In the competitive world of beauty products, packaging plays a key role in grabbing attention and communicating a brand's identity. Bold colors, striking designs and innovative concepts are taking center stage, making beauty packaging more than just a container—it's an experience. These eye-catching trends are reshaping how brands connect with consumers, blending style with functionality to stand out on the shelves.
Unilever Produces New Color Changing ‘Smart Label’ for Dove
Manufactured by Unilever, the Dove Shower Sensor Technology label activates when exposed to running water above 41°C, displaying a "VERY HOT" warning on the bottle to encourage a more skin-friendly shower temperature.Unilever, Dove Canada
When exposed to running water above 41°C, the Dove Shower Sensor Technology label activates, displaying a "VERY HOT" warning on the bottle to encourage a more skin-friendly shower temperature.
The Dove Shower Sensor Deep Moisture Body Wash integrates technology with personal care to enhance the shower experience. This new packaging technology provides consumers with simple guidance on optimal usage. This innovation highlights the potential for personal care packaging to offer both functionality and a focus on supporting skin health.
Divya Singh, head of personal care at Unilever Canada says, "The limited-edition Dove Shower Sensor Deep Moisture Body Wash is a great example of how innovation and skin care science can work together to build healthier habits.”
Singh adds, “By providing a simple yet effective reminder to maintain a skin-friendly shower temperature, this unique offering helps preserve the skin's natural moisture. Especially during Canada's coldest winter in years, hydration is key. We're proud to support advancements that make skin care both intuitive and effective, empowering consumers to care for their skin with confidence."
Fusion PKG's sleek, racetrack-style designs and versatile dispensing options help brands showcase more shades while enhancing product visibility.FusionPKG
Space-Saving Design to Maximize Retail Space
Fusion PKG’s Space Max Collection was created to maximize retail shelf efficiency, the Space reimagining beauty packaging with a sleek, racetrack-style profile that unlocks more space, and more shades. The collection is designed to help brands present a diverse range of shades through various dispensing options, including airless and atmospheric systems, tottles, tubes and direct applicators. Per Fusion PKG, this collection optimizes merchandising space and enhances product visibility, providing practical solutions for effective product display.
Chaos Packaging: The Disruptive Design Trend Shaking Up Beauty Aisles
A bold new trend is transforming the beauty industry, and it’s anything but ordinary. Known as chaos packaging, this disruptive design approach is breaking away from traditional, uniform aesthetics. Instead, it embraces playful, unconventional, and eye-catching designs that turn everyday beauty products into artistic statement pieces. From textured floral patterns on moisturizers to iridescent, ocean-inspired sunscreen bottles, chaos packaging is shaking up shelves and redefining how brands capture attention.
ICONS|ICS, from textured floral patterns on moisturizers to iridescent, ocean-inspired sunscreen bottles, chaos packaging is shaking up shelves and redefining how brands capture attention.ICONS|ICS
Anson says, “Brands are embracing chaos packaging to stand out in a crowded market, driven by several key factors. Social media buzz plays a major role, as these designs are crafted to thrive on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, sparking organic engagement and viral moments. Younger consumers, particularly millennials and Gen Z, are drawn to novelty and storytelling, making such designs highly appealing. With the cosmetics industry projected to reach a trillion dollars by 2025, market differentiation has become essential, pushing brands to innovate. Additionally, some brands are leveraging sustainability by incorporating recyclable materials like paper, glass, and biodegradable multi-functional components into their packaging.”
ICONS|America's IML tubes offer vast design and finish capabilities, making them ideal for brands looking to embrace the chaos packaging trend. Features include:
- 360-degree decoration for seamless, high-impact graphics.
- Varied finishes like matte, metallic, holographic, and tactile embellishments.
- Durable, high-quality packaging that maintains visual appeal.
Anson concludes, “Chaos packaging is more than just a trend, it’s a new way to engage consumers. With ICONS|America leading IML tube innovation, brands can seamlessly adopt this movement. Whether it’s a skincare serum in a soda can or a metallic hair care product with striking graphic, one thing is clear—chaos packaging is here to stay.”
Digital 3D Printed Labeling
New deco capabilities from Inoac featuring complete 3D imagery including new texture component for beauty and personal care packaging.Inoac
Inoac’s new design technology, featured at the 2025 LuxePack LA event, can offer high-quality, detailed designs with raised 3D textures, along with options for both matte and glossy finishes. It’s a fresh approach for brands looking to create unique packaging that stands out and delivers a memorable, tactile experience.
Data-Driven Design Decisionmaking for Beauty Brands
Beka Ventham, senior organic growth manager, shares insights into how Dragonfly AI empowers beauty brands to thrive through packaging innovations.
“Dragonfly AI provides a suite of AI-powered tools designed to help beauty brands optimize packaging performance, ensuring maximum consumer engagement, shelf impact, and digital visibility."
She adds, "By leveraging proprietary algorithms rooted in visual neuroscience, Dragonfly AI enables brands to make data-driven design decisions with confidence, reducing guesswork and accelerating time to market."
Ventham from Dradonfly AI says, "Using AI-driven insights, the brand improved visibility scores from 30% to 60% by refining packaging with brighter colors and human elements, ensuring stronger consumer engagement and in-market performance."Dragonfly AI
At the core of Dragonfly AI’s technology is its patented biological algorithm, developed in collaboration with Queen Mary University of London. Unlike traditional machine learning models that rely on historical data, Dragonfly AI’s algorithm mimics human pre-cognitive attention, predicting where a consumer’s eye will go within the first few seconds of encountering a product.
“This allows beauty brands to evaluate packaging effectiveness before production,” Ventham explains, “ensuring that key elements such as product name, benefits, and branding are immediately noticed.”
The algorithm has been independently verified against the MIT saliency benchmark, achieving an impressive 89% accuracy in predicting visual attention. Another key feature is A/B testing and benchmarking, which allows brands to compare multiple packaging variations against industry standards and competitor designs.
“This is particularly valuable for beauty brands looking to differentiate themselves in a crowded market," says Ventham. "By benchmarking against high-performing packaging, brands can identify design elements that drive engagement and refine their creative approach accordingly."
Ventham also shares a recent success story: “A leading skin care brand sought to refresh its key visual look and feel at the brand level. The goal was to test whether adding new elements—such as enhanced color and people in imagery—would improve visibility and engagement both in-store and online."
She continues, "Using Dragonfly AI, the brand conducted a two-phase testing process. In total, 32 images were analyzed, with 24 tested in the first round and 8 in the second. We assessed consumer attention patterns, identifying which elements captured the most visual engagement.”
Unlike traditional machine learning models that rely on historical data, Dragonfly AI’s algorithm mimics human pre-cognitive attention, predicting where a consumer’s eye will go within the first few seconds of encountering a product.Dragonfly AI
The results were remarkable. "The average visibility score in context increased from 30% to 60%, demonstrating a clear improvement in the effectiveness of the updated design," Ventham says. "By incorporating brighter colors and human elements, the refreshed key visuals achieved greater standout, ensuring that the product was more likely to catch consumer attention at the point of sale."
This case study highlights the power of AI-driven creative optimization. The ability to rapidly test multiple design variations across different rounds enabled the brand to make data-backed creative decisions with confidence.
“By leveraging AI insights, they not only refined their packaging for better engagement, but also reduced the risk of launching ineffective designs, ultimately driving stronger in-market performance,” Ventham concludes.
Dragonfly AI’s predictive analytics empower beauty brands to optimize packaging and marketing visuals with scientific precision, ensuring that every creative asset is designed for maximum consumer impact.
