Archived Post

Temptalia Asks You - What role does packaging play in your purchases?

What role does packaging play in your purchases? Does it need to be functional, pretty, practical?

.

I like functional packaging the most, but I definitely get caught up in pretty packaging, too! I am able to resist products that just look pretty, though–most of the time!

.


41 Comments

Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!

Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).

We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!

Comments on this post are closed.
Daisy Avatar

Not such a large role. I am definitely someone who can appreciate pretty packaging (and oooh and aaaah at it) but am not one to store it if it has no use. I wont purchase something based on the pretty packaging though it will probably tempt me just a bit more. Other than that, if its a great product, I don’t care much what the packaging looks like.

Miss_M Avatar

Packaging plays a role to a certain extend. I usually go for simple black or silver packaging and tend to skip cheap, flimsy, childish or tacky looking packaging.

Archelle Avatar

I like minimal packaging the best. If something comes with crappy little brushes or sponge applicators it’s a total turn off for me. I can usually resist pretty stuff.

Anitacska Avatar

Packaging doesn’t play too big part in my decision whether to purchase cosmetics – although having said that, I do own a few Too Faced and Urban Decay palettes because of their packaging, they did turn out to be rather good too! I’m more of a sucker for pretty products, especially powders like Estee Lauder’s shimmer powders or Guerlain Meteorites Voyage powders that just look so gorgeous, I have to have them. ๐Ÿ™‚ Also Guerlain eyeshadow palettes and not forgetting all the pretty mineralized stuff from Mac. ๐Ÿ™‚

Emm Avatar

Packaging doesn’t play a large role, though aesthetically pleasing packaging helps. I try to look more in regards to durability and ease of use. Plus if I feel if I am paying a higher price just because of it, I won’t.

Alice Avatar

Huge role. It shouldnt, but theres so much out there you have to take any opportunity to narrow down the options you can. I like simple, stylish and functional. Hard wearing is good too, for being thrown about in my handbag.

Kay Avatar

None at all. As long as the packaging doesn’t get in the way of me using the product properly. What matters to me is product quality.

Nathalie Avatar

It needs to be practical and hygienic. I don’t mind that much about how a packaging is pretty is the product is so-so. The importance says in a good quality product. Yet, I appreciate pretty packagings when I saw them.

Arielle Avatar

I love pretty packaging, and it plays an important role in my purchase. If it looks as good as it works i’m more likely to buy it. As humans, we are attracted to what we see initially, and if its pleasing to the eye, we gravitate towards it. However, I cannot condone buying crappy products because it has Hello Kitty or bling on it.

Ali Avatar

I wish it didn’t play as large a role as it does. Anything that has colorful or sparkly or just plain cute packaging I buy. I hate to say it but that’s how I first got into Benefit. I was in Macy’s walking past the Benefit makeup counter and I was like oooh it’s colorful! I don’t buy things I absolutely don’t need, but I’m more likely to try one brand’s product over another brand’s because of the packaging.

Nicole15 Avatar

I definitely like it to be functional, but if the product is amazing & the packaging is not perfect, I will still get it. You can’t always have the best of both worlds. I typically learn how to wrong with difficult packaging if necessary. I am a sucker though for pretty/gimmicky packaging. I’m a marketing teams prime suspect ๐Ÿ™‚

AYHM Avatar

Honestly, I like pretty packaging especially when I am able to find an alternative use for it but I am more interested in product quality. Although, I know there are times when I have purchased the higher end product and the package was pretty as well and that caused me to pay high dollar for both.

aramis Avatar

actually i think that i dont actually buy prouducts for the packaging. like i think alot of benefit and urban decay has cute packaging but i hate that its cardboard and it would take up a lot of space. if i could buy their products and depot it i wud. the only thing i have bought with cute packaging is the manish arora eyeshadow pallet and some of the hello kitty stuff. and one of the reasons i bought the ma pallet(not that it isnt cute) is because it had nylon my favorite, going bananas which i had been eyeing lol and electric eel which i was gonna purchase.

Michelle Avatar

Pretty packaging catches my eye — but I’m definately not going to spend $60 on an eye quad just for the packaging. I will buy it if I genuinely love the colours/quality, though.
I like MAC because the packaging is sleek and streamlined — not over the top.

Wilcoa Avatar

I love pretty packaging and it will definiteily make me want to find something in the collection, but for the most part, if the product isn’t good I stay away.

Leah Avatar

Packaging does in fact place a role to a certain extent when I’m shopping, (especially for hair products) but I will supremely judge on the product itself and its quality.

MC Avatar

Pretty packaging draws me in and makes me look at the product. But if I actually look at the product and it’s so-so, I won’t buy it.

Ex. Graphic Gardens.

Kaylabella Avatar

Pretty packaging makes me stop and look closer at the product, so it gives it a better chance of being purchased than something with bland packaging, but I usually wont buy it just because the outside is pretty, there actually has to be something worthwhile about the product, i.e. the Urban Decay palettes!

Kate Avatar

A pretty big role, especially with MAC. But I’m sure cosmetics wouldn’t sell half as well as they do if they didn’t come in such beautiful packaging. Why else would they go to the trouble to design it? It’s great marketing. However, if the product isn’t any good, packaging won’t get me to buy it.

Amber Avatar

Packaging has little importance to me. I too appreciate pretty packaging and it has influenced me in the past, but participating in the online makeup community in various ways has led me to so many wonderful products that I might have passed up if not for the hype that truly anything is game for me.

aradhana Avatar

packaging is important in that it shouldn’t be excessive, it should be hard-wearing and practical, as well as aesthetically pleasing. mac’s standard packaging and palettes tick all the boxes in this regard, but i find their ‘special’ collections very frustrating sometimes because they stray so far from that simplicity. i prefer when looking through my makeup drawers that the thing that stands out is the colours–not the packaging. i would have really preferred for example if could have bought the eyeshadows from the style warrior collection without the stripes etc…and the neo sci fi without the bright orange!

ChristineDior Avatar

I AM A SUCKER FOR PACKAGING! ๐Ÿ™‚ maybe a bad thing, I’ve been trying to concern myself with the actual product instead of the packaging but when I saw the YSL lipstick in the other post as well as the HK collection and FAFI collection I went nuts ๐Ÿ™‚

Hannah Avatar

i tend to go for simple but chic packaging. the packaging for style warriors wasnt my favorite. The packaging has to be REALLY cute for me to like it. Like the Fafi collection was really cute and chic. I like the Benefit packaging because it was cute chic and almost vintage designs. My favorite packaging would have to be the normal black MAC packaging.

Samantha Avatar

unfortunately, i’m obsessed with packaging. i’m addicted to make-up, i just really have a problem. sometimes, if it is super pretty i won’t even swatch it… i’ll just buy it and end up with a product that doesn’t even work for me.

kat Avatar

Definately plays a role… I mean lets be honest there are a million really great products out there, something has to entice you to buy it! That said, I wouldn’t buy a product JUST for its packaging, but of course it helps me decide which item I would like haha!

Jas Avatar

I like pretty but practical packaging, the style warriors collection completely won me over, because of this, and often Benifit does also

chuarmk Avatar

I care most about quality products.As for packaging,I am definately attracted to nicer ones but will only buy them if I use the colors within.

Saira Avatar

I do like packaging if it looks pretty and appealing but it also has to be functional and something that I’m going to use. If I find something that I really like in terms of quality, etc, then I don’t really mind it it doesn’t look as appealing in terms of packaging.

Sam Avatar

i definetly but from packaging
its needs to be cute! i prefer a clear or clear and striped makeup bag so i can find what i want quickly
and the makeup that you can see should look pretty
i mean i feel more beautiful when i put on a product that looks beautiful too ๐Ÿ™‚
if the products great the packaging doesnt have to be fabulous .. but its prefered
i love mac products beacuse they dont look cheap but they are not too flashy
but i also ADORE the packaging of limited edition products
who doesnt love a cute hello kitty lipstick peeking out at them from their makeup bag?

Vee Avatar

Cheap, or cheap looking, packaging will discourage me from buying a product. This can be either the graphics/printing or the actual packaging of the product. (I prefer more professional packaging, not a $30 lip product that looks like something from the dollar store.)

Also, cutesy cardboard packaging turns me off as it seems more cumbersome than necessary, such as Benefit’s blushes. They’re not overly practical for traveling, IMO.

Alice Avatar

It plays a big role! I do stick to certain brands, but another brand can definitely win me over if the packaging (and color of the product of course) is pretty or special enough.

We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! ๐Ÿ™‚ If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!