Why foundation packaging design is getting a big rethink

By Lynsey Barber | Published: 28-Apr-2026

Rare Beauty, Refy and Clarins are among the brands bringing fresh packaging innovation to the complexion category, which has traditionally seen little deviation from the basic form, driven by demand for accessible and personalised products

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A mainstay of make-up, complexion products are getting a rethink, with newly launched skin tints and foundations delivering inclusivity and flexibility via new packaging design innovations.

“This is a category that has not generally seen novel updates to its major formats until relatively recently,” says Mallory Huron, Director of Beauty & Wellness at trend forecaster Future Snoops.

Enter beauty brands Refy, Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty and Clarins.


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Refy’s Skin Base stands out from the crowd as it allows you to push the product up so it dispenses directly onto a built-in palette, creating a mess-free application. 

Designed in-house, the tint is dispensed via a push pump onto a lightly curved cylinder, from which users can pick up the product with a brush or fingers.

“[Skin Base] is a world-first design that we developed closely alongside our community,” says Danielle Wood, Product Director at Refy.

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