While the majority of shopping decisions are based heavily on individual preference, when it comes to personal care products, purchases tend to be even more intimate choices.

With an abundance of options lining store shelves, brands must use every platform available to catch the eye of consumers and make the sale. For personal care products delivered via aerosol containers, including shaving cream, hair spray and sunscreen, advancements in shaping, sizes and decorations can elevate the overall package and help brands stand out among the competition.

Whether dispensing a foam or a mist, the diverse capabilities of metal packaging lend significant added value. New shaping techniques help brands showcase distinct profiles that command attention and can even make containers easier to grip. With the ability to expand by up to 25 percent, aerosol packaging can feature soft curves, intriguing asymmetrical designs and unusual shapes that go far beyond the traditional cylinder that many think of when imagining a can.

To further boost visual appeal, brands can leverage a new debossed effect that creates varying depths on the can surface, strategically depressing select areas of the metal. These indentations not only catch the light but help to emphasize key graphics, making them quite literally pop off the package. When designed with precision and expertise, this alignment between shaping and graphics can add a premium feel to the product, suggesting a sophisticated manufacturing process. In addition to enhancing appearance, the shaping innovation creates a tangible textural element that makes the product more ergonomic. The depressions create more grip for the consumer—a feature that is particularly useful for products used in wet environments, like shaving cream.

Also beneficial to brands seeking differentiation for their personal care products is the wide variety of aerosol can sizes available, from round and full to tall and slim. “Sleek” sizes, such as cans measuring 45mm in diameter, fit the needs of modern brands and add a high-end feel to products. These narrower sizes also offer greater ease of use for consumers, who can more easily wrap their hands around the entire product. Increasingly smaller sizes made for travel also provide convenience, fitting more seamlessly into busy, mobile lifestyles. With a smaller profile, the product can go into a gym bag, office drawer or carry-on luggage. These sizes also allow consumers to try a sample size of a premium product before committing to the full size, making luxury products more accessible to all shoppers and building brand preference.

Beyond size and shape, new advancements in decorative and printing techniques provide distinction to aerosol products. Metal can support striking combinations of finishes, pairing matte and gloss varnishes together to add visual appeal. Innovative lithographic capabilities including six- and four-color printing and ultraviolet (UV) inks enable detailed graphics that highlight promotional, limited-edition designs and help communicate important brand messages.

When used as singular elements or in conjunction with one another, these metal packaging innovations can yield a product that improves the total consumer experience. In the personal   care space, the capabilities of aerosol packaging can transform everyday grooming tasks into indulgent, luxurious experiences—an invaluable opportunity for brands looking to increase market share and build connections with their customers.