Is a Sensory Experience Key to Cosmetic Skin Care Packaging?

A study posted on Cosmetic Design suggests that when purchasing skin care products, consumers opt for sensorial packaging that aligns with their ideal care routine.

This study found commonalities in the skin care routines of participants in the US, UK, Brazil, China, France, and South Korea. There are five clearly defined steps, and each is enhanced by a certain type of packaging:

1. Cleansing. First, study participants expressed that they start their skin care with cleansing in the hope of achieving a refreshed feeling. This feeling is amplified by a cleansing product with packaging that can be operated with one hand without spilling.

2. Moisturizing. Next, participants desired hydration for their skin. The packaging key here was controlled dispensing. In other words, consumers are concerned with the amount of moisturizer dispensed at one time.

3. Brightening. This step was performed by the more posh participants, but emphasized limited waste from dispensing. This may have something to do with the cost of “brightening and renewing” cosmetics.

4. Protect. At this stage, participants were concerned with protecting their skin by using products like sunscreen. A major concern for this step was portability. Obviously, most users need sunscreen on-the-go and prefer something that won’t spill or take up too much room in a bag.

5. Beauty Base. This step involved the application of tinted moisturizers and similar products. Once again, portability was the major packaging desire for these products because they are often used for touch ups.

Studies of this type show the growing innovation of the cosmetic packaging industry. By tapping into our customers’ senses, we’re providing packaging they probably didn’t even realize they preferred.