How to use labels to build your cosmetics brand

Branding is what your customers feel when they think about your products.  If your cosmetics products aren’t talking to your customers they’ll ignore you.  Your products’ packaging is the most powerful way to get listened to and in turn build a brand.  Here’s how to use your cosmetics labels to make your customers fall in love with your products.

Getting your company brand right is absolutely crucial. This is the face of your company. It should be as unique as you are and set your business apart from the rest.

Branding is more important today than ever. With an ever increasing number of new products coming onto the market, your company must visually and emotionally connect to your prospective market.  The cosmetics industry is HUGE and your company brand needs to stand out from the crowd.

How do I create a Brand for my company?

A good place to start is to think about what you want your company to stand for. What are your values? It could be environmental, economic or the well being of your customers.

Questions to ask yourself include: –

• Who is my target customer?
• What message do I want to get across about my company?
• Do I have a story people can relate to?
• What do I want my customers to remember about my brand or product?
• Is there anything that your company can offer that others cannot?
• What do my customers need?
• What promise are you making to your customers?

Creating a Label that is Right for my Company.

Creating a label for your product that builds a relationship with your brand is crucial. Every time you change your labelling you’re altering the relationship your customers enjoy with your brand.  Your labels are something that you don’t want to change unless you have to, so it’s important to get it right first time.

You don’t need reminding of the importance of consistency across a range of products.

Checklist of things to consider when designing your cosmetics label include:

Colours – high contrast labels Black on Yellow gives a totally different impression of your product than gold on black.
Graphic design – ‘elegant’ flowing fonts versus a no nonsense stencil font would attract a very different client.
Label shapes – simple rectangular or wrap around label versus different shapes such as circular.  Remember that circular labels aren’t as common as rectangular labels so the range of sizes is smaller.  Consider using a rectangular label but with a circular design.
Legal requirements – such as ingredients, net weight etc.  these need to be incorporated into your label design.
Barcodes and product codes – there are size limitations when it comes to barcodes.  These need to be included in your labels, and need to be taken into account during the design phase.  We have more than 25 years barcode experience and we’d be happy to help you plan for barcodes on your labels and packaging.
Story – if you’re telling a story – you will need to keep it brief – because you will never have enough label space.

What label features can I use to build a brand?

The best type of material for labels that are likely to encounter high moisture exposure would be one of various synthetics.

A clear synthetic is one of the most versatile materials available for label printing and will provide the appearance of the popular no label look. When used with an ultra clear permanent adhesive it will endure damp conditions without losing its clean appearance.  These labels are water and oil resistant making them perfect for the cosmetic industry.

Gold and silver foiling adds the feeling of quality and exclusivity.  Using a high resolution thermal printer and silver (or gold) coloured thermal ribbon can achieve that quality appearance on a much smaller print run that you’d normally need.

Textured finishes – on paper or plastic.  Can be as simple as embossing your labels or choosing a synthetic label material with a matt finish – almost like a extra-fine sandpaper effect.  The moment your client touches your product it feels different.  It’s different and adds an extra dimension to your brand image.

Holographic effect labels –  these rainbow reflective labels can add a feeling of exclusivity.  True holographic labels are very expensive and difficult to obtain.

Peel & Reveal labels – Use these to run competitions and promotions.

Leaflet labels – Leaflet or fold out labels give you the space to really tell your story – or on a less exciting level – provide all the legal information needed for your product.

Ready to take the next step?

To discuss your labelling needs further please do not hesitate to contact Expert Labels. We understand the importance of excellent branding and offer a wide variety of labels that will suit your every need.