Physicians Formula is looking to reconnect its products with the brand’s original DNA by introducing new packaging and innovations, as part of the company’s transition in brand management.

“Our consumer research – which included focus groups and shopping experience studies – led to findings that, while our products were beloved and our formulations were great, there was a disconnect from a packaging standpoint,” explained Alice Chen, VP Marketing, Physicians Formula. “There was a plethora of beautiful designs that tied back to franchises rather than the brand itself, and it was our heritage products in sleek, silver packages that were easily recognized as Physicians Formula favorites. As such, our creative team designed something that was an amalgamation of our heritage and a clean, elevated look with a clinical connotation that ties back to our brand name itself, ‘Physicians Formula.’”

Existing products will not be revised to avoid confusing brand loyalists. Instead, only new launches will feature the redesign, starting with the brand’s new 11-sku collection for face, eyes, lips and skin, which were released on physiciansformula.com this month, and will be in full distribution at Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid and Ulta Beauty in January 2018. Four of the new launches are skin care offerings and include a lip polish, charcoal cleansing stick, eye de-puffer and face serum. For lips, there is a liquid lipstick available in 13 shades, and for eyes, a new mascara has been released as well as a long-lasting brow gel in 4 shades, designed in response to the microblading trend. For the face, Physicians Formula is introducing a new primer, additional highlighter and bronzer options and notably, its first foundation line, which includes a wide color assortment to reach a broad demographic.

“We’ve built our brand to be more inclusive of today’s consumer and the melting pot of our country,” said Alice. “Our key launch of The Healthy Foundation SPF 20 will debut with 16 shades under cool, warm, and neutral undertones – but this is only our first foray into shade expansion. Within our first week of launch on our ecommerce, we already began receiving requests from our consumers for additional shades – and we are committed to offering them. This is our brand strategy moving forward, and will be expanding on not only new offerings, but building on existing properties as well. Our #1 item, the Butter Bronzer – which is the number-one bronzer at mass – will see two additional shades.”

In addition to a new style guide, as part of its corporate mandate to lower its carbon footprint, many of the existing products have been repackaged to create minimal waste, with secondary packaging used only where necessary to provide clinical claims and additional education.

“This will be an ongoing process and it will be a gradual phasing out where we can,” said Alice. “The vast majority of our 2018 collection will be open sell to highlight the product unobstructed, and new innovations will follow suit.”