Gift responsibly: how to formulate beauty gifts people will love to receive

The complexities of beauty gift formulation

Formulating for beauty gifts presents a unique set of challenges that go beyond standard product development. Cosmetics and consumer care products are deeply personal, yet beauty gifts are purchased on behalf of someone else - someone who may have different preferences and requirements to the person adding the product to their basket. Application benefits must therefore be broad enough to appeal to a wide audience yet still deliver meaningful performance.

What’s more, despite the buzz around viral beauty trends and the rise of digital-first shopping, brand loyalty remains a powerful force in consumer decision-making. This means products need strong differentiation within a crowded market to gain consideration and allow brands to take market share.

Ease of integration into daily routines also plays a role in whether a product is embraced or left untouched. Even the most luxurious products can miss the mark if they feel too complicated or unfamiliar.

This complexity makes beauty gifting a delicate balancing act. A mismatch in product choice can lead to disappointment and contribute to the growing issue of waste in the beauty industry. With billions of beauty items produced annually, many of which go unused or are discarded, the environmental impact is significant.

So how can beauty brands overcome these challenges?

Awaken the senses

The sensory experience of beauty products is often the first, and most lasting, impression. From the silky glide of a serum to the rich and nourishing feel of a body cream, these tactile cues transform a simple product into a moment of self-care. Sensory appeal doesn’t just make a product feel luxurious; it elevates a gifted personal care product into a distinctive experience.

Formulating so that a product delivers the sensory experience promised on pack is an important contribution to maintaining claim integrity and building a positive consumer experience. On pack claims allow consumers to purchase products with confidence, ensuring they align with the needs and preferences of the intended recipient. If they don’t, the gift may not land well, leaving an underwhelming reaction and a potentially underutilised product. But when they do, they can foster positive sentiment and potentially lead to repeat purchase from both the giver and the recipient.

To help formulators and marketers design products that speak to these desires, Croda Beauty’s SenStories™ online tool offers a science-backed approach to sensory development. This emulsifier selector tool links the language of the consumer with the language of the formulator, enabling brands to identify ingredients that will support the creation of formulations that convey specific sensory characteristics such as light, fresh, and creamy. It bridges the gap between technical formulation and consumer perception, helping brands create products that accurately convey sensory perception. 

Incorporating sensory storytelling into product development and marketing can therefore not only enhance giftability, but also aligns with the growing trend of intentional self-care. When a product feels good to use, it becomes part of a ritual, offering a moment of mindfulness that the recipient can return to again and again. And in the context of gifting, that’s the kind of experience that lingers long after the wrapping paper is gone.

Excite with transformative textures

Beauty gifts are no longer just about pretty packaging and convenient sets from your local drugstore. Today’s great gifts are about intrigue, shareability, and the thrill of discovery. Transformative textures, those which shift during use, have become viral sensations not just because they’re sensorially pleasing (though they often are), but because they’re fun, unexpected, and irresistibly watchable.

Consumers increasingly seek products that feel playful and luxurious, especially those that deliver a “wow” moment during application. According to Sensia’s AI-powered analysis of over 115,000 consumer reviews, textures like whipped creams, water-burst gels, and balm-to-oil transitions are among the most emotionally resonant and frequently praised. These formats are not only pleasurable to use but also drive repeat purchases and brand loyalty, meaning this years’ gift recipients may become next years’ repeat customer.

At Croda Beauty, we’ve devised innovative formulations intended to surprise and delight, taking products beyond functionality and performance to maximise appeal. Filter our formulation finder by ‘Textures - Transformative’ to find out more or explore some of our favourites below.

Simplify gifting with universal appeal

Beauty gifting can be a minefield of personal preferences. Skin type, hair texture, fragrance sensitivity, and even lifestyle habits can all impact how well personal care products will be received. To ensure a product is embraced rather than shelved (or worse, thrown away), brands must consider universal appeal: formulations and formats that suit a wide range of users and integrate seamlessly into daily routines. 

Universal formats reduce the risk of gifting misfires, helping to cut down on product waste and improve consumer satisfaction. After all, the best gifts are those that spark joy - and get used. But with an ever-growing demand for personalisation and diversity in the market, how can brands meet individual needs without limiting their audience?

First and foremost, delivering products that are suitable for a range of skin or hair types is key. This inclusivity makes products safer to gift, especially when the recipient’s preferences or sensitivities are unknown.

Multi-use formulas are another powerful tool for simplifying beauty gifting. Products that serve multiple functions - like lip-and-cheek tints, balm-to-oil hydrators, or SPF-infused moisturizers - offer versatility and value. They’re also perfect for travel, family use, or minimalist routines, making them a smart choice for gift sets. Not only do these advantages offer benefits for gift-buyers, but they also enable users to meet their performance needs using fewer products. This, in turn, can be considered good for sustainability; bucking the trend of overconsumption to promote more responsible beauty habits that can potentially minimise resource depletion and environmental impacts.

Croda Beauty’s Glowing Boost Multi-Use Liquid Blush exemplifies this trend. Developed with high pigmentation, this multi-functional liquid blush gives an instant pop of colour to cheeks, eyelids, and lips. It also features our anti-ageing active, Matryxyl™ 3000 Free, to help reverse the signs of chronological ageing, and Heliami™ Banana Flower EC, a tropical botanical extract with moisturising and hydrating properties. This combination of ingredients delivers performance across a wide range of functions to provide multiple benefits to users.

By focusing on universal design, brands can create products that feel thoughtful, inclusive, and easy to love, without limiting their audience. It’s about removing barriers to use and making beauty feel accessible.

Final thoughts: making beauty gifts more meaningful

In a market flooded with options, truly gift-worthy beauty stands out not just for performance, but for its ability to create meaningful moments. Whether through sensory storytelling, playful textures, or inclusive formats, the most successful beauty gifts are those that feel personal, thoughtful, and emotionally resonant. They invite play, spark curiosity, and support self-care rituals that go beyond the surface. And when designed with care - considering sensory experience, usability, and sustainability - they become more than products. They become gestures of thoughtfulness that will long be remembered.

By formulating with intention and empathy, beauty brands can reduce the risk of gifting misfires and help cut down on waste, while creating products that are delightful to give and receive. And in doing so, they help transform beauty gifts into something more enduring.

Explore Croda Beauty’s product finder to start creating products that are not only beautiful, but beautifully giftable.