Beauty loves nostalgia. Today’s looks are constantly referencing the past because some looks never go out of style. Think: the ‘80s blowouts, classic ‘90s updos, and technicolor eyes of the ‘60s. Society turns to nostalgia as a sense of familiarity and comfort during uncertain times, and this often shows up in aesthetic areas such as style, design, and marketing.
It is no secret that we are experiencing dire economic and global circumstances, nor is it out of the blue to reach for nostalgia and seemingly simpler times as a result. This Tiktoker makes an astute observation about a resurgence of nostalgic beauty packaging. We would argue the “something going on” they refer to can be linked to the desire for escapism into an idealized past. Outside of nostalgia offering much needed solace during tumultuous times, it can also provide sources of inspiration when the modern surrounding world feels monotonous.
Soft glam and uniform dressing worked their way to the top of trend lists season after recent season, creating, for some, homogeneity everywhere they looked. With satisfying trends becoming of utmost importance over the past four years or so, people looking to explore interests and individuality are doing so by looking back in time. The teenaged-me that was enthralled by the colorful style elements of decades prior, was undoubtedly captivated as a result of the uninspired uniforms I wore to school each day.
When Sergio Hudson presented his SS25 collection, he did so with beauty experts Marc Reagan and Tamika Gibson, sending the models down the runway in picturesque ‘60s-meets-’90s glam. This pointed beauty decision was incremental in his world-building. The ability to escape into a world of glitz, wonder, and creativity, even for a moment, is what draws people to beauty in the first place.
The mere use of retro beauty brands such as Fashion Fair, the OG brand for all the Black beauties, provides beauty consumers with some level of comfort due to its heartfelt legacy. Observing beauty trends and branding prompts one to examine the current beauty landscape and what beauty packaging may aim to convey.
Brands such as Benefit Cosmetics have always leaned into the retro-fantasy in their design concepts. Meanwhile, those like Glossier take a more minimalist approach with packaging—still utilizing classic typography. One click on Vacation’s website catapults me to a dreamlike time that I’m fond of, yet never actually experienced. One/Size beauty’s bright pink canisters remind me of 1960s hairspray. Glow Recipe and Amika’s eye-catching color schemes garner them prolonged attention when perusing through the beauty aisles, and we’d offer that Amika’s kaleidoscopic patterns are remnants of 1960-70s design styles. Most recently, e.l.f. Cosmetics released a collaboration with Caboodles, rekindling our love for the ‘90s-2000s-style glam kits.
Many beauty brands that seek to incorporate their conscious, clean, or sustainable efforts into their design feature packaging with earth tones and visibly recyclable material, such as Necessaire or Youth To The People. Brands associated with forward-thinking practices lean heavily on sleek design and chrome elements, as is seen with Fenty Beauty, Rare Beauty, and r.e.m beauty packaging.
Beauty packaging is an important element to the product experience, as it can influence who gravitates towards the items on the shelves, and why. Meanwhile, incorporating retro beauty trends into your styling can invoke feelings of whimsy, intrigue, and signal a level of creativity and taste that isn’t central to the trend of the moment.
Be it a larger societal motivation connected to our psyches, or the fact that we just love visibly exciting objects, nostalgic packaging is cutting through the array of sleek, minimalist design that signifies today’s beauty era.
