Choosing the right type of packaging for your cosmetic products can be a time-consuming task. We’re here to shine a spotlight on the potential of jars to transform your brand. Whether you choose plastic, aluminium, or glass, jars make a highly effective and versatile solution.

Fillcon specialises in manufacturing and filling sachets for some of the UK’s biggest brands. We also fill tubes, bottles, pouches, jars – you name it! Always on the lookout for the latest environmentally friendly packaging innovation, we are your ultimate answer to cosmetic contract filling.

In this blog, we explain everything you need to know about using jars for your cosmetic products.

Types of Cosmetic Jars

Cosmetic jars are available in various different materials. The right choice for your product will depend upon your budget, product stability, and brand look and feel.

Plastic

Plastic is a cost-effective option and is used by a wide range of cosmetic brands. Robust but also lightweight, plastic makes a great choice for everyday products like body scrubs and moisturisers. Making sure the jar is both recyclable and made of recycled or plant plastic can help boost your product’s environmental profile. Plastic also provides plenty of design potential and options for colour choice.

Read next: Everything You Need to Know About Recyclable Packaging

Aluminium

Like plastic, aluminium is lightweight, economical, and robust. Whilst there is less design flexibility, aluminium jars can be personalised with stick on labels and designs, allowing you to still showcase your branding. Aluminium is often used by eco-conscious brands for their cosmetic packaging because the material can be infinitely recycled

Glass

Glass is heavier than aluminium and plastic, but lends a unique, premium aesthetic. Glass is becoming increasing popular for cosmetic packaging because, like aluminium, it is infinitely recyclable without degrading material quality. It is also an effective way for luxury brands to differentiate themselves from the plethora of plastic on the shelves.

Applications for Cosmetic Jars

Jars can be used for a range of cosmetic products, but are best suited to those too viscous to be poured through a bottle’s neck or dispensed using a pump. This can include everything from body scrubs to lotions to moisturisers to cleansers. These types of cosmetics are generally thicker in consistency and therefore best applied by the user with their fingers.

Benefits of Using Cosmetic Jars

Protection

Though jars can present some complications for brands in terms of air exposure when the lid is removed, jars typically have thicker walls than other options. This means they can provide greater protection from UV light and promote better product stability.

Versatility

Jars of any material are commonly used in the cosmetic industry because they are suitable for a variety of applications. Whilst, as discussed, jars are typically used for thicker products that don’t pump well, they can house many different viscosities, allowing brands to create a unified packaging style across their full range. They are also available in many different shapes and sizes.

Dosage

Since users dispense the product using their fingers, they are totally in control of how much they remove each time. This will prevent wastage and provide a positive customer experience. Not only that, but the large opening will allow them to use up every last bit of the product, making it feel like good value.

Environment

Jars are a great choice for eco-conscious cosmetic businesses, providing an easy way to boost the environmental credentials of your products. Whether you choose recycled plastic, plant plastic, glass, or aluminium, jars allow you to get rid of the plastic pump, dramatically reducing the amount of plastic used.

Tips for Using Jars as Product Packaging

Consider Exposure to Air

When someone uses your product, they will unscrew the lid and dispense it using their fingers. This will inevitably expose the product to higher levels of air and bacteria than bottles, tubes, or sachets. To overcome this challenge, you may want to consider additional preservatives or adjusting the pH of your product to make it inhospitable to bacterial growth. To preserve active ingredients like vitamin C or retinol even when exposed to air, you could try encapsulation. This is when ingredients are coated in an indetectable shell to safeguard their long-term potency within the formula or deliver them to a deeper layer of skin.

Think Through Opacity

Many cosmetic products are UV sensitive and will degrade or become unstable when exposed to natural light. As a result, it’s important to think through how opaque the walls of your jar need to be to provide the right level of protection. If you want to use glass but have a product that is sensitive to light, there are options available. Blue or amber tinted jars are popular ways to overcome these issues, whilst still enabling you to leverage the luxury feel of glass packaging.

Related: 9 Luxury Packaging Ideas to WOW Customers

Understand Material Requirements

What do you actually need from your packaging? If you’re an e-commerce brand, for example, you may need a more robust material than a cosmetic brand selling only in physical stores. In this instance, plastic and aluminium jars will help you reduce the risk of the product shattering in transit, and cut shipping costs too! Bricks-and-mortar brands may need to place a huge emphasis on bold, eye-catching packaging design to stand out on the shelves. E-commerce brands, alternatively, can afford to go for a more minimalist, simplified style.

Learn more: Packaging Tips and Advice for International Delivery >

High Quality Cosmetic Jar Filling Solutions

If you’re considering using jars for your cosmetic products, we’re here to provide your filling solution. From tiny sample-sizes to jumbo jars, we can fill a range of different receptacles with the product of your choosing.

Contact our team to get started!

See more: Best E-Commerce Packaging for Beauty and Cosmetics Brands

See more: Tips for Choosing the Right Packaging for Small Businesses

As the effects of global warming are becoming more apparent, businesses are experiencing pressure from their customers, employees and shareholders, all of whom want to see proactive measures to improve your business’ practices in your journey to become more sustainable.

The beauty industry in particular has a reputation for its contribution to landfills, responsible for excessive plastic production for single use packaging.

In this guide, we’ll explore the eco-friendly materials and packaging design options available for beauty businesses, from bottles to sachets, as well as why sustainable packaging can benefit your business.

Fillcon provides cosmetic sampling solutions for businesses. We fill cosmetic liquids into sachets, tubes, spouted pouches, bottles, jars and tins.

What is Eco-Friendly Packaging?

Eco-friendly or sustainable packaging, is packaging that has been manufactured using materials that have been recycled, or can be recycled after use, that cause minimal or no harm to the environment.

 

Eco-friendly Packaging for Beauty Products

You might think that when it comes to beauty products, eco-friendly packaging options are quite limited.

After all, there are numerous requirements for cosmetic packaging, such as durability to prevent leaks and UV protection to ensure the quality of the product inside.

However, there are several packaging alternatives for beauty product that would be suitable for all types of cosmetics including creams, liquids and powders.

Here are 3 eco-friendly packaging solutions that will help your business meet its green goals:

 

Sachets and Spouted Pouches

Sachets and Spouted Pouches are a light weight, flexible packaging option. Being light weight and taking far less space in transportation than a bottle or similar container, sachets and spouted pouches will have a Suitable for most products like moisturisers, hand/body wash, serum, gel or hair care products like shampoos, conditioners, masks etc sachets and spouted pouches make fantastic eco-friendly packaging.

Spouted Pouches are retailed as re-fill pouches and can contain multiple bottle fills. Pouches are flexible, lighter weight and use approximately 70% less plastic than a bottle.  Therefore, spouted pouches are a far more environmentally friendly packaging option.

Sachets and pouches are also available in mono-material recyclable formats once again making these the perfect packaging choice.

 

E-tubes and E-bottles

Eco-friendly tubes and bottles are available in a variety of recyclable materials such polyethylene and aluminium. They are also offered in PCR (post-consumer recycled) and PIR (post-industrial recycled) materials ensuring that waste plastic is re-used.

Offering these materials within your packaging means that your customers can easily recycle their packaging. Many materials are recycled by local councils as household waste but store front recycling schemes at larger supermarkets also offer flexible plastic returns where local councils won’t collect certain materials.

Eco-tubes and bottles are a great packaging solution for liquid or gel products such as moisturisers, body lotions, scrubs or lip products like balms and glosses.

 

Jars and Tins

Similar to eco-tubes and bottles, jars and tins are suitable for liquid and cream-based products, such as gels conditioners or balms.

They are also incredibly versatile, available in a range of sizes, ranging from ‘vial’ size of 2ml to a larger 500ml.

Jars and tins are manufactured from eco-friendly and recyclable materials including glass and aluminium.

If you are still uncertain of which packaging solution is appropriate for your product, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our expert team of manufacturers. We source and fill tubes and sachets and fill bottles, tins, and jars depending on your requirements.

 

Why Should You Use Eco-Friendly Packaging?

There are multiple benefits to using eco-friendly packaging. Not only does it reduce your impact on the environment, but it can also help facilitate improved business growth. Here are 2 key reasons why your business should consider using eco-friendly packaging:

 

Marketing campaigns

Making the switch to sustainable packaging is a great opportunity to reimagine your products on the market and improve your brand image.

Consumers prefer buying from brands that are actively demonstrating their commitment to sustainability. Doing so will help you to attract a wider range of customers, not to mention retain existing ones (this is becoming increasingly important as consumers become more environmentally aware).

 

Future-Proof Your Business

Eco-friendly and sustainable practices such as renewable energy and recyclable packaging are not a passing fad, and eventually these will become default options for most businesses.

It never hurts to stay ahead of the curve, especially when it is connected to your brand image. You don’t want to be seen as a business that is dragging its feet to join the rest in taking measures to protect the environment. Get involved sooner, rather than later, and you can be seen as a trendsetter in the beauty world!

Employing more sustainable practices can also help to secure future business opportunities, as you will be able to connect with other eco-conscious suppliers and retailers.

 

Can you make eco-friendly samples for your beauty products?

In short, yes!

For many businesses, samples are a key part of their marketing, which can make it difficult to remain eco-friendly as many samples are single-used plastics.

At Fillcon, we’re passionate about supplying businesses with eco-friendly sampling solutions, ensuring that whatever your beauty product is, you can supply your potential customers with an enticing sample that will have them searching the shelves for your brand.

Learn more about our eco-friendly sample packaging.

 

Choose a Sustainable Supplier

Reaching your sustainability goals through packaging is not all about finding the right packaging solution for your product. It is also about ensuring that your packaging manufacturer and suppliers are eco-conscious as well.

This way you can ensure that the materials your packaging are made from are responsibly sourced, as well as manufactured through processes that cause minimal damage to the environment.

Failure to ensure your suppliers are sustainable may well lead to controversy down the line, as consumers realise that, while you may be eco-conscious, many of the businesses you work with aren’t.

 

Eco-friendly packaging solutions from Fillcon

At Fillcon, we have 11 years’ experience working within the health and beauty sector. Our knowledge of environmentally friendly packaging materials will assist you in making the correct sustainable choice for your sampling project.

To put it simply – we manufacture and fill sachets, tubes, spouted pouches and contract fill supplied jars and bottles. Whatever your requirements, we can accommodate them!

We provide expert filling services using your dream packaging, helping you meet your sustainability goals.

If you have any questions about our product packaging, or would like to discuss your project with a member of our team, don’t hesitate to get in touch today.

Packaging plays an important role in a product’s success. No matter how good the product, if it isn’t marketed well or given its perfect packaging, it simply will not be chosen by consumers.

Bottles are an incredibly versatile packaging choice and suit a variety of products from cosmetics to food. Whatever the use, ensuring your bottle grabs attention and reflects your brand is important.

Here at Fillcon, we are bottle filling experts with years of experience in manufacturing, sourcing and filling a variety of packaging types. We have put together this helpful guide to bottle design, providing top tips for making bottles look amazing.

Find out more about our bottle filling capabilities.

How to Make Your Bottles Look Amazing

One of the biggest benefits of bottles packaging is just how adaptable they are. From colour to labelling, you can create designs no one else has.

Want to find out some of the many qualities bottles possess? Read our blog, 8 Benefits of Using Bottles for Product packaging.

Here are some of the top tips to consider when designing bottle packaging:

Play Around with Colour

Bottles present a fantastic customising opportunity due to their many finishes and colour. Plastic and glass bottles can be clear, frosted, or even coloured. With bottles, you can customise more than the label, and alter the bottles itself to suit you. Clear or frosted bottles let the consumer see the product inside and promote trust through transparency.

While bright bold colours for packaging may have gone out of fashion, colour can help your product stand out among the others. Neutral, tonal colours have become increasingly popular, with earthy hues trendy in our ever more eco-conscious world. Monochrome colour palettes give products a more masculine feel and is often favoured for unisex products.

Keep Branding Consistent

Once you have all your brand components in place, you want to plaster them everywhere, including on your bottle! Your logo, set colours, typeface, slogans, and other branding guides should be on all products and should be consistent. This way, consumers will recognise your product whether it’s on the shelves, online, or through advertising.

Creating a narrative for your brand through illustration and clever copywriting can engage consumers and create a buzz about your products. Even typefaces can influence perceptions for your brand; with serif fonts indicating heritage and tradition, and sans-serif seeming more modern and trendier. Although it may not be popular with everyone, brands with quirky slogans or unusual marketing tactics no doubt catch the eye and interest of consumers. Think outside the ‘bottle’ and watch the attention flock to your product.

Consider Travel-Size Products

Creating smaller versions of full-size products can promote awareness of your product, gain new consumers who have not used your product before, and get consumers to try (then fall in love with) your product. Before jetting off on holiday, consumers may pick up your product on a whim, try it, and decide to by again. It goes without saying that consumers love to try before they buy, and miniature versions of products give them that opportunity!

Find out more about the advantages of travel sized products here.

Sample or travel size products should reflect the same elements as full size versions, such as logos, colours and design. Your full-size versions will have miniature counterparts for dispersion in unexplored markets. Because of your consistent branding and instantly recognisable full-size product, consumers spot your product right away for repurchase!

See more: Sample Packaging Ideas and How to Get Started.

Inform the Consumer

Ensure your bottle has everything consumers need to know on it. Obviously include the fundamentals and legally required information, such as ingredients etc., but don’t neglect quirky instructions or eco-friendly mantras if applicable. Not only will your bottle inform consumers of what you want them to know, but it can be a smart marketing move, just make sure not to overdo it.

Some brands are renowned for having funny, or even slightly inappropriate, instructions on shower gels and other products, which get shared on social media and create a memorable user experience. Products with particular environmental positives may want to advertise this on the bottle and alert users to the good your brand is doing, as well as the good they are doing by staying loyal to you.

Keep it Simple

In the modern, trends sway towards minimalistic designs. Consumers don’t want to be overwhelmed and unable to even work out what scent a product is. They want simplicity, ease, and clean designs. Especially relevant for cosmetics, crisp white background and linear designs can seem clinical or medical, igniting trust in the consumer and potentially leading them to believe effects of the product. Consider your bottle design and the inferences about the product and brand consumers may make from the packaging.

However, bold and busy bottle designs may work for your product, for example products marketed towards children. Consult your branding guidelines and find a bottle design that reflect your product, its target market, its use, and your goals as a brand.

Learn More with Fillcon

Specialising in the health and beauty sector, Fillcon manufacture and fill a range of bottles, tubes, sachets and much more with a variety of products. Our specialist facilities and skilled team can fill almost anything, from full-size product ranges to cosmetic samples.

If you would like to create your dream bottle design and promote your product to the masses, contact Fillcon today.

When it comes to selling products, packaging is crucial.

Packaging is often the first thing customers look at as they browse through product ranges in shops or online. Your sachet packaging undoubtedly impacts a customer’s decision on whether they will buy a product or not, regardless of the industry or product type.

Great packaging needs to entice customers to pick the product up to learn more. Great packaging should spark emotions and excite customers. Great packaging should guide the consumer from awareness to engagement and help communicate the value the product offers.

Below, we’ve outlined 7 key branding tips to help you get more out of your sachet packaging.

Branding Tips for Sachet Packaging

1. Simplicity

Good packaging is often very simple and clear. Sachet packaging that is jam packed with lots of different aspects will make it harder to clearly communicate the product’s value.

Customers want to be able to easily understand what the product is and how it will benefit them.

Simple design, simple packaging and simple language helps ensure there is no confusion and customers understand exactly why they should buy that product.

Customers will make a buying decision in a matter of seconds, so if the packaging doesn’t communicate the value instantly, businesses are likely to lose out on sales to competitors.

2. Showcase

The sachet packaging should showcase and celebrate the product. Using images of the product can be effective at helping customers instantly understand what they are buying.

Similarly, using imagery that illustrates the product being used in the real world can be really effective at explaining the benefits of the product. For example, if you are selling car washing liquid, having an image of a car may help draw customers eyes and help communicate who the product is for. Using a luxury car may also help associate your product with a luxury market, reflecting the subtle nuances of branding that can make all the difference.

3. Brand Promise

There should be a brand promise behind every business. This simply means communicating the core values of the business/product.

By doing this, it helps customers develop a connection with the business.

The brand promise should also be uniform and consistent across all touch points with customers. From social media and websites to TV ads and packaging, all these aspects should be aligned and paint the same brand promise. Failure to do this would likely lead to confusion in terms of what customers associate the business with.

Logo, typography, language and imagery should all be consistent.

The sachet design should also reflect what the business is trying to achieve. For example, if being environmentally friendly is a defining pillar of your business, having packaging that is recyclable or even made out of eco-friendly materials, can help support your brand promise.

4. Eye Catching

In competitive markets, brands need to do all they can to stand out and grab the attention of prospective customers.

When you think about shopping in a supermarket, shelves are packed with a wide range of the similar products. Certain packaging, certain designs and certain imagery is likely to draw you in over others. By achieving this, it gives businesses a huge competitive advantage as customers are naturally drawn to their products over others.

The term “shelf impact” refers to the distinctiveness and unique appearance a product looks in comparison to the surrounding products on a shelf. You may want to create something completely unique and different or simply innovate on current design trends within the market.

This is a great opportunity to get creative and think outside the box.

5. Packaging Design

The packaging design is likely to impact how potential customers perceive a product. The choice between materials, styles and types of packaging are all really important.

Liquids, gels and creams lend themselves very well for sachets and pouches. This type of packaging makes it easy to distribute and sell liquids. If, for example, you chose a plastic bottle over a sachet, this impacts how much space the product takes up, how customers will use it and how it looks on the shop shelf.

This also applies to how the product will be used. Is it a single use product? Will it be stored for months at a customer’s home?

Understanding how customers are likely to use the product will help shape packaging requirements and designs. For example, if you’re selling tester shampoo samples, using a sachet instead of a plastic bottle may improve the customer experience.

These types of questions need to be answered to ensure you pick packaging that best reflects your product and business.

6. Packaging Range

A common way for businesses to expand is by expanding their product range. By adding related products, they can better support existing customers as well as attracting new customers.

Brands should think carefully about having packaging that allows for new products to be added to the range in a way that means they are all distinctive and unique but also related and branded.

Having a range of products that are instantly recognisable as your brand will mean you have successfully created packaging that is aligned with the overall branding.

This also means that as you launch more products, customers instantly feel confident in the products and trust that they will meet the overall brand promise. This helps businesses with just 1 or 2 products scale into a larger operation with lots of different products.

7. Information

When we think about packaging branding and design, thoughts of logos, colours, imagery and designs come to mind.

But packaging also needs to include key information for customers. This could range from contact information to ingredients and legal information.

This should be printed clearly and should be easy for customers to understand.

Learn More with Fillcon

The look and feel of product packaging can’t be overlooked. It requires great design and a deep understanding of what the market wants.

Once you have the designs in place, this needs to be translated into real-world packaging manufacturing and distribution.

Here at Fillcon, we manufacture and fill sachets with liquid products, gels, creams, oils and more.

From cosmetics and household products to automotive and industrial products, we help businesses leverage better packaging.

We can customise our sachets to your specific needs, so you have packaging that is perfectly suited to your product and requirements.

If you’d like to learn more about our sachet manufacturing or filling services, simply get in touch with our friendly team today, or request a quote online.

Reaching more customers is important to ensuring a steady flow of business and the success of your products. Samples are a great way to do this in the cosmetics industry, offering a demonstration of your product without costing the customer anything. But what’s the best way to distribute your samples?

As the first name in cosmetic sampling solutions, the team at Fillcon have a number of insights on what channel is best for your beauty products samples. In this article, we’ll discuss what the options are and the specific benefits of key distribution channels like subscription boxes and social media.

Interested in finding out more about our services? Check out our cosmetic sampling solutions or get in touch!

 

What are the Distribution Channels for Beauty Products?

To create a comprehensive strategy for your cosmetic sample distribution, it is important to have a good understanding of the channels through which you can deliver your samples. This will ensure you can reach the right customers, as well as creating a cost-effective solution to reaching the most customers.

Here are a few of the top channels through which you can distribute your beauty products:

1.     Magazines

A classic example of a cosmetic sample distribution channel. Magazines have always been a great way to offer a sample of your product, either by attaching a thin sachet to your ad page or by including the sample in the magazine’s packaging.

Magazines are good because they reach a specific target audience, meaning you can distribute your samples through a magazine that aligns with your products and interests. However, with many magazines going digital, this is becoming a less-frequently used avenue for cosmetic sampling.

2.     Subscription Boxes

An interesting way that has grown in popularity over the years, subscription boxes provide ample opportunities to show off the great aspects of your beauty products. Since this channel can be a little more in-depth than others, we’ll speak more on it later on in this article.

3.     Direct Mail

If you know a customer is likely to be interested in your product, why wait until they’re at your door? Instead, consider mailing your samples straight to them. Our sampling sachets are thin, lightweight, and durable, meaning you can easily deliver them via mail to your customers.

This is a great way to offer your customers something that they don’t have to put any effort into to obtain. The result of this is a better view of your product and brand from the principle of reciprocity, as well as an easy way to demonstrate the benefits of your product alongside a letter than contains further information.

Interested in how psychology impacts consumer behaviour towards free samples? Read our article >

4.     In-Store Samples

Handing out samples in-store can be a great way to add a personal touch to your sample distribution. A sales representative can give a demonstration of the product and offer eager customers a way to get more.

In-store sampling with the added benefit of being able to market your samples directly to customers in-line with your target audience by careful selection of which stores you operate your sample distribution in. While this can be a more involved approach than some other entries on this list, it can also yield greater results.

5.     Street Samples

Similar to in-store samples, a street sample can be a great way to reach customers and monitor their reaction to your beauty products in-person. This can come in the form of a sachet attached to an informational pamphlet, a free sample of a perfume in a small bottle, or any other application that gives the customer a first-hand impression of your product and brand.

Street samples allow you to reach a wide variety of prospects, and the quality sampling solutions from Fillcon give customers a great first impression. The downside of this method is that you’re less able to home in on your target audience, although considering where you offer these samples (in terms of city, street, or even the shops nearby) can help you to mitigate this aspect.

 

The Role of Subscription Boxes for Cosmetic Samples

Subscription boxes are a great way to get your beauty product recognised by all kinds of customers. Whether it’s by including your product in an existing cosmetics box, offering a sample alongside related products, or adding it to more broad boxes such as university welcoming packages, subscription boxes offer many ways to distribute your product.

What are the Benefits of a Subscription Box Sampling Model?

Due to the nature of repeat delivery, the specific target audiences for each box, and the bespoke features that are often included to help refine down the products that’ll be included in the subscription box, there are a number of benefits for cosmetics companies when it comes to distributing their samples through this channel.

By utilising a subscription box sampling model, you can:

• Display your cosmetics sample alongside other prominent, quality products
• Narrow the recipients of your samples down to a specific target audience
• Make use of the breadth of customers and visibility that subscription boxes have
• Introduce new, related products on a regular basis

However you choose to distribute your cosmetics samples, you’ll need to have a great provider of sachets to ensure a quality end result – especially when they’re being included alongside products from other businesses. Get in touch to see how Fillcon can provide the solution.

 

Social Media and E-Commerce for Cosmetic Samples

With much of the world moving to digital platforms like TikTok and Facebook, it’s important to still be able to reach people who might not have as much of a physical engagement with your products.

Using social media platforms (like the aforementioned ones!) will give you an edge in getting your product known and its benefits recognised. There are also a number of other impacts that come from utilising social media and e-commerce channels, such as:

• Increased reach from a global platform
• More interactive ways of showcasing your product features
• Responsive customer service
• User ratings and recommendations
• More adaptability to changes in the market, trends, and current events

You can gather a lot of information about your customers by offering free samples – from getting them onto a newsletter list, to offering discounts and promotional codes, you’ll be able to get their attention and keep it.

Ensure you deliver a premium product first time, with the top name in cosmetic sampling solutions. We fulfil sample sachet orders of 10,000+, supplying you with quality sachets and perfume sample bottles to send to your customers.

Check out our beginner’s guide to selling your cosmetics internationally >

 

Your Cosmetic Sampling Solution from Fillcon

A wide-reaching marketing strategy that makes use of all the available channels can be the best way to reach the most customers but ensuring that you’re reaching the right customers is always of key importance. Make sure to analyse your target audience, learn their interests, and find the distribution channel that is sure to reach them.

Support your beauty product marketing efforts with cosmetics sampling solutions from Fillcon. We’ll provide you with high-quality sachets and sample bottles, while filling product vessels of all shapes and sizes! Get in touch to find out more or read on with some related articles below.

Find out about perfume samples in our ultimate guide >

Get to grips with the basics in our beginner’s guide to cosmetic sampling regulations in the UK >

QR codes are used across a range of industries to enhance consumers’ shopping experience and positive opinion of brands. With over 3.6 billion smartphone users worldwide in 2020 (Statista) capable of instantly scanning QR codes, brands that leverage QR codes appeal to huge numbers of consumers across the globe.

In this guide we explain how cosmetics brands can use QR codes to engage consumers, heighten the customer experience and create interactive shopping journeys. For more cosmetics marketing ideas, read our beauty marketing ideas and inspiration blog!

What Are QR Codes?

QR (Quick Response) codes are similar to barcodes. Like barcodes, QR codes are machine readable and store information. Modern smartphone cameras can be used to scan QR codes and reveal information to users.

As QR codes are small, free and easy to set up, reusable, and accessible to billions of consumers, this technology has a wealth of advantages. By simply printing the QR code on marketing materials, products or posters, brands can save on printing costs and elevate the consumer experience.

Instead of typing out long URLs or following numerous steps, consumers can simply scan the code, and complete actions!

The list of applications for QR codes is extensive and ever-growing. Popular uses include signing into events, directing consumers to a brand’s website, prepaying for products for pickup, and adding to virtual shopping baskets. Food outlets even use QR codes to allow customers to pay for orders in advance then collect them by scanning a QR code – just like Dunkin’ Donuts.

How to use QR Codes for Cosmetics Brands

Cosmetics brands looking to delight customers, inform consumers, generate sales, and create an interactive shopping experience should look to QR codes.

Here are just some examples of how QR codes can be used by cosmetics brands to create amazing shopping experiences for consumers.

QR codes to give more information

Cosmetic product packaging may be small or simply designed, leaving little room for all the extra information brands may want to give consumers about their product. Adding a small QR code and the instruction “scan me for more information!” that takes consumers through to a dedicated landing page online full of product-specific information can go a long way in relaying information without compromising on product looks.

Just be sure your product label includes everything it needs to! Check out our dedicated blog on beauty and cosmetic labelling requirements for help.

Online, where space and design are relatively limitless, cosmetic brands can create resources that will aid and inform consumers while they shop products. From how-to video guides or demonstrative pictures, to ingredients information and allergy information, QR code-accessed webpages can include everything a consumer needs to know to make a purchase and more!

QR codes to make purchases

Brick and mortar cosmetics stores can use QR codes to enable contact-free shopping, something desirable in a post-pandemic world. Using the QR code to scan items, similar to a barcode, consumers can add products to their virtual and physical baskets and pay online. This system is deployed in supermarkets, with customers using handheld scanners to scan products as they put them int the basket.

Instead of queueing, waiting for service, and needing cash, consumers can simply and easily manage their shop via a website.

QR codes to personalise shopping experience

Similar to the above idea, QR codes on shop shelves next to products can take consumers through to helpful online resources concerning cosmetics products and brands. This can be taken to the next level and be more tailored to the purchasing of cosmetics.

Consumers can scan QR codes and be taken to a quick online quiz that tells them which mascara achieves the look they like, or which foundation suits their skin type. Instead of just reading information and guessing what works for them, consumers who complete quizzes and receive personalised suggestions will feel confidence and empowered to make their purchases.

Some brands even offer QR codes that take consumers to an app download which enables virtual makeup trying on via VR. This way consumers can test cosmetics and assess looks without having to touch any actual products.

QR codes for discounts

QR codes are often employed for discounts. In this instance, consumers scan a code, and a discount is revealed to them.

This is a great solution for ‘showrooming’, a phenomenon whereby consumers visit physical stores to review products before then purchasing online for a cheaper price. By having QR codes that can be scanned to reveal a discount only redeemable in store at physical premises, consumers will be more tempted to buy on the spot instead of looking online for cheaper options.

QR codes for purchase from samples

Sending or giving out product samples is a popular marketing technique for beauty and cosmetics brands looking to expand their market, with proven results. When sending out a sample, it is imperative that the consumer can easily purchase a full-size product afterwards, otherwise brands risk being forgotten about.

To secure a purchase, cosmetics samples can have QR codes on the sachet packaging which leads consumers through to an e-commerce store for purchase. This ensures that the consumer has an instant way to make a purchase if they like the product, securing a sale.

To solidify the purchase further, cosmetics brands could add a discount to the call to action, i.e. “Scan to purchase! 50% off – limited time offer”.

See more: How to Use Cosmetics Samples to Grow Your Business – A Step by Step Guide

QR codes to measure marketing effectiveness

Sometimes measuring the success of a marketing campaign can be tricky, and generally relies on sales reports which can be influenced by a range of other factors. QR codes offer a foolproof way to assess whether consumers interact with marketing materials and how.

For example, as consumers scan QR codes and can be taken to a URL, tracking can be placed on the landing page to collect data on how many users visit that unique page and the actions they take once on the page.

Beyond measuring success, QR codes can be used to optimise campaigns too. Comparing data from various marketing campaigns or variations using QR code tracking can prove which have been most effective in bringing in sales.

QR codes to grow social media following

For cosmetics brands looking to boost their online following on social media, QR codes are a convenient solution! In place of consumers typing out brand names, possible errors, and confusion with other brands, QR codes ensure consumers are taken to your social media page. All the consumer has to do is press ‘like’!

To make the scanning of the QR code exciting for consumers, make the tag line engaging. Examples include “scan to find out more”, “scan to be the first to know about new products”, or “join our community of beauty lovers”.

QR codes to prevent counterfeits

The global market for counterfeit products is worth over one trillion – and something like cosmetics, where high-end brands are constantly replicated, is an often-counterfeited industry.

QR codes are used on products to direct consumers to websites that proof authenticity. This tactic is commonly used for high-end clothing brands to certify origin and authenticity; however, it is applicable across industries with luxury brands.

Learn More with Fillcon

We are expert product fillers for a range of products and industries, specialising in cosmetic sampling solutions. With our background in cosmetics and beauty, we can expertly advise on packaging types and requirements to suit your business. Whether you need bottles, tubes, sachets or more filling, Fillcon can help!

For innovative, quality packaging to fit the needs of your brand and sampling solutions to boost your marketing efforts, get in touch!

See more: Best E-Commerce Packaging for Beauty and Cosmetics Brands

See more: Beauty and Cosmetic Industry Trends Worth Noting

Traditional methods of packaging cosmetic products are quickly being left in the dust by cosmetic sachets, but why are manufacturers and suppliers opting for sachets over bottles and tube packaging?

We put together a list of some of the benefits of using sachets packaging for your cosmetic packaging requirements.

These are just a few reasons why you should consider using sachet packaging for your cosmetic liquids, cream, gels, oils etc.

 

Affordable

Sachets are far more cost-effective than traditional methods of packaging cosmetic products. This is due to a few reasons. Material cost of sachets is far lower than that of plastic bottles and tubes. Sachets also take up far less space and weigh less meaning lower transport and storage costs for the manufacturer and stockist.

 

Customisable

It is very easy to print directly onto sachets. This allows you to customise your finished product to reflect your brand identity.  With modern print technology, you can produce truly unique designs with your protective sachet packaging.

By customising your sachet design, you are able to promote your brand identity and awareness.

 

Eco-Friendly

Very few products in the cosmetic industry are recyclable, although this is still a concern that companies are trying to resolve.

Moving over to sachets for your packaging can reduce your company and product’s overall environmental impact.

 

Transporting and Storage

Because of the overall reduction in size and weight, the costs associated with transporting and storing your product is reduced. This reduction improves your companies carbon footprint.

 

If you are looking for a sachet supplier – Fillcon manufacture and fill sachets with liquid type products, gels, creams, oils etc. For the industrial and automotive type markets, we can also produce sachets with an impregnated tissue. Various tissue grades and tissue sizes are available, for which we can recommend suiting the specific application.

We work very closely with our customers to ensure we fully understand the project details. Our experience enables us to offer a variety of options most suited to the application, laminate specification, sachet size, fill dose etc.

 

 

Providing product samples is a key marketing strategy for many cosmetic companies. Consumers adore freebies and the chance to fall in love with the next best cosmetic product.

We’ve put together this guide to sample packaging to help you create the perfect samples for your products.

What is Sample Packaging?

Sample packaging is the way in which a sample, a smaller version of a product with a limited amount, is presented to a potential customer. The packaging likely differs according to the product it houses, with certain packaging suiting certain samples across gels, creams, and liquids.

Some companies choose to make the sample packaging simply a mini version of the full-size product, replicating the shape, colour and details. This can be an effective way to spread brand awareness and make the full-size product stand out on the shelves. However, sample packaging may also be incredibly simple and refined, with minimal information, perhaps for cost-effectiveness or simplicity.

However, you choose to package your samples, be sure it reflects your brand and is consistent with your design and company look. Being savvy with the cost is smart; samples usually only have enough product to last one or two uses, so the lifetime is very short.

Why are Samples Good for Business?

No one can deny the gravity-like pull of a sample stand in a store, or the joy of opening a magazine and watching a freebie fall out. Give people this pleasure and they will, in turn, support your brand. Potential consumers can be using your product without even realising its part of a marketing tactic to earn their allegiance.

Whether a brand is new, there is a product launch, or a company simply wants more customers, samples are a perfect way to get a brand or product in front of an audience which may have otherwise not picked it up. In such a saturated market as cosmetics, products can get lost in a sea of others. Combine a vast array of competitor products with customers’ loyalty to brands, and you get a constant struggle to attract customers.

Although samples may seem initially costly or deemed unnecessary, they can be incredibly cost effective and have great long-term benefits. It costs far more to attract new customers than to keep them, so make wise choices with sample packaging and dispersion then watch the newfound customer base grow.

Sample Packaging Ideas

Before ordering thousands of product minis, there are many things to consider, most notably packaging for your samples. Each product sample suits different packaging, so be sure to evaluate many sample packaging options. Additional sample considerations include how they will reach consumers, design, brand partnerships, and keeping the product safe.

Vials

Popular for perfume, vials are suited to liquid samples for multi-use. The smaller size makes them useful to pop into a bag or pocket and use when desired. Possible to fit with differing closures, such as a rollerball or spray, vials can be adjusted to suit how a company wants their product to be dispensed and used. Due to the multi-use nature of vials as sample packaging, companies may charge a small fee to purchase the sample to cover the costs of product.

Bottles

Samples housed in bottle packaging are popular with holiday makers and frequent airport users, as they provide enough product to last a few days without being too large to get through security. Bottles are, however, usually one of the larger sample packaging solutions, and can therefore be more costly to transport and store.

Mini Jars

Suited to most products and textures, mini jars as packaging allow consumers to use the sample multiple times. There is slightly more chance that the product can oxidise or spoil due to human error or transporting incidents such as lid misplacement. Jars made from glass are more likely to be recyclable, especially compared with plastic bottles, which may attract or appease environmentally conscious consumers.

Sachets

Sachets are lightweight, easily customisable and small, making them an extremely cost-effective sample packaging solution to transport and store. Samples held in sachet packaging are likely to be one use, so they are a great way to provide product testers without using too many resources. As they are securely sealed, sachets make effective sample packaging, protecting the product from spoiling and maintaining its quality.

Find out more about the benefits of sachet packaging here.

 

Sample packaging with fillcon

As experts cosmetic sampling solutions, Fillcon are a one stop shop for cosmetic samples. Whatever sampling packaging you choose, we can fill it. We pride ourselves on our ability to provide quality service suited to each and every client.

Contact us today to promote your brand and attract long-term customers.

Sending free samples to influencers in exchange for promotion can be a hugely effective marketing strategy. Whether you’re selling face cream or laundry liquid, hand gel or toothpaste, there’s a content creator out there who wants your free stuff and will promote you in order to get it.

Here at Fillcon, we make sachets for a wide range of brands, tailored to their individual requirements. Together, we can create a selection of highly desirable free samples that influencers across the web will be lining up to talk to their followers about.

But what happens once you’ve got the perfect product, and are ready to send it out? We’ve put together a handy guide to help you get the most out of your influencer collaboration.

What is an Influencer?

It’s in the name. Influencers are content creators that literally ‘have influence’. In terms of e-commerce, they have the ability to affect and alter the behaviour of consumers because their opinions are deemed accurate, on-trend and sincere. In the beauty and cosmetics sector, the power of influencers to drive sales is significantly beyond that of other sources.

Discover more about beauty marketing >

Why Do Brands Send Free Stuff to Influencers?

Influencer marketing is a thriving industry, and for good reason. A wide range of brands know that working with an influencer pays off. Here are some of the reasons that these collaborations work so well.

Cost-Effective

Instead of paying for a whole marketing campaign, sending free samples to influencers has a minimal cost to you, but brings in plenty of benefits. Everyone, even highly successful influencers, appreciates receiving free products and samples. For a minimal investment, you can foster this good-feeling and forge a true relationship.

Highly Skilled Collaborators

Most influencers have grown their platform from the grassroots, and along the way have developed a host of skills related to photography and media. This means you get quality product placement shots and creative content, all for a few free things.

Seems More Genuine

Viewers are more likely to be interested in your product if an influencer is promoting it on their page. This type of promotion doesn’t seem like an advertisement in the traditional sense, but like true content. Gifting collaborations result in more active engagement because the opinions of the influencer are deemed to be authentic. Influencers often foster a personal, trusting relationship with their viewers, making their opinions highly likely to affect behaviour.

How to Find an Influencer for Your Brand

• Search for related hashtags on Instagram or keywords on YouTube. Think laterally at this stage, and look for accounts with plenty of followers to shortlist.
• Check out the product reviews of your competitors and see if they’re collaborating with any influencers. You can then choose to approach them or look for associated people in their online network.
• Don’t ignore your suggestions on Instagram and YouTube. These are based on data gathered by highly accurate algorithms and will probably be accounts with similar interests to you.
• Once you’ve got a shortlist, go through each account’s bio and recent posts and make sure they’re working in the same niche as you. As well as this, check that the tone of voice and aesthetic of their content complements your brand and have a look at their engagement rate, ensuring they haven’t artificially boosted their followers.

How To Send Free Products to Influencers

Plan and Budget

Before taking any steps, you need to work out a budget and plan your approach. How many influencers are you going to contact in one go and how many free samples are you happy to give away? It’s important to establish the answers to these questions before making any further moves.

Contact Influencer

Some influencers will list their email address for potential collaborations, in which case, this is the mode of communication to use. If they don’t, send them a DM on Instagram. Keep it short, friendly and personalised, explaining that you’re a fan of their page and would love to give them one of your products or samples to try. With any luck, you’ll soon receive an enthusiastic response.

Packaging

To ensure you receive glowing reviews, you need to bring the wow-factor. Receiving and opening your parcel is this influencer’s first impression of your brand in the real world, so make sure it looks good.

Consider what type of packaging will be best suited to your product and your chosen influencer. Are they passionate about sustainability? If this is the case, consider recycled packaging. Will letter-box friendly packaging be more convenient? All of these considerations will go towards creating a highly positive experience of your brand. It’s also a nice idea to write a personal note, thanking the influencer once again and providing all the information they will need to promote you, such as social handles and website address.

With our roots in cosmetic sampling, Fillcon have gone on to work with clients in a wide variety of sectors including medical, household, industrial and automotive. We can create a range of free gifts in high-quality packaging that will impress your chosen influencer. Contact our experienced team and we’ll create a filling solution tailored to you.

See more: Best E-Commerce Packaging for Beauty and Cosmetics Brands >

See more: Sample Packaging Ideas and How To Get Started >

Track Your Package

Time to send it off. Use a courier service that offers tracking so you know where your gift is and how long it will take to get there. It doesn’t have to be next day, but you’ll impress if your shipping is slick and efficient, and you don’t keep the lucky recipient waiting for long.

Find High-Quality Promotional Sachets with Fillcon

The team at Fillcon have been making superior liquid sachets since 2011, and we don’t intend to stop anytime soon. We know it’s a little niche, but filling sachets makes us smile. If you want to establish a successful marketing collaboration with the hottest influencer on the internet, we’re confident our sachets will make them smile too!

Say hello to our friendly team today and find out how we can help boost your brand.

Read more: How to Use Cosmetic Samples to Grow Your Business >

Read more: How to Build and Scale a Cosmetic E-Commerce Empire >

Cosmetic samples are a sure-fire way to entice new customers to try your brand, raise awareness of new products, and keep your loyal customers happy.

Sampling has transformed from the whimsical imaginings of perfume clouds in decadent department stores of old. Now the dynamic is changing. With the rise of e-commerce and instant apps, cosmetic companies cannot simply hope customers will be seduced through in-store experiences. Samples are a great way for companies to put their product in front of customers, without waiting for them to search for it themselves.

Before a cosmetic company gives away valuable stock for free, it needs to consider why it is giving away samples, plan how samples will be distributed and think about the legacy a sampling campaign can have.

So, before you begin giving away your product, here is a helpful guide to growing your business with cosmetic samples.

Benefits of Sampling

You need to ensure sampling is right for your brand, product and business goals prior to giving it all away. As long as your samples encourage sales, you’ve made the right choice.

Try Before You Buy

Customers are scared of the unknown. Therefore, by giving them a chance to try your product before investing in a full-size version, new customers feel assured they will like it. High-end cosmetic products can especially benefit from eradicating this fear as they are viewed as bigger investments. Even existing customers may appreciate the chance to branch out and try another product of yours.

Create Loyalty

Customers can be very loyal and ritualistic; they don’t want to stray from what they know. Keep people happy with free samples and watch them return to you. It costs far more to get new customers than it does to retain current ones. Use your cosmetic samples to show returning customers you aren’t just in it for the money, you want them to like you.

Brand Awareness

No one can ignore your brand if they have a free sample of your product. Cosmetic samples are a great way of getting your name out there and your product into peoples’ hands – even if they had never heard of you before.

A 2018 EventTrack survey found that 91% of respondents had more positive feedback about brands after attending event or experiences, including product sampling. Give away freebies and watch the brand love come in.

It Works

Product sampling is a tried and testing marketing method across a variety of industries. It works great with cosmetics as they are tangible products customers are eager to try before investing in. However, sampling works for a wide variety of products, even including subscription services.

The EventTrack survey also found 85% of respondents were likely to purchase a product after experiencing it. By putting your product in front of customers and giving them a positive experience, you can grow your customer base.

A Step by Step Guide to Cosmetic Samples

1. Choose Your Cosmetic Sample

Once you’ve decided sampling your cosmetics is for you, you need to decide which products will be samples. This choice may be impacted by the aims of your sample campaign; if you want to raise awareness of a new product, make it your sample. If you just want to generally drive sales, use your top product as a sample, ensuring it is the fan favourite that attracts positive attention. A very specific product may be disregarded.

2. Decide Who to Target

Be sure to target the right audience to make the most of your sample campaign. Your target audience will dictate how your samples are distributed. If you want to target young adults, consider visiting university campuses, for example.

Targeting current customers with cosmetic samples can also be advantageous. If they already buy your products, they likely trust your brand and its quality, making it easier to convert their interest in a new product sample into a sale.

3. Package Your Cosmetic Sample

Cosmetic sample packaging is a key consideration, affecting transport cost, production cost, ease of distribution and usability.

Sachets are popular for cosmetic sample packaging due to their lightweight, slim, fully-brandable design, perfect for slipping into a magazine or attaching to flyers.

See more: 4 Benefits of Using Sachets for Product Packaging

Tubes and bottles are also popular cosmetic sample packaging solutions, giving users more product to play with. Whichever packaging you decide on for your cosmetic samples, ensure it is easily branded through colour and print to ensure your brand and product get remembered. Keep branding consistent across all products, samples and full-size, to ensure you stand out from the competition and get noticed on the shelf. You wouldn’t want someone to fall in love with your cosmetic sample just to forget your name or miss it in the supermarket.

See more: Sample Packaging Ideas and How to Get Started

4. Distribute Your Cosmetic Samples

Finding the best way to distribute your cosmetic samples is no mean feat. While cost is not everything (and hopefully your samples lead to increased sales anyway), it can have consequences on distribution methods, therefore it’s best to have a set budget.  In-store or on-street giveaways require staff and branded stands. Posted samples are logistically handled for you but can be costly. Consider storage, transport, plot hire, stands, marketing collateral, and ambassadors.

Popular ways of giving away cosmetic samples include exhibition handouts, magazine insertion, and cross-selling. Consider selling substantial product samples for a small price to make a return on your sample investment. Customers may appreciate the chance to purchase a smaller sized product for very little to try or even to take to the airport.

See more: Using Travel Sized Tubes for Your Product

5. Create Partnerships

A cosmetic company’s relationship with stores, other industry leaders, and marketing partners can be instrumental for success. Partnerships can be crucial for business growth as well as distributing cosmetic samples.

Create partnerships with similar companies, targeting the same demographic, with an offering that compliments your product. For example, online clothing stores may partner with popular cosmetic brands and include their product samples in clothing packages. Loyalty schemes like Sephora’s reward system offer shoppers exclusive product samples when they collect enough points. Partnerships like these are advantageous to both parties and help to maximise exposure as well as distribution.

6. Be Smart with Cosmetic Samples

There is much more to product samples than just getting your product in the hands of customers. You can get more out of this unique opportunity. Depending on the aim of your sample campaign, consider other marketing tricks you can implement at the same time.

Include a promotion code or exclusive deal on the sample packaging to encourage sales. Have a QR code printed on the samples to make online sales easy for customers. Run social media competitions encouraging customers to post a review or picture of your product using a hashtag to win a prize. This way, the legacy of your sample campaign results in increased sales, brand loyalty, social media following and word of mouth marketing.

7. Reap the Rewards

Once you’ve given out your cosmetic samples, your sample campaign is over. But your success isn’t.

Watch the tweets flood in, the sales pile up and your reputation rocket. Monitor the success of your sample campaign. If it was effective, consider doing it all over again. If not, make new partnerships, sample new products, and target different demographics. Find the ultimate cosmetic sampling solution.

Cosmetic Sampling with Fillcon

Here at Fillcon, we are cosmetic sampling specialists, helping you to showcase your product, drive sales, and create brand loyalty. We can fill a range of sachets, bottles, tubes, and other packaging with liquids ranging from creams, gels, and scrubs, to lubricant, oils and serums. Whatever your product, we can fill it.

Whether you are sampling through magazines, handouts or in-store, our cosmetic sampling expertise can help you create a campaign that works.

Contact the experts today.