L'Oreal's Pureology brand professional products (shampoos, conditioners, masques and treatments) have been literally flipped over on-shelf in sophisticated pearlescent toned, multi-tasking bottles designed to reflect their 100% vegan formulation and sustainable packaging. The Pureology redesign, by Robert Bergman, founder of Mpakt and former L'Oreal creative director, takes the form of a sensuously curved, innovative set of bottle designs (one sits on its cap the other on its base), which are manufactured from a single mold and appear to embrace on shelf.
Robert Bergman, who began his career working for Fabien Baron on the design of Interview magazine, and has hundreds of beauty product designs to his credit, has an uncomplicated philosophy when it comes to package design. "No matter what a brand's tone or message, a package must always be stunningly beautiful," he stated. "Image and status are so important in fashion and beauty, so package design is especially crucial to the success of a beauty brand."
The creative brief for Pureology presented two challenges - 1. Give the brand, whose original structure was inspired by classic olive oil bottles, and had not been redesigned since its purchase by L'Oreal, a modern, upscale look cool enough to be sold at Colette, in Paris, and 2. Correct a structural design flaw in which the thin-necked bottle prevented the popular flash-foam effect of the luxuriously viscous liquid.
"L'Oreal wanted the new Pureology bottle to appear organic and natural in form, while looking different from all other salon products. Toward that goal, Bergman made dozens of exploratory sketches before rendering the finalists in 3D. "If there is a name for that bottle shape, I would call it 'organically professional,'" said Bergman, whose sinuously curved bottle is innately feminine. "I'm constantly aware of masculine and feminine package design cues; Pureology is definitely feminine, yet highly functional with its wider neck and flip-top cap allowing for easy one-handed use in the shower."
Finally, the original Pureology logotype was modified and modernized, but moved from its central position to the upper right, and a pearlescent palette applied. "The new, more sophisticated silvery pearlescent colors represent a luxurious evolution of the originals," added Bergman.
"It's a complete redesign, from shape, to color to graphics, and it has to appeal to current Pureology users while attracting new customers so every nuance must be carefully considered to achieve the brand's growth goals."