Right first time, on time, every time
From embossed and screen-printed labels to hot foil stamping, our range of label embellishments and finishes will add eye-catching detail to your cosmetic, fragrance and skincare products.
On this page you will find information about all of our label embellishment options. To view our label embellishment options, obtain a quote, or place an order use the main website navigation bar to first select your label shape, size and material. This can be done by selecting “Printed Labels, Embellishments & Finishes” from the main menu (Fig. 01) on the homepage. Then using the filter decide upon your label size or browse the images on the page (Fig. 02) and select, at which point you will be prompted to browse and select the label material required (Fig. 03).
Once the label and material choice are completed, proceed to add print (Fig. 04) and explore the label embellishment options available for your choice of label material (Fig. 05) and if you require help with you label design/s, then we are able to assist with our customer design service (Fig. 06).
Please continue reading if you would like more information about the effectiveness of label embellishment in marketing terms for cosmetic, fragrance and skincare products, alternatively proceed to start searching and selecting your labels from the main navigation menu. Further information can also be found in our blog article “Adding Value to the Label – Label Embellishments.”
Cosmetic, fragrance and skincare labels play a key role in influencing purchase, both online and offline, making the design and detail of your product’s packaging as important as the product itself.
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Beauty is big business. An Oxford Economics study commissioned by the British Beauty Council found that its contribution to the UK’s GDP far outstrips those of motor manufacturing and publishing, adding £30 billion to the economy in 2019₁, with £14.2 billion coming directly from retailers, manufacturers and advertisers.
Brand values and target audience will impact on cosmetic and skincare label design choices, but how you intend to market and sell your products should also be considered carefully. Research from Global Web Index₂ found that social media is playing a major part in consumer brand discovery within the beauty sector. Buyers are 41% more likely to find new brands or products via social media ads and 47% more likely to find them via a brand’s own social media channels, compared to other types of brands and products.
Direct-to-consumer brands have disrupted the market and major players, by utilising beauty influencers across YouTube and Instagram to build loyal customer followings, leaving legacy brands having to play catch up. Glossier is a leading example of how social media and influencer marketing can be leveraged by digitally-native brands to reach a global audience and create multi-million-pound sales. Demand from ‘conscious consumers’ for natural, cruelty-free and vegan cosmetics products is also driving growth within the sector, with Google searches for ‘vegan beauty’ doubling in the UK every year since 2012₃.
Read on for cosmetic label design inspiration and guidance on labelling requirements or visit our Printed Labels, Embellishments & Finishes page to order your labels.
The design and detail of your cosmetic and skincare labels can directly impact on sales. As the statistics from Global Web Index show, cosmetic consumers are increasingly turning to social media for product recommendations and shopping inspiration. This means it is important for brands to consider how embellishments can be used to catch the eye, both on the screen and on-display.
Charlotte Tilbury, Yves Saint Laurent and Estee Lauder cosmetic labels demonstrate how hot foil stamping can be used sparingly to convey their premium brand status. Each uses gold foil on product labels across their core product ranges to reinforce their brand identity and the high value of their products.
Metallic foil can also be used within cosmetic and skincare label design to elevate illustrations or patterns, or to draw attention to intricate details of the design. High-end brand Too Faced utilise this technique for its Peaches & Cream collection, while American beauty brand Tarte Cosmetics also incorporates gold detailing to add depth to its illustrations. Both brands use the technique to create attractive looking products that photograph well for social media.
M.A.C. and Lumene cosmetics labels offer excellent examples of how minimal design and embellishment techniques can be used to maximum effect, creating instantly recognisable branding.
The technique provides a tactile gloss or matt finish, used only on selected parts of the label design, that is attractive to in-store customers, while being photogenic to appeal to online consumers and audiences who are inspired to purchase by influencers and social media.
Saint Jane uses a combination of embellishment techniques across its packaging to elevate customer perceptions of the brand, using a metallic gold as the main label on the product itself and spot UV varnish to the external packaging.
Embossing and debossing techniques can be utilised to add depth and detail to cosmetic and skincare labels. Again, this method provides a tactile finish that encourages consumers to touch and handle products, while enhancing their appearance in social media images.
Pat McGrath Labs uses embossing to embellish its brand identity on the labels featured on its containers and outer packaging. This is combined with a gold metallic label, which further enhances its luxury status.
While the Marc Jacobs core cosmetics range is recognisable for its minimalist packaging, it’s Very Merry Cherry collection uses embossing to add texture and depth to its eye-catching packaging, alongside hot foil stamping to highlight the brand name.
Kevin Murphy haircare products incorporate debossing as a key feature of its brand image, which alongside a pastel colour palette, makes its packaging instantly recognisable. While Kevin Murphy uses the debossing technique directly onto product containers, this striking effect can be recreated using label embellishments at a significantly reduced cost, which is ideal for start-ups and SME’s budgets.
When it comes to fragrance, the appearance of a bottle, or container and its label are just as important as the content within. The square bottle and gold detailing of Chanel’s Coco Madamoiselle make it just as timeless as the fragrance itself, while the textured bottles of Chloé perfumes and minimal labels helps to provide a vintage look and feel to its products.
The iconic embossed bottles of Hugo Boss fragrances are instantly recognisable and a key element of the brand’s luxury packaging, but embossed labelling techniques can be incorporated to create a tactile look at a fraction of the price for businesses that need to create a premium finish on a limited budget.
Fragrance bottle labels can be used to convey far more than necessary product information. Lollia’s Always in Rose perfume label demonstrates how simple, creative design can transform a plain bottle shape into an attractive product that looks good on in-store and photographs well for online display.
Nest Fragrances also incorporates creative labelling techniques to add depth to the design of its bottles. The result elevates what would be a standard fragrance bottle and label into a photogenic accessory, rather than a cosmetic product, at a relatively low cost.
How your product is defined will impact on its labelling requirements and its definition as a cosmetic will be determined by its purpose, the intended site of application and its composition. The following definition outlines a cosmetic product according to Article 2 of the EU Cosmetics Regulation (Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009):
A "cosmetic product" shall mean any substance or mixture intended to be placed in contact with the various external parts of the human body (epidermis, hair system, nails, lips and external genital organs) or with the teeth and the mucous membranes of the oral cavity with a view exclusively or mainly to cleaning them, perfuming them, changing their appearance and/or correcting body odours and/or protecting them or keeping them in good condition.
Cosmetic and skincare labels must adhere to the requirements set out in Article 19 of the EU Cosmetics Regulation.
Your product must clearly display the following information on both the container and packaging:
A declaration of ingredients is only legally required on the outer packaging of a product, but it is an essential addition to assist consumers with making informed decisions, particularly those with a diagnosed allergy. Ingredients must be listed in descending order based on their weight at the time of manufacture.
A product’s list of ingredients must be visible and indelible to meeting EU Cosmetic Regulations. While no specific text size is required, consideration should be given to the legibility of text on a label, in terms of size, font and colours, to ensure the product’s labelling meets EU standards.
The International Nomenclature for Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI) provides standardised names for ingredients and is implemented within the EU and other countries to help consumers with allergies to easily identify ingredients. A glossary of common ingredient names for use in the labelling of cosmetic products can be accessed via the
The International Nomenclature for Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI) provides standardised names for ingredients and is implemented within the EU and other countries to help consumers with allergies to easily identify ingredients. A glossary of common ingredient names for use in the labelling of cosmetic products can be accessed via the Commission Decision (EU) 2019/701. Producers can also seek advice from their raw ingredient suppliers on the use of INCI names.
There are 26 fragrance allergens identified by the Cosmetics Regulation, many of which are contained within essential oils used in cosmetic products and are required to be listed within your ingredients. Again, your raw ingredient supplier can advise on when it is necessary to declare these allergens.
Expiry dates are not required for cosmetic and skincare labels on products sold on in the UK and EU. However, Article 19 of the EU Cosmetics Regulation requires cosmetics labels to include one of the following:
The UK Cosmetics Toiletry and Perfumery Association has produced a useful guide to the regulations which you can access from here
Sources:
₁ Impact of beauty industry on UK economy 'outstrips motor manufacturing'
₂ How social media is reshaping the beauty industry
₃ Vegan beauty: How conscious consumers are driving innovation in ethical cosmetics
Disclaimer: The labels shown in the images on this page are for illustrative reference and we are not attempting to suggest that we produce labels for the manufacturers of the products concerned, only that we have the capability to produce label embellishments to this standard of design and quality.We take pride in our service standards for all customer enquiries and orders. Our reputation for service is built on quality, a comprehensive product range and fast order fulfilment times, along with the combined experience and knowledge of our customer care team. If you need assistance or help regarding the most suitable choice of label, packaging, or promotional item for your application, please contact our customer care team, via the live-chat facility on the page, our website contact form, telephone, or email and they will be happy to discuss your requirements.
