years ago was very different than it is today- especially online. When I was an editorial assistant first starting, we wrote about beauty in a way that hit at women’s fears- especially with aging. We talked about how to fix things and what you’re doing wrong,” Says Sophia Panych

Today you can’t speak like that. It’s a very different world. You need to talk about beauty in a way that’s less scary and more celebratory and fun because beauty is fun. Makeup is fun. Perfume is fun. It’s lighthearted.

We’re also much more inclusive than we’ve ever been. Inclusivity is a huge buzzword in the beauty industry right now, and for a very important reason. Magazines left out a big group of people, cultures, and races, and that’s something that we’ve been trying to be very aware of these days.

“For example, when you’re writing about hair and curls, we used to speak about curly hair as white girls with ringlets when there’s-that’s not the case at all,” Explains Panych. “Thinking about making sure you include all cultures and all different types of hair is important.”

We want to be more aware of age positivity and talk about skin care as you would fitness or health.

Not talking about skin care like have a wrinkle, it’s awful, and your life is over. Instead, talk about it in a way that’s not so dire and scary.

When writing about beauty online, it’s really important to speak about beauty in a modern way that focuses on positivity, that doesn’t focus on fear and negativity, one that focuses on health and wellness, and one that’s inclusive of all different types of beauty.

Writing about beauty online is similar to writing about beauty in print. You never want to sound like you are regurgitating the facts laid out in a press release. It is still essential to be a strong writer, able to craft a story.

While there are many fundamental similarities, there are vital points to consider when writing for a digital publication. Much like writing in print media, sounding authentic and relatable is crucial. And as you would in writing in any medium, be sure your content is reliable and accurate.

The first key to writing for an online publication is for your words to feel natural to the reader. One way to do this is to write as though you were having a casual conversation with a friend. It can help to read each sentence aloud. You can even pretend your friend is in the room with you.

If the sentence sounds the least bit forced, cheesy, or as though you are just listing facts directly from a press release, then it’s probably time to stop and rework that sentence.

People gravitate to digital content similar to the type of beauty advice they would find on social platforms like Reddit. People today want to feel like they are getting beauty advice from real people in the same real-world situations they might find themselves in.

Thinking in these terms while writing will keep your article sounding genuine and lend to your relatability, which is the second key point to remember when writing for an online publication.

You don’t want to sound too dictatorial. Gone are the days of the royal “we” in beauty writing. Try to avoid using “beauty speak” that you would find on a press release. In digital beauty writing, you want to let your personality shine through so people can relate to you and to the story you are telling.

Still, beauty writing online is often like walking a fine line. It’s important not to sound as though you are superior to your reader. While you want to speak to your reader like a friend, be wary of using “internet speak.” It’s easy to say the latest trending phrases, to sound cool and in the moment. It’s good again to stop here and decide if what you are writing is something you would say in a real-life situation.

If you write anything that would be an actual hashtag or a trending phrase, it’s best to make the change. No one goes around saying “LOL” instead of actually laughing, right? If you suddenly realize you just wrote “all the feels” or “brows on fleek,” it’s no longer conversational; it’s just cheesy and sounds unnatural.

Writing about beauty online isn’t very different than writing for a print publication. The transition is easy if you keep these key points in mind and remember to be yourself.