8 Beauty Brands Who Have Perfected the Art of Packaging

We decode the design language of some of the best homegrown brands in India to understand what the artwork on their products symbolises.

28 November, 2019
8 Beauty Brands Who Have Perfected the Art of Packaging

1. Arama Naturals

This brand takes its natural roots seriously when it comes to packaging. The artwork remains constant for all their products—the logo is an amalgamation of flowers and leaves, inspired by the rich heritage of Indian culture, which institutes a ‘soul tree’. The colour scheme includes four elements—earthy-brown, reddish-orange, grey, and yellow—all representing different spectrums of the ingredients. The earthy-brown colour embodies the ingredients that come from Mother Earth; reddish-brown is inspired by the goodness of saffron, found in many of the brand’s products; grey represents calmness; and yellow represents glow and radiance.

 

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2. Ohria Naturals

This skincare brand manifests 6,000-year-old Ayurvedic formulations through 100 percent natural products dressed in elegant packaging. By blending floral motifs influenced by Rajput architecture, rich Indian hues, and traditional typefaces, the brand brings to life the untold beauty secrets of the royalty. The packaging is inspired by the mandala—which means ‘circle’ in Sanskrit, a spiritual and religious symbol representing the universe—which is often seen in Rajputana palaces. It represents the life forms as ‘connected’. This ornate circular frame and the floral motifs are symbolic of elephant heads and lotuses, often spotted in the form of wall carvings on ancient Indian royal Hindu palaces.

 

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3. Just Herbs
While most Just Herbs products come in simplistic packaging, highlighting what’s really important—the formula—Sapta Jal Ayurvedic Micellar Water really stands out...and for good reason. This crowd-sourced product is a blend of nurturing vegetable oils and seven plant waters (triphala, tulsi, shallaki, chandan, khus, gulab and narangi phool), all of which make a cameo on the product, along with the brand’s signature logo housed in a circular pattern, reminiscent of the motifs you see on temples. The interesting bit about the artwork is that the name of the products appears as though you’re searching for its meaning in a dictionary, explaining what the formula inside is all about, making it easier for buyers of the brand to understand.

 

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4. Dr. Sheth’s
A medical-luxury brand, Dr. Sheth’s didn’t want the run-of-the-mill clinical packaging most apothecary medical brands come in. They wanted to interpret ‘botanicals meets science’ on the bottle and cartons in an artistic fashion to embody the perfect pharma formula. The etched-style illustration highlights the key ingredient in each product (pomegranate, in this case), adding a splash of colour, while still retaining the monochrome palette a clinical brand is synonymous with.

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5. Forest Essentials
One of the most-iconic homegrown beauty brands, each collection by Forest Essentials is inspired by ancient ayurvedic recipes. Soundarya is their best-selling range, offering potent age-defying formulations. Inspired by the legendary beauty of the lotus-eyed Goddess Lakshmi, who’s believed to use pure gold for her skincare rituals, the packaging mirrors the same perfectly. The artwork depicts Goddess Lakshmi sitting on a lotus flower and also holding the flower in her hand, as represented in Hindu mythology. This is symbolic of the Goddess’ glow and radiance that one would be able to achieve through this range.

 

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6. Biotique

The 27-year-old brand’s latest range, the Royal Allure Collection, is a mélange of fragrant body products that bring the secrets of Rajveda back to life. The ancient science of Rajveda was founded in India 5,000 years ago, by Himalayan masters to preserve the health and beauty of Indian royalty. The products and packaging in this range are inspired by the rich, kaleidoscopic history of royal India. The colours, pink and gold, are inspired from the arts of the particular era, and define the authenticity of concoctions that were available back in 3,000 BC—taking it all back to the roots of the century.

 

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7. Kama Ayurveda

Kama Ayurveda initially formulated only powders and oils, featuring plain, square-shaped bottles with a golden-brown tin lids, and the product name mentioned in a minimal, classic, serif font. Their more colourful packaging, featuring an inherent Indian imprint, came about when the brand forayed into shampoos and other wellness products. With an ever-expanding product line featuring traditional Indian ingredients, the packaging, too, has evolved with eye-catching sketches of flowers, herbs, and plants depicting the product’s composition. But the palette remains pastel-hued, giving the design a luxe, international feel.

 

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8. Global Beauty Secrets (GBS)

This brand came into being to celebrate the collective wisdom of women from across the world. It’s no surprise that the product formulations are inspired by ancient cultures such as Indian, Japanese, Aztec, and Egyptian, among others. The artwork on the Indian range serves as a window into the rituals practised in the olden days. GBS uses infamous motifs from different countries to showcase cultural beliefs. The monocarton’s saffron colour symbolises agni (fire), while the product features a woman in the local attire. The main ingredients are shown separately with rose-gold foiling, depicting their importance in the product. Iconic monuments and architectural designs also make a cameo, giving more insight about the country, adding to the local flavour. 

 

 

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