COLOR THEORY IN BEAUTY PACKAGING

Effective packaging design can easily draw a consumer’s attention but what element actually determines the final purchase?

Biomotives are sensory cues that directly target our subconscious, generating emotion or action before the conscious portion of our brain even has an opportunity to respond. These triggers help brands create emotional connections with consumers thus influencing consumer buying, increasing sales and consumer loyalty.

Color is an important biomotive trigger that highly influences consumer sales, as it withholds the visual power to set a single product apart on store shelves. Color is a basic design element that brands use to unify  their products across all communications as it has a unique way of creating emotional reactions, and emblematizing brand values. In addition, color has a great way of conveying brand messages as it evokes emotion and gives an immediate hint of what the product is and why it is relevant in your life.

Creating emotional reactions with consumer through the use of color is highly used in beauty and household cleaning product packaging as it can trigger emotional engagement. Green for example is a color that is commonly used in sustainable and eco-friendly packaging design as it symbolizes growth, nature, life, energy and balance while pink is used in many beauty and cosmetic packaging as it symbolizes femininity, charm, love and romance. In general, women prefer soft colors, while men prefer bright colors as bold colors exudes strength and power and softer colors exudes femininity and innocence.

In beauty packaging first impressions matter especially since most consumers shop with their eyes first and merely even read package labels.

According to research and science:

• One-third of consumer decision-making is based on packaging alone, according to research cited by The Paper Worker. (marketingprofs.com)
• Studies also found that 62-90 percent of snap judgments made about products are based on color alone. (www.colorcom.com) (Source: Secretariat of the Seoul International Color Expo 2004)
• 6 percent of consumers said that they put most importance on visual factors when purchasing products. Only 5.6 percent said that the physical feel via the sense of touch was most important.
• When asked to approximate the importance of color when buying products, 84.7 percent of the total respondents think that color accounts for more than half among the various factors important for choosing products. (Source: Secretariat of the Seoul International Color Expo 2004)

As a conscious consumer I often gravitate to products with white, green and or yellow packing, therefore all or most of the products I own incorporates white, yellow and or green in the product packaging or label design. While I may not exhibit all the character traits or physical attributes of the colors symbolism, I somehow find myself somewhere in each description.

When used in beauty packing, Yellow:

• Demands attention as it stimulates mental processes
• Evokes happiness as it increases mental activity
• Encourages clarity and positivity as it is enlightening
• Represents optimism and youthfulness
• Aims to lift peoples spirit
• Often perceived as a childish color and is highly used in children’s products and marketing ads as it exudes positive energy and warmth.

If your favorite color is yellow and or you often gravitate towards products with the color yellow in the packaging much like myself, you are probably an intelligent, creative, self-sufficient perfectionist with high expectations and big plans for yourself. Finding happiness comes easy to you as others often refer to you cheerful and kind.

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When used in beauty packing, White:

• Offers an inner cleansing and purifying of thoughts and emotions
• Incites openness, growth and creativity as it reflective and amplifies everything in its surrounding.
• Exudes cleanliness, purity, innocence and equality
• Provokes new beginnings and fresh starts, as it is oftentimes reminiscent of a blank canvas or clean slate.
• Often perceived as safe, basic, unadventurous and conservative

If your favorite color is white and or you often gravitate towards products with the color white in the packaging much like myself you are most likely a minimalist and have a deep need for simplicity and for independence. You are very cautious most aspects of your life and decision-making and are usually great when it comes to money. You have excellent deal of self-control and unlikely act in an impulsive manner. You are often referred to as a “neat freak” and have high standards of cleanliness and hygiene.

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When used in beauty packing, Black:

• Exudes power, authority and control as it’s dark rich color makes products appear heavier and more expensive thus transmitting a higher perceived price value.
• Use to attract a wealthier market especially when combined with gold.
• Can sometimes be perceived as mysterious and intimidating.

If your favorite color is black and or you often gravitate towards products with the color black in the packaging you are probably independent, prestigious and demand power and control. You can come of as intimidating to others as you often voice your opinions and speak in a mandating manner.

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When used in beauty packing, Blue:

• Communicates trust and reliability
• Promotes relaxation and calmness as individuals usually associate the color blue with ocean, sea or the beach.
• Universally blue is the most liked color by both males and females and therefore color to used most often.

If your favorite color is blue and or you often gravitate towards products with the color blue in the packaging you are probably one of the most trustworthy, reliable, conservative members in your family as you are genuine, sincere, and you take responsibilities very seriously. You might appear confident and gallant on the outside but tend to withhold your vulnerable side. You are easy to approach as you are sensitive to the needs of others and an honest and sincere friend.

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When used in beauty packing, Red:

• Incites energy action, passion, excitement and strength
• When used in packaging, red demands attention as it stimulates the senses and stimulate deeper and more intimate passions.
• Often associated and/or used to express love and intimacy
• Red wakens our emotions and commands us to take action.
• Often characterized as an aggressive color as it is bold and exudes a strong powerful energy.

If your favorite color is red and or you often gravitate towards products with the color red in the packaging you are most likely an extrovert and enjoy the fast life. You exude confidence with and bear an optimistic and courageous spirit as you are not afraid of going after what you want. People often refer to you as the “center of attention” and fun to be around as you generate a deal of energy. However, you can sometimes come off as aggressive and overly confident.

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When used in beauty packing, Green:

• Highly used in sustainable and environmentally safe products.
• Incites harmony and balance of the mind, body and spirit.
• When used in packaging green often suggest that the product is organic, environmentally safe, eco-friendly and or natural.
• Highly used to promote and represent, recycling, “go green” campaigns and ethical practices.
• Suggest wealth and growth.
• Encourages self-nurturing as it uplifts our physical wellbeing and emotional wellbeing and spiritual well being.

If your favorite color is green as is mine and or you often gravitate towards products with the color green in the packaging much like myself you are most likely a conscious consumer, enjoy nature walks, bike riding ,yoga, and your home is filled with lots of plants and greenery. You are very nurturing and caring of the people and things around you however you are also adequately sociable and prefer peace within yourself self at any cost; you have a great life balance.

 

What does your products say about you? Comment below and share the most common colors in your collection!

 

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