Every retail market feels saturated, so everyone has to work harder, and your product only has a few seconds to grab attention. That’s why effective packaging design must disrupt the shelf and make customers stop in their tracks. With the right retail packaging design techniques, you can increase shelf impact, drive sales, and build stronger brand recognition.

When it comes to cosmetic packaging design, most people immediately think of the big names - Glossier, Fenty Beauty, Rhode, or Kylie Cosmetics. Their packaging and branding are undeniably iconic, but while aesthetic and minimal, they aren’t exactly groundbreaking. In fact, when you break it down, they’re almost formulaic. Beautiful, yes. Memorable? Not always.

That’s why we’ve pulled together an alternative list of cosmetic packaging designs that truly stand out in 2025. These brands are ‘pretty on the shelf’ BUT they’re also building emotional connections, creating memorable experiences, and proving that packaging design can be both strategic and artistic.

Before we dive in, let’s quickly cover what actually makes good packaging design in the beauty industry.