The 3 Biggest Trends in Beauty Packaging From This Year’s Trade Shows
From Cosmoprof Miami to MakeUp In Los Angeles and Luxe Pack New York, our Alder Packaging team has been busy exhibiting and experiencing the beauty packaging industry’s most influential events. Here are the high-level trends and initiatives we are seeing as we head into 2026 and 2027 planning.
1. Luxgevity
Longevity = luxury. More and more brands are focusing on durable, refillable, and sustainable designs, selecting materials like glass and metal over plastic. This investment elevates the product’s perception so customers are more likely to keep, reuse, and proudly display it on social media and in their homes.
AORA’s eyeshadow palette has gone viral on social media and trade shows for its sleek metal packaging. They encourage their customers to recycle or keep the packaging shell as a trinket holder or travel container. Image via www.aorabeauty.com
2. Bio-intelligence
Brands are turning to bio-engineered and nature-inspired materials that work with the environment as a way of differentiating themselves through mere principle. These sustainable advancements combine artistry, science, and morality to create packaging that feels poetic and alive.
People Care Planet Care (formerly Haeckles) offers 100% compostable, biodegradable packaging. Each product incudes QR codes for customer to track how materials can be reused, refilled or composted.
Image via www.haeckels.co.uk
3. Functional Design
Functionality is a vast frontier for brands to elevate themselves. It can be as simple as rethinking a cap or applicator to feel more ergonomic and intuitive — or as bold as combining product categories and reimagining the ritual. The sky’s the limit, as long as the focus stays on usability and efficiency (no gimmicks, please).
Did you know that people with visual impairments often label products with tape and rubber bands? Sisterwould partnered with Vision Australia to address this opportunity and add universal braille to their bottles.
Image via www.sisterwould.com
Alder Packaging’s dual applicator demonstrates how sensory design and multi-functionality can redefine the user experience. The sleek component features interchangeable wands, here shown with a classic spoolie and a precision comb. This empowers brands to customize their product application without changing the full package.
All third-party images are used for illustrative purposes only and remain the property of their respective brands.