We love feeling beautiful and surrounding ourselves with beautiful things. Cosmetics represent beauty and manufacturers need to make sure that they epitomise this. Your cosmetics label needs to be striking to stand out from its competitors, with the right words to inform and persuade. The labelling of cosmetics is not only important for its aesthetic qualities, although this is obviously a key factor and especially important for marketing, but also for the information that it needs to contain. Durability of the cosmetic label is also vitally important. Cosmetics, are generally items that will be utilised often and over a longer period of time, they are very seldom one-use items and, for this reason, the cosmetics label that you choose needs to maintain its form over the duration of use.
Cosmetic Labels
First, and foremost, you need to consider your products where the cosmetic label will be applied.
What are the uses? Items such as a lipstick could be subjected to being carried around in a handbag, so the label needs to cope with some rough and tumble.
Will it be coming into contact with moisture? A shower gel, for example, that is coming into constant contact with water, needs a label that will stay stuck.
What are the ingredients? Many cosmetic products contain oils or even alcohol which can stain or smudge the print.
Finally, what type of container will you be using? Different adhesives have the ability to stick securely to different types of substrate, the adhesive used on a glass jar will differ to that used on a plastic surface. These are just some of the questions you need to answer before choosing your label.
The right type of label for the job
If you have multiple products, your cosmetics labels will need to be product specific while still keeping your colour scheme, font and design detail. A tube, for example, will need a different type of cosmetics label to a jar, as would a mascara bottle versus an eye shadow palette. It’s a good idea to choose your containers before considering the labelling options. When labelling a frequently used product, like a cosmetic, durability is key, the cosmetics label needs to stay on and must remain legible for the product’s life time. It is a beauty product after all and needs to maintain its aesthetic value. Synthetic cosmetics labels are more durable than a wood-based product and are able to endure multiple applications, and should be a serious consideration for items that are to be handled often. Laminating will also provide the cosmetics label with protection and can withstand many of the ingredients it may come into contact with. The adhesive you use will determine how long your cosmetics label stays on, a full description of the requirements will need to be given to your label manufacturer to ensure the best results.
Read more: Designing the perfect label
Size and shape
When designing labels for cosmetics, size really does matter and careful deliberation needs to be taken. There’s a fair amount of information that needs to be included on that lip balm label, aside from your design. Amongst the details of your product, which needs to include the description and ingredients amongst others, you will need to include a barcode for the retail environment to enable scanning. It is therefore important that this is clear and legible. There are many shapes and sizes to choose from. There are double sided labels which can be used on transparent packaging or tags which can contain your all-important brand information.
Printing your label
When deciding what type of printing to use, you need to consider what your requirements are. Digital printing allows for uniformity in its production with fewer variations. It allows for quick, seamless changes, which is important when considering that you may have one product with different scents or colours that require simple wording or colour changes to an existing design. Digital printing also provides the advantage of time, both in production and design, allowing the design to be electronically provided to the manufacturer and foregoing unnecessary time wastage.
Read More: Best practices for cosmetic label packaging
Keeping track
RFID or Radio-Frequency Identification is a useful way to keep track of your products. This technology uses radio waves to read, capture and interact with information stored on a tag. The tags don’t require an internal power source and are minute, meaning they can be placed easily. Because they don’t need to be visible to interact, they’re a practical option for keeping track of stock without affecting the look and feel. They allow for resource effective inventory tracking as they can be read from up to 6 metres away and are able to record hundreds of tags at one time, simplifying the recording of quantities and locations, ensuring that a manufacturer is always aware of the amount of stock at any given time. These tags also have a role in security, providing the ability to remotely scan, alerting you to any products that may be leaving the premises illicitly.
Read more: 7 product packaging tips to attract the consumer
Your design
Contemplating your design is the fun part, but you must remember you are dealing with a market that has a very clear end game in mind, they are wanting to feel pampered and pretty and are willing to spend money to achieve this goal. Use words that will conjure up that feeling, some of our favourites are radiant, luminous and gentle, it’s also vital that you include specific facts about your product that will make it more attractive to the consumer, for example the fact that it is organic, hypo allergenic or alcohol free. Be sure to choose carefully and not be misleading. Your colour palette should also be specific to your product, gentle pastels or whites for body creams or vibrant and striking for a lipstick. At the end of the day your packaging is an integral factor in what will get your cosmetic taken home.
It is important to partner with a label manufacturer that understands your industry and what is required in cosmetic label production. Rebsons Labels is a leading supplier of labels in South Africa and produce self-adhesive labels for local and international clientele from various industries. For the highest quality cosmetic labels through either digital printing or various other label printing processes contact Rebsons Labels today to discuss your needs.
