Hair care products are an emerging industry. Consequently, in the beauty and personal care industry packaging is critical. In making a product more effective, safe, and aesthetically appealing to consumers. Cosmetics especially hair care products require well-designed packaging to ensure they are not compromised in terms of their functionality. If packaging is not well done, it results in several problems affecting the product and the customer. Inadequate packaging is a form of packaging that poses several disadvantages that are instrumental globally, to different difficulties that range from reduced product efficacy to environmental degradation. This article explains packaging solutions for haircare products.
Spills and Leaks Inconvenient
Liquid shampoos, conditioners, and hair treatments are usually packed in bottles. These have a pump, flip cap, or screw cap. However, these mechanisms are not fail-proof and if designed in the wrong way or if the seals do not fit well then the products can spill over resulting in massive wastage. This does not only make the product economically unfavourable for the consumer but also creates inconveniences of staining or wet things when for instance, a bottled product leaks in a travel bag or a shampoo bottle spills in the shower. At other times, the shabby packaging can cause even a bigger disaster like leakage during or when the product is in storage. Not only is the product wasted, but also consumers will become frustrated and annoyed as their product’s packaging does not deliver what they expected. Such packaging failures normally have a bad impression on customers resulting in the fact that they may not be willing to purchase the same brand again.
Perceptions of Quality as a Mirage
There is evidence that the look and style of the packaging can shape the consumer’s perception of their product. When hair care products are not well packed, it will give a wrong impression of the quality or professionalism of the product. For instance, thin and low-quality tries, low-quality printing, and unsharp graphic design may bring doubts about the quality of the products inside. This is especially the case for ‘luxury’ hair care products that often need to have attractive packaging to remind clients just how much they need to spend on them.
Problems in the Right Proportion and Administration
A major problem that comes with poor packaging is the challenge of dispensing the product in question. Hair serums, oils, and treatments may require exact application so that more is not used than necessary or in the right way. But if the packaging does not deliver a controlled release which can be in the form of a dispenser that releases too much or too little of the content, the consumer tends to squander the product or use too little to bring out the intended effect. It is even more deleterious for higher-end or niche products, in which consumers want to get the most use out of their product. Firms that are not able to provide easy dispensing systems are likely to lose market share to firms that create better and quicker systems.
Safety Risks Increase
Another reason for packaging is to protect the haircare products from the environment and to protect the consumer from the product. Weak or poorly constituted sealing interfaces or faulty lidding can potentially allow contamination which poses harm to the end product depending on the type of bacteria likely to grow or other issues that may arise. For instance, if a product is bottled and then not sealed properly or left open for some time, the formula might go bad and hence cause a skin rash or any other harm. Furthermore, the packaging that is not well designed can lead to an increased likelihood of an injury. Containers with sharp edges, those that close with a lot of effort, developed hard to grasp resulting in accidents, especially if consumers are pressed for time or not fully attentive. When haircare brands fail to ensure safety in their packaging they are open to legal cases and client complaints which does not augur well with the image of the brand.
Conclusion
When hair care products are not well packed, the implications are more than the inconveniences of the consumer. The functionality of the packaging is a decisive factor in product quality, ease of use, environmental concerns, customer attitudes, and safety. Haircare brands have to remain innovative and provide solutions to packaging that will not compromise the functionality or safety of the haircare products. In addition to protecting the product, the appropriate package creates positive perceptions that ultimately lead to brand loyalty.
