Tactile details matter in the beauty industry – as luxury players from Dior, Hermès and Chanel, to Tom Ford and Byredo understand
The luxury beauty industry has always understood one thing: before we fall in love with a product, we flirt with the packaging. The weight of the bottle, the curve of the cap, the metallic glint under soft lighting – these aren’t just design choices: they’re quiet invitations. Aesthetically pleasing objects activate pleasure centres long before we use them. So when your hand reaches for that elegant matte jar edged in soft gold, your brain is sold on it well before a single ingredient hits your skin. That’s why packaging has become one of the most powerful tools in shaping a brand’s identity: it’s the first impression, but one that doesn’t fade. It lingers on your dressing table or vanity, stars in your #shelfie, and reinforces the fantasy every time you pass by.
This obsession isn’t new. Historically, luxury packaging has never been just about looking good, but also about signalling something. The heavier the jar, the more indulgent the promise inside. And while we’ve traded ornate detailing for frosted glass and “clean girl” minimalism, the psychology hasn’t changed: luxury is still deeply tactile. Half the thrill of a new lipstick is the magnetic snap of the cap. Or the way a Dior compact shuts with the satisfying finality of a German sports car door.
“Sensory details – texture, weight, sound and colour – are powerful cues consumers use to judge the level of luxury in packaging,” says Julie Bhakta, business development director of Anisha International, a Dubai-based packaging agency. All work together to convince you that the splurge was worthwhile. “But as brands move towards full sustainability, it becomes more challenging to maintain all of these luxury signals without compromise,” Bhakta adds.
Packaging engineers know just how crucial these cues have become, especially in an age of viral trends. “We use experiential details to deepen the user experience, explains Sarah Haffey, co-founder and COO of California-based Alder Packaging. “An audible click when closing a lipstick helps individuals know their packaging is functioning properly. Another great example of sensory details comes from aluminium. The metal has a subtle weight and chill temperature to the touch, [unlike] plastic. We see this kind of sensory packaging going viral on social media.”
Gucci Beauty Éternité de Beauté no-transfer foundation, creamy Rouge à Lèvres Mat in 509 Rosso Ancora, and the long-lasting Mascara L’Obscur. Photo: Handout
Entire subcultures have formed around the click of a cap, the glide of an applicator, the mystery of a perfect atomiser – and brands are paying attention. That’s why Byredo’s lipsticks look like miniature sculptures, and why Hermès has created refillable vessels built to last and be admired.
But packaging isn’t just a performance piece: it has a job to do – just one that ideally it does beautifully. “Luxury packaging concepts start by understanding the purpose and desired user experience,” Haffey notes. “Is a built-in applicator needed? A dispenser, like a pump or dropper? Or is the package solely used for product preservation?” she says, adding that innovation in design comes from blending functionality and aesthetics. That airtight pump you barely notice? It’s shielding your vitamin C. Augustinus Bader’s signature blue bottles? They’re protecting their famously potent formulas, while brands like SkinCeuticals opt for dark glass droppers – both clinical and functional by design.
Skinceuticals Blemish + Age Defense treatment. Photo: Handout
Still, according to Charlene Valledor, president and co-founder of LA-based brand incubator SOS Beauty, not all brands get it right. Some lean heavily into aesthetics at the expense of user experience. “For example, you might choose to go with a sculptural jar design that makes a big impression on the counter, but could be difficult to hold, or open and close. My preference is always to choose function over aesthetics – a luxurious experience should be effortless and smooth.”
