Cosmetic Label Design Tips That Sell

In the cosmetics industry, the glut of competitors makes it essential that brands find a way to set themselves apart among shelves after shelves of similar products. The best way to grab a customer’s eye – and their business — is a standout cosmetic label design.

Having an exceptional label is even more critical for startups and independent cosmetic brands. In fact, the growing popularity of indie brands has caused industry-leading branding and design agencies to take notice.

Most up-and-coming cosmetic brands, however, don’t have the cash flow it takes to hire a major agency to handle label design. Fortunately, with some basic knowledge of what it takes to create an eye-catching cosmetic label design, newer and independent brands can partner with a label maker’s design team to create a design that can catch the eyes of their target customers.

Here are some tips from the Nova Custom Label Printing design team that can help you design a label that will make your cosmetics stand out:

Beauty Product Labels Sizing Tailored to the Product

In design, size can be everything. If a beauty product labels are too small relative to the product’s size, customers will practically need a magnifying glass to see the brand’s copy and artwork.

Furthermore, there’s a ratio among elements that you need to remember: the rule of thirds. When two-thirds of a design – let’s say a beautiful landscape – is sky, and the other third fields and hills, people have an innate attraction to such a ratio. The same can apply to the ratio of label to product.

Consider a Waterproof Label

Many people apply cosmetics in the bathroom, thanks to the soap and water at hand, to clean up in case of an mistake or two. Yet having soap and water handy often leads to an extremely moist environment.

For that reason, our design team recommends  that cosmetic makers use waterproof beauty product labels. With waterproof labels, users can ensure that they’ll have a readable label throughout the useful life of the product – no matter how moist their bathroom.

Use Color Combinations That Appeal to Potential Customers

Tried-and true color combinations, such as primary, complementary, monochromatic, and analogous colors are always a good bet when it comes to colors. Using an online color resource to get ideas always helps to narrow down the choices.

Beauty product labels should, of course, look attractive to those who are buying. If a product’s target demographic is young, traditional women who prefer a more feminine look, soft pastels would be an excellent choice. If the product appeals to a bolder demographic, hot pinks, reds, or high-contrast primary colors might work better.

Also, consider the emotional impact that the color has on potential customers. For instance, purple is often associated with royalty, red for a sizzling-hot sensuous look, and blues, greens, and browns to echo the colors of nature.

Just like any other marketing strategy, labeling success depends on a brand’s ability to customize its labels to its target customers. Once a brand has that down, it is likelier to enjoy success, as long as the product lives up to the label.

Design Should Reflect the Brand and the Product

Not only should cosmetic label design reflect tried-and-true principles of proportion and color, but it should also reflect the brand’s – and the product’s – unique value proposition (UVP). For example, if the product is crafted from all-natural or organic ingredients, earthy browns and lush greens – grasses and trees – should figure into the overall scheme. Again, for a more feminine look, florals, wispy skies, and other softer design elements will likely be better choices.

The brand’s logo, too, needs a prominent spot on the label. Of course, it needs to blend in with the product label’s overall color scheme. Use fonts that blend well with the brand image. Fun, playful fonts work well with youthful cosmetic brands, while sophisticated fonts better convey the copy on high-end cosmetics.

Create a First Draft on the Computer

Once the concept is in mind, it’s time to get a better look at how it will look on the product. A free computer design program can provide a workable first draft that the label maker’s design team can refine into the end product.

TechRadar has a list of some free-to-use illustration programs that startups and independent companies can use to create label mock-ups. Use tape to attach them to the product for a better real-life look at what the product will look like on the shelf.

Lip Gloss Labels Must Stand Out

Where’s the label? Lip gloss labels and labels for other small cosmetic products, such as eyeliner, need an eye-catching design that doesn’t overpower the container. Use high-contrast color combinations against which consumers can easily see the lettering on the label.

Make Sure You Include Required and Practical Information on Each Label

A quality label design needs to incorporate all the information the government requires, as well as contact information, instructions, and other important information.

• • The product’s name, weight, and volume: Make sure that consumers know what they’re getting. Often, products that come in small containers, such as eyeliner and eyebrow pencil or lip gloss and lip balm, look alike. Make sure that the name of the product is clearly stated on lip gloss labels and similar products. In addition, state the product’s weight and volume.

• • Instructions: On smaller labels, such as eyebrow pencil and lip gloss labels, there might not be enough room for instructions. In that case, a cosmetic maker can enclose the product in a box that has instructions printed on its interior or an insert. In any case, instructions, particularly for new products, are a must to include in cosmetic labeling.

• • FDA requirements: U.S. law requires that labels for cosmetic products contain specific information. That information includes a principal display panel that display’s the product’s name, the product’s use, and the net amount; the ingredients in descending order; any warnings about allergens, misuse, or other hazards; and the manufacturer’s contact information, including at least the zip code, street address, city, and state. We also highly recommend that companies include their website and other online contact information.

When your brand gets cosmetic label design right, your products will likely fly off the shelves – no matter how new they are to the market. For cosmetic labels that really sell, get in touch with our expert design team today!