Packaging is the unsung hero of the beauty world, the critical touchpoint between brands and consumers. It's often the first thing consumers see and the first thing consumers touch when they experience a brand's product. To celebrate packaging's place in beauty, Global Cosmetic Industry spoke to experts across the packaging industry to ask one key question: What is a key trend you see coming in 2026?
Across all perspectives, one theme is clear: 2026 is the year packaging becomes precise and purposeful in its storytelling potential, backed by innovations in sustainability and impactful engineering.
Below is a breakdown of what industry leaders say will define the year ahead.
Beyond Unboxing: Emotional Storytelling and Regulatory Integrity
“In 2026, luxury packaging will be defined by the convergence of regulatory integrity and emotional storytelling," said Sophie Ivens, chief executive officer at Rissmann Packaging.
Sophie Ivens, CEO at Rissmann PackagingRissmann Packaging
Ivens noted, “At the same time, consumers demand that packaging be both responsible and emotionally resonant. Packaging has become a moment of truth—where emotion, narrative and sustainability meet. Beyond aesthetics, design must also respond to logistical realities: limited storage capacity, supply chain efficiency and optimized transport. Foldable and collapsible innovations such as the Gamma ‘collapsible box collection’ embody this evolution—elegant, space-saving and adaptable across product lines.”
She added, “Creations like the Skyline Edition shopping bag and the Slide & Camp; Click Box show how sustainability and luxury now reinforce each other. Through FSC-certified materials, recyclable mono-material structures, sensorial finishes and digital extensions like QR codes that continue the story beyond unboxing, packaging is evolving into a seamless language of beauty, function and ethics.’’
Precise and Purposeful Packaging
Nathasha Marquez, head of marketing at Texen & Quadpack, said, “As we move toward 2026, I believe the biggest driving force behind beauty will continue to be the consumer. Access to education and transparency has given rise to a more informed, demanding and self-aware audience."
She added, "Consumers are no longer passive: they question, compare and expect brands to offer real value, not just storytelling. Their influence shapes everything from product formulation to packaging design."
Nathasha Marquez, head of marketing at Texen & Quadpack, said, “As we move toward 2026, I believe the biggest driving force behind beauty will continue to be the consumer. Access to education and transparency has given rise to a more informed, demanding and self-aware audience."OlegKovalevich at Adobe Stock
“In packaging specifically, we’re entering an era of precision and purpose," said Marquez. "I anticipate seeing more multi-functional solutions, such as double-ended formats that offer versatility and convenience without compromising aesthetics. We’re also on the brink of new, never-seen-before innovations, where creativity and engineering come together to push boundaries, whether through intuitive gestures, smart components or disruptive materials.”
Marquez ended by noting, "Of course, sustainability remains a constant pillar, but I believe we must now see it less as a competitive differentiator and more as a collective responsibility. True progress will come from collaboration between brands, suppliers and consumers working together to redefine what 'responsible beauty' truly means."
Elegance that Endures: Technical Artistry Meets Precision Engineering
Boris Schaeffer, VP of sales for TNT Group USATNT Group
He added, "At TNT Group, we are translating this vision through advanced metalwork—zamak, aluminum and brass—as well as materials such as fabric, wood and marble to create durable pieces that feel timeless yet adaptable."
Schaeffer explained, "Beauty brands now seek packaging that expresses luxury through longevity, craftsmanship and responsible innovation. The future lies in engineering elegance that endures—not just impresses.’’
Trend-Focused Packaging
Virospack also chimed in. According to a report by the companya, "Hair care is consolidating as a growth engine in beauty, already the #2 global category at $92.69 billion in 2024, [as reported by Euromonitorb]."
Virospack said, "Packaging will follow suit: smaller, targeted formats with precise-dose applicators and distinctive shapes that convey efficacy—affordable luxury that wins in both mass and professional channels."AsterionMad at Adobe Stock
The company said, "Packaging will follow suit: smaller, targeted formats with precise-dose applicators and distinctive shapes that convey efficacy—affordable luxury that wins in both mass and professional channels. For hair care, the win is where precision meets responsibility: recyclable, monomaterial droppers with brandable and in-house finishes, because sustainability is now a key consideration in today’s beauty market, [per Nielsend]."
From Static to Smart: Personalized Packaging and Advanced Technology
Max Farrow, marketer at Nuon Medical, said, "We see 2026 as the year when personalization becomes measurable and where packaging doesn’t just deliver a product but reads and responds to the skin in real time. The future of skin care will combine diagnostic sensing technologies with active applicators, creating systems that adapt treatment intensity, temperature or light wavelength to the individual’s skin condition at that exact moment."
Max Farrow, marketer at Nuon Medical, said, "We see 2026 as the year when personalization becomes measurable and where packaging doesn’t just deliver a product but reads and responds to the skin in real time.HalynaRom at Adobe Stock
He added, "This means packaging will evolve from a static design to a smart, responsive systems—capable of analyzing hydration, oil balance or irritation and adjusting the product’s delivery accordingly. By linking sensor-based feedback with Nuon Medical's modular technologies (LED, microcurrent, PEMF, ultrasonic), we enable brands to move from one-size-fits-all to dynamic, data-driven skin care experiences."
Farrow noted, "For brands, this marks the next step in technology-enhanced packaging: turning personalization from a marketing claim into a tangible, science-based function built directly into the product architecture."
Agility to Market: Flexible, Adaptable Designs
Lorraine Pouliot, account executive at Capardoni, said, "A key trend for 2026 across all areas of the cosmetics industry is agility to market. This agility is shaping every function—from product development and packaging to supply chain and sustainability."
Pouliot added, "For primary packaging, 'agility to market' means designing with flexibility in mind: adaptable styles, materials and manufacturing locations that align with evolving customer demands for creativity, compatibility and cost-effectiveness down to the moment of purchase. The balance between what is beautiful and what is the smartest purchase in a shifting global landscape is guiding decisions and driving innovation."
Lorraine Pouliot, account executive at Capardoni, said, "A key trend for 2026 across all areas of the cosmetics industry is agility to market."Abimusa at Adobe Stock
She continued, "I’m personally excited by this evolution because of my early experience in the industry. When I was with the Estée Lauder brand global visual merchandising department in the early 2010s, the tester units, previously unique to each line within the brand, were completely redesigned into a fully modular system."
Pouliot said, "Even in my small role, I witnessed how this new structure created new flexibility, and how that combination unlocked creativity and excitement across advertising, copy, VM, store design, up to marketing. That same spirit of agile creativity continues to drive how I see innovation today."
Personality and Play: Experiential Packaging That Consumers Remember
Berlin Packaging said, "Every brand has its own story, which the packaging must tell in a coherent and authentic way. This is why companies nowadays are looking for solutions with a distinctive personality, placing importance on size, general shapes and the combination with accessories made of different materials. In this way, even functional elements, such as capsules and rings, are transformed into stylish details, destined to become iconic."
The company explained, "Customization is being taken to new levels of innovation and refinement using the most advanced decorative technologies, which are capable of transforming every detail into a distinctive feature. Among these, 3D inkjet printing allows you to create textures and embossed logos with sophisticated tactile effects, without color limits. It's a perfect solution to enhance the brand's visual identity through the packaging itself, pushing the concept of hyper-personalization to the extreme."
Berlin Packaging said, "Every brand has its own story, which the packaging must tell in a coherent and authentic way."dark_blade at Adobe Stock
"The search for naturalness is also reflected in the shape: circles, bevels, squares and minimal geometries express authenticity without distorting the packaging," said the company. "This trend manifests itself in the targeted customization of certain details—accessories, rings, bases—which, with minimal but targeted intervention, can completely change the perception of the product, transforming it into a contemporary and recognizable object."
"At the same time, a trend towards soft, enveloping shapes is emerging, inspired by the physicality and more emotional dimension of the human body," the company said. "The fluid lines refer to smooth surfaces such as stones, drops of water or natural elements reinterpreted in a pop style. Packaging with sculptural shapes and saturated colors become collector's items, designed to be shared and shown on social media, strengthening the bond between brand and consumer through a young and immediate visual language."
Berlin Packaging added, "In the contemporary beauty landscape, the functionality of packaging is no longer a marginal technical aspect but rather an integral part of the user experience. Innovation involves the design of formats and applicators designed to respond to increasingly precise, conscious and pleasant gestures. Tubes, bottles and dispensers evolve into more ergonomic and intuitive shapes, improving the performance of the formulas and the everyday relationship with the product."
![Berlin Packaging said, 'Much more than a simple casing or a normal package, [packaging becomes] a fully-fledged experience that, at a glance, manages to tell the story that makes a perfume, a serum, a cream or a lipstick special. This ultimately makes them recognizable, memorable and desirable.'](https://img.gcimagazine.com/mindful/allured/workspaces/default/uploads/2025/12/adobestock-728396702.dc1AKkwL92.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=max&q=70&w=700)
Berlin Packaging said, "Much more than a simple casing or a normal package, [packaging becomes] a fully-fledged experience that, at a glance, manages to tell the story that makes a perfume, a serum, a cream or a lipstick special. This ultimately makes them recognizable, memorable and desirable."Anna Zhukkova at Adobe Stock
Moreover, the company stated, "With the new PPWR directive, the entire supply chain is called upon to rethink materials, design, processes and the duration of the product life cycle. Packaging is thus transformed into a tool for dialogue between brand and consumer, capable of renewing itself over time and generating value beyond the first use."
"The refill is one of the most effective solutions: a circular gesture that prolongs the life of the pack and becomes an opportunity for re-connection between brand and user every time the product is refilled," said the company.
The company finished by saying, "Much more than a simple casing or a normal package, [packaging becomes] a fully-fledged experience that, at a glance, manages to tell the story that makes a perfume, a serum, a cream or a lipstick special. This ultimately makes them recognizable, memorable and desirable."
Form, Function and Finish: Designs that Inspire
To illustrate how form, function and finish are making waves in 2026, Global Cosmetic Industry is highlighting packaging innovations that embody what's happening across formats and aesthetics right now.
Compact Bottles for Function and Travel
Capardoni has two new bottle types for 2026, the tottle Nevis and the Chico for skin care and makeup, designed in Italy.
Tottle Nevis 30 ML
The bottle is made of HDPE or PP, and the cap is made of PP. Capardoni
With its innovative compact design and pocket-sized format, Tottle Nevis is suited for packaging liquid and creamy formulas such as foundations, serums and hair care products. The bottle is made of HDPE or PP, and the cap is made of PP.
Chico
The bottle is suited for foundations, serums or other formulas.Capardoni
This sleek new glass bottle has a rounded glass base and overcap, which offers both functionality and aesthetic. The bottle is suited for foundations, serums or other formulas.
Four Unique Aesthetics For Bottles
Berlin Packaging is also delivering four new bottles with wildly different aesthetic charm. The company's line up includes its Aux, Pockii, Hollywood and Herve collections, each bringing a distinct personality for categories that range from personal and home care to skin and color cosmetics.
Aux Collection
Designed by Studio One Eleven, Aux is the personal care collection that combines modernity, elegance and accessibility. Berlin Packaging
Pockii Collection
The Pockii Collection retains the compact, rounded silhouette of the original line but stand out through a warm, sensorial color palette designed to showcase skin care and hair care formulas in a contemporary, sustainable way.Berlin Packaging
Hollywood Collection
Berlin Packaging Beauty reinvents its fragrance portfolio with new interpretations of iconic shapes, elevated by contemporary palettes and striking decorations.Berlin Packaging
Decorative finishes for the Herve Collection emphasize size differences with tonal contrasts.Berlin Packaging
Another new look is given to Herve, a classic in high-end perfumery, defined by its square shape with 45° angles—a line that conveys timeless solidity and refinement. Alongside glass bottles, a new 250 ml plastic version in PP and PETG debuts for the bath and body segment: two elegant bottles, compatible with dispensers or screw caps, bring the premium fragrance language into personal care. Decorative finishes emphasize size differences with tonal contrasts: burgundy red for larger formats, yellow and warm gray for smaller sizes, with gold as the unifying accent across Cliché zamak caps and hot stamping.
Prestige Fragrance Classics
Texen Group is making waves in the prestige fragrance category, with unique and iconic packaging designs for Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton.
The cap’s design required technical mastery, blending creativity with industrial precision. Texen Group
Marc Jacobs' Daisy Wild Eau So Intense
One year after the successful launch of Daisy Wild, Marc Jacobs Fragrances has expanded the iconic collection with Daisy Wild Eau So Intense. A new interpretation of the best-selling Daisy Wild, the Texen Group teams crafted a more bold and vibrant version of the cap for this intensified fragrance.
A pop and sophisticated design, the Daisy Wild Eau So Intense Marc Jacobs cap stands out with its bright, energetic colors.Texen Group
The cap’s design required technical mastery, blending creativity with industrial precision. Its structure—composed of a complex headpiece and a meticulous assembly of multiple elements in various materials (different types of polyolefins)—was engineered to meet a dual objective: deliver a playful and sensorial experience while ensuring a premium perception aligned with luxury codes.
Louis Vuitton LVERS Celebration
Louis Vuitton celebrated the first anniversary of LVERS and unveiled a new bottle designed with the Texen Group. To elevate its look, an exceptional bottle made of pure copper was created. The result was a high-precision collaboration between the artisans of Artema Firenze and the technical expertise of Texen Group. Inspired by the sun’s regenerative energy, LVERS is reimagined through an artistic object that reflects light, warmth and vitality. The fragrance captures a solar abstraction through a holistic, sensorial composition crafted from living essences.
The copper bottle, a tribute to the metal plaques adorning 19th-century explorers’ trunks, boldly and elegantly reinterprets the house’s design codes.Texen Group
To preserve the olfactory integrity of the perfume and prevent any contact with the copper, Texen Group designed and developed a specific internal protective coating. This technical component, inserted manually into each bottle, is made from a flexible multilayer film, ensuring optimal sealing and compatibility.
Function and Style
Rissmann Packaging has created two different designs for packaging: a highly stylized shopping bag and a functional slide-and-click box.
Skyline Edition Shopping Bag
Made from 205 gsm Fedrigoni Freelife Cento paper (100% recycled fibers), the Skyline Edition Shopping Bag combines offset printing with water-based inks and layered matt, metallic and pearlescent finishes.Rissmann
Made from 205 gsm Fedrigoni Freelife Cento paper (100% recycled fibers), the bag combines offset printing with water-based inks and layered matte, metallic and pearlescent finishes. Multi-level embossing and debossing produce a pronounced 3D relief, while gold or clear transfer adds brilliance to selected areas. The customizable, removable inner base enhances practicality and adaptability for limited editions.
Slide & Click Box
Entirely made from FSC-certified cardboard and paper, the Rissmann box introduces a new “slide-and-click” gesture that combines motion and sound for a distinctive tactile experience.Rissmann
Entirely made from FSC-certified cardboard and paper, the box introduces a new “slide-and-click” gesture that combines motion and sound for a distinctive tactile experience. Its magnet-free mechanical closure delivers a precise, satisfying click while ensuring full recyclability and durability. Designed in-house, the structure balances technical precision, elegance and sustainability.
Sustainable Materials Meet Aesthetic
The TNT Group has designed a jar and a sleek rounded cap for skin care and fragrance, offering minimalist aesthetics with sustainably-sourced materials.
Darphin Stimulskin Plus
The sculpting cream features a refillable structure made of two zamak parts, assembled invisibly to ensure strength and a polished finish. TNT Group
The sculpting cream features a refillable structure made of two zamak parts, assembled invisibly to ensure strength and a polished finish. A threaded collar system secures the replaceable glass jar, while a bayonet mechanism allows easy refilling of the jar. The development required perfect harmony between the two reusable structures, ensuring consistency in design and volume.
The Bell-Shaped Cap of Jil Sander Miel
Olfactory Series 1 is crafted from a single piece of cold-pressed aluminum.TNT Group
Olfactory Series 1 is crafted from a single piece of cold-pressed aluminum, combining finesse with robustness and finished in uniform white lacquer with black silk-screen printing. A recycled PP insert, treated for a matte effect and perfectly flush, enhances both visual harmony and durability. The development demanded a fine balance between aesthetic purity, mechanical strength and functional compatibility with the refillable pump system.
Parfums de Marly
This new collection of Extraits de Parfum reinterprets the art of 18th-century living. Three olfactory masterpieces, rooted in French savoir-faire, are each presented in a glass bottle. Their embossed caps and reusable cases feature patterns inspired by "guilloché," an intricate decorative technique born in 18th-century France.
Extraits de Parfum reinterprets the art of 18th-century living. Parfums de Marly
Eragon Course du Soleil: A vibrant, radiant swirl inspired by the sun’s path, echoing the iconic fresco on the facade of the Royal Pavilion
Valero Les Chevrons: A motif recalling the celebrated parquet floors of the Chateau de Marly’s formal salons, a timeless emblem of French heritage
Carios Les Clous de Paris: A geometric pattern evoking the cobblestones of the royal avenues leading to the estate; a symbol of momentum, strength and determination
Location-Inspired Design Meets Trendy Product
The exclusive edition blends Dolce & Gabbana’s signature Italian flair and The Mark’s black-and-white sophistication into its packaging inspiration. The Mark x Dolce & Gabbana Fefé
Heritage Design Turned Collectible
Lancôme, with Italian design house Pininfarina, has designed new packaging for some of Lancôme's iconic products, inspired by French artisans with a nod to vintage.
The Absolue Longevity Soft Cream
The cream gives a nod to the very first incarnation of Absolue Skin Cream, which debuted in 1965 with a jar crafted in ceramic.Lancôme
The cream gives a nod to the very first incarnation of Absolue Skin Cream, which debuted in 1965 with a jar crafted in ceramic. The jar is hand-crafted around a white porcelain vessel that holds the cream, which can be refilled. This is set within a second, outer porcelain layer, adorned with a textured, brushed gold finish. The lid is designed as golden gua sha—used to bring a sensorial effect to the cream’s application—and is inscribed with Lancôme’s rose agora pattern.
La Vie est Belle Eau de Parfum
The crystal bottle rests on a pristine white ceramic base, adorned with Lancôme’s signature rose agora pattern in gold, evoking a precious jewel. Lancôme
The crystal bottle rests on a pristine white ceramic base, adorned with Lancôme’s signature rose agora pattern in gold, evoking a precious jewel. The bottle's signature crystal smile is reinterpreted as a dynamic curve, while the pleated gold ribbon wings, a symbol of effortless elegance, appear suspended.
A 2026 Guide to Packaging
2026 will reward packaging partners who can deliver flexibility, sustainability and emotional impact through their designs. Below are Global Cosmetic Industry's thoughts on how packaging manufacturers can stay ahead of the curve in the new year.
2026 will reward packaging partners who can deliver intelligence, flexibility, sustainability and emotional impact through their designs.Isaiah at Adobe Stock
Environmental Accountability
Environmental expectations are rising, and packaging suppliers must deliver. From sustainably-sourced materials to improved innovations in recyclability and refillability, environmental accountability is becoming a standard across the packaging industry. In 2026, beauty brands will seek out packaging partners who can deliver sustainable solutions without compromises, all while remaining transparent.
Emotive Storytelling
Design is becoming a brand's best storytelling tool, one that can convey a brand's values, identity and vibe at a glance. Through thoughtful form and finish, well-designed packaging can help cut through the market noise, helping consumers connect with products that speak to them while giving brands a competitive edge.
In 2026, well-designed packaging will see highly customizable colors, textures and shapes, with tactile finishes that feel meaningful, bespoke and collectable. Coupled with intricate details and premium finishes, packaging partners that can unify a brand's vision with its products will stand out on the market.
Practical and Powerful Engineering
More than aesthetics, packaging must be engineered to work seamlessly with a brand's product, offering high-performance, durability and ergonomic design. As suppliers push the boundaries of packaging solutions, the partners that focus on more creative ways to solve challenges related to protection, dispensing, blending and travel will gain a competitive edge. For 2026, packaging partners should be on the lookout for more innovative ways to tackle both niche and mass packaging concerns with breakthrough technology and practicality.
Consumer-Driven Creations
Speed and relevance are critical to beauty. Trends come and go at the speed of light, and brands are constantly shifting to meet changing consumer demands. Packaging suppliers must be able to meet these shifts and bring agility to every stage of development. In 2026, the suppliers who can adapt on demand and help brands stay aligned with consumers’ evolving needs will rise to the top.
FOOTNOTES
dwww.nielseniq.com/global/en/landing-page/tl-the-changing-story-of-sustainability/
