Sleek MakeUP

Sleek MakeUP evolved as a challenger brand in the cosmetics category by offering high quality makeup for women of all skin tones at an accessible price point. With its carefully curated and on-trend product line, Sleek MakeUP inspires consumers to keep trying new things and have fun with makeup.

Founded in East London, Sleek MakeUP is now embarking on global expansion. FutureBrand were briefed to help sharpen the brand positioning, evolve the core equities and apply them to the key touchpoint of packaging.

After securing listings on the UK high street in Boots and Superdrug, Sleek MakeUP has grown extremely quickly. Throughout their growth, Sleek MakeUP has always had a strong reputation for its limited edition collections, with its loyal consumers seeing them as must-have collector items.

With an opportunity to add to this success, FutureBrand were asked to create the 2016 Christmas gifting collection. With an emphasis on avoiding seasonal Christmas clichés, the collection sought to celebrate the core equities of the brand and bring the new brand strategy to life. To appeal to the brand’s younger adult audience, the collection of six boxes needed to feel modern, fun and vibrant.

Sleek MakeUP’s Christmas gift box packaging was the first opportunity for the brand to bring to life the new brand values and personality. In a highly competitive cosmetics market Sleek MakeUP wanted to engage their consumers and create a gift box that they were proud to have sitting on their dressing table; a gift box that can be a collectors' item for their makeup-loving consumers.

Based on the brand’s ethos of celebrating diversity, the idea formed around the thought of a myriad of bold, graphic patterns that clashed together on different faces of the pack. Using the pack as media, each element was considered as part of the unwrapping ritual. From the moment the consumer removes the sleeve and opens the box to reveal its contents, every aspect of the customer journey has been carefully crafted to engage the person receiving the gift and make the experience as captivating as possible. The playful naming approach is in line with the idea of discovery, whereby the names reveal clues to what is inside each box.

The matte materials were used in combination with gloss varnishes and embossing to add a feel of tactility and imbue a high-quality appearance. The print techniques used ensure the bold and vibrant colours pack a punch in-store when sitting alongside competitors.

Sleek MakeUP is now one of the fastest growing colour cosmetics brands on the UK high street.

“Sleek MakeUP is a young and vibrant brand that celebrates diversity and encourages young women to create their own look. We took the same approach when designing the packaging by adopting a bold palette of graphic pattern and colour that mixes & matches throughout the range. This, married with a light-hearted tone of voice, enables us to connect with our consumer in a creative, distinctive and playful way”

Marie-Therese Cassidy, Executive Creative Director, FutureBrand

“Our 2016 Christmas Gifting collection flew off the shelves, FutureBrand has done a fantastic job in reflecting our brand personality in the design of the gifts, and our consumers snapped them up.”

Emily Maben, Marketing Director at Sleek MakeUP