In the beauty and wellness industries, packaging is more than a vessel. It’s a brand’s promise, and the first step in the conversion journey. With consumers making split-second decisions in crowded aisles and scrolling through endless online options, packaging must communicate trust, efficacy, and aesthetic value instantly. And when 72% of shoppers agree that the design of a product’s packaging often influences their purchase decisions, it’s obvious that packaging must perform seamlessly both in the physical world and across digital platforms now more than ever.
Here’s how our team of experts here at Front Row designs for impact across shelves, screens, and every touchpoint in between.
Strategy First, Aesthetic Second
Great packaging begins with strategy, not just style. Every design decision should be rooted in your brand’s mission, positioning, and consumer promise. When packaging reflects a clear strategy, it ensures consistency across product pipelines and channels, reinforcing trust and recognition no matter where a customer encounters your product.
Unified packaging strategy supports seamless product recognition across DTC, Amazon, retail, and social platforms, making it easier for consumers to connect the dots between all the places they encounter your brand. This strategic foundation will enable your brand to scale, launch line extensions, and maintain a cohesive presence everywhere, from influencer unboxings to retail endcaps.
Stock vs. Custom: Know When to Choose What
Balancing timeline, budget, sustainability, and uniqueness is critical in packaging decisions. And your design decisions must account for the entire commerce ecosystem, from supply chain efficiency to how packaging photographs and renders online.
So, stock packaging or custom? Stock packaging doesn’t have to mean generic. With thoughtful design, even common components can feel unique and ownable. Custom forms are best reserved for hero SKUs or when you want to tell a signature brand story. Custom packaging can create a memorable unboxing or shelf presence, but it comes with longer lead times and higher costs.
When making these choices, it’s important to consider sustainable options that appeal to younger generations, too. 59% of Millennials and 56% of Gen Z have reported consciously purchasing products with sustainable packaging in the last six months. By being transparently eco-friendly, your brand will be able to create stronger connections with your consumers.
CASE STUDY: Front Row Wins Best in Packaging – Beauty & Cosmetics at the Dieline Awards for WYN BEAUTY by Serena Williams
Interested in learning more about our award-winning package design? Click here to read about our work with WYN Beauty by Serena Williams, which took 1st in Best in Packaging for Beauty & Cosmetics at the Dieline Awards 2025.
Design for Discovery: Digital & Physical Shelf Readiness
Standout packaging is engineered for both the physical and digital shelf. Every element, from color to container shape, must work hard across all marketplaces and digital touchpoints, not just the retail aisle.
Visual hierarchy, color blocking, and form factor are crucial for grabbing attention in crowded retail environments and small digital thumbnails alike. Details like type scale, finish, and tactile elements affect not only in-person discovery but also how products stand out on e-commerce platforms. For example, bold logos and clear typography improve recognition on mobile screens, while unique finishes like matte or gloss can be highlighted in product photography.
Build a System, Not Just a Label
Future-ready brands don’t design packaging one SKU at a time; they build scalable systems. A cohesive packaging system streamlines content creation at scale, making it easier to produce marketing assets and maintain brand consistency across all channels.
Packaging architecture should be extensible, allowing for easy expansion as new products, line extensions, or seasonal SKUs are introduced. This approach enables a consistent look and feel across SKUs, driving trust, catalyzing consumer decision-making, and reinforcing brand equity. A well-designed system can also help to simplify content production, ensuring every new launch fits seamlessly into your brand’s visual language.
Make Unboxing an Experience
Unboxing is the new brand theater. Memorable packaging drives retention, encourages social sharing, and can even lead to increased reusability, a key driver for DTC success and customer loyalty.
Every layer offers a chance to deepen emotional connection, reinforce messaging, and invite social sharing. Structural moments (like magnetic closures or unique opening mechanisms) and thoughtful details (such as personalized notes or QR codes) transform unboxing into a memorable experience, increasing the likelihood of word-of-mouth and earned media.
A well-considered unboxing moment is especially powerful for DTC brands and subscription models, where packaging is often the only physical interaction with the brand.
Design for the Journey, Not the Shelf
Packaging is no longer a single-moment touchpoint. It travels with the consumer through the entire connected commerce ecosystem: acquisition, purchase, and retention. The best beauty and wellness packaging doesn’t just win on the shelf; it wins in the feed, in the unboxing, and in every digital and physical moment that matters.
Let’s Unbox Your Dream Brand
Looking to rethink your packaging strategy or build one from the ground up? From strategy to sketch to shelf, Front Row builds packaging systems that scale with your brand, delivering impact at every touchpoint.
Ready to start a partnership? Connect with our team today.
