Inside Cosmoprof 2025: Packaging Innovation that Inspires

Each year, Cosmoprof North America (CPNA) brings the global beauty industry together for three days of innovation, connection, and collaboration, and this year’s show did not disappoint. 

Cosmoprof 2025 was held at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. As the leading B2B beauty exhibition in the Americas, it drew an impressive mix of established brands, emerging players, and innovative suppliers, all focused on elevating the consumer experience through innovation, design, and sustainability.

The Paramount Global team attends Cosmoprof annually to strengthen supplier relationships, explore new partners, and find innovative packaging solutions that help our clients stand out.

The personal care and cosmetics space remains highly competitive, driving constant innovation in packaging form and function. We identified three main areas leading the evolution of beauty packaging: aesthetics, user experience, and sustainability.

Highlights from each category include:

1. Aesthetics

Aesthetic appeal remains a powerful tool for capturing attention and building brand identity. This year’s standout designs leaned into visual storytelling through bold finishes and sculptural forms that elevate both shelf presence and user perception.

Gradient Finishes 

Color gradients are having a moment, and suppliers are meeting the demand with advanced techniques that eliminate the need for labels. Direct application of the gradient onto glass and plastic creates a seamless, high-impact effect that adds depth and movement to packaging. Paired with precision printing, this visual detail gives packaging a premium, modern feel.

Signature Silhouettes

Custom packaging shapes were everywhere at Cosmoprof—from softened square bottles to spherical closures that double as sculptural accents. The shift toward fluid, rounded edges softens rigid forms and reflects a growing preference for designs that feel both organic and elevated. These refined shapes not only differentiate shelf presence but also help tell a brand’s visual story.

2. User Experience

Today’s beauty consumers expect product packaging that both looks good and works effortlessly. This year’s innovations focused on intuitive design, enhancing precision, ease, and product integrity at every touchpoint.

Smart Dispensing

Functionality took center stage with new dispensing systems that enhance accuracy and control. While there are many airless jars and bottles in the personal care industry that provide precise dosages, one design that stood out was an airless bottle with multiple dosing options from a single unit. Another innovative product featured an automated dropper that refills itself when the cap is placed back on the bottle. 

Integrated Applicators

Suppliers are now thoughtfully integrating tools directly into packaging. No more misplaced spatulas, many systems feature built-in applicators that protect product integrity and create a more seamless, user-friendly experience from start to finish. It’s a smart detail that enhances both form and function.

3. Sustainability

If you’re not factoring sustainability into your packaging strategy, then you’re at risk of losing customers and falling behind when it comes to EPR laws and packaging regulations. Sustainability is no longer just a trend—it’s a design imperative. From refillable formats to fully recyclable dispensing systems, suppliers are advancing thoughtful solutions that balance environmental impact with elevated performance.

Refillable Packaging 

Refillable systems continue to evolve. We saw a diverse range of packaging solutions with a reusable outer component and a refillable inner component that allows users to easily replace that part when the product runs out. While this refillable component is still primarily made of plastic, we saw some innovative designs with refillable parts made from fiber, metal, or post-consumer recycled resin (PCR). These refillable systems offer both durability and ease, aligning with consumers’ expectations around both performance and waste reduction.

Mono-Material Dispensing Solutions

Dispensing systems have always been difficult to recycle due to their mix of plastic and metal components. Now, suppliers are addressing this by introducing all-plastic systems, eliminating metal springs and other mixed materials. It was great to see the mono-material trend expand beyond pumps to include droppers and other formats. To highlight these sustainable features, suppliers are using creative design elements like color blocking and cutouts that make the eco-friendly appeal clear at a glance.

New Materials

Suppliers highlighted the challenge and opportunity of introducing new sustainable materials. Wood dust and pulp emerged as popular materials for refillable components, while more uncommon materials like wheat grass–plastic blends and calcium carbonate–based packaging also made an appearance. These emerging materials offer new options for brands looking to move beyond traditional formats to reduce reliance on virgin plastics and broaden the conversation around sustainable packaging.

Key Takeaways & What’s Next

Cosmoprof continues to prove why it’s the must-attend event for brands serious about innovation and impact. From elevated design to smarter systems and meaningful material shifts, the show was a vibrant display of where beauty packaging is headed next. As we move into the future, here’s what we’re expecting to see more of in 2026 and beyond:

• Personalized Packaging: Customizable systems will evolve to adapt to individual consumer routines, offering adjustable dosing, modular formats, and refill options tailored to individual routines. As personalization in beauty grows, so will the demand for packaging that supports it.
• Next-Gen Sustainable Materials: Brands are looking beyond compostable claims for materials that degrade responsibly and meet performance expectations. As regulations tighten, we’ll start to see bio-based and biodegradable materials like mycelium, algae plastics, and seaweed films start to scale commercially.
• Smart, Connected Experiences: With increasing pressure for lifecycle accountability, brands will start integrating traceability tech directly into packaging, allowing consumers to scan and view carbon data and end-of-life instructions in real time. AI-driven features like QR codes and NFC chips will also be used to expand the customer experience.
• Elevated Refill Systems: Refillable packaging will continue to evolve beyond utilitarian formats. We expect to see more premium refill designs that reduce waste without compromising luxury or performance.

As consumer expectations shift, packaging must evolve with purpose, innovation, and sustainability at its core. 

At Paramount Global, we help brands translate packaging trends into real-world solutions through smart design, sustainable materials, and packaging solutions that stand out and perform.

Ready to take your packaging strategy to the next level? Let’s talk about how we can bring your vision to life. Contact us today to get started.