Marc Jacobs Beauty: Mastering reflections with playful foil balloons
Reflective products are notoriously difficult to photograph, so I love that Marc Jacobs Beauty (@marcjacobsbeauty) chose such challenging props like foil balloons, shot by Marili Andre (@mariliandre). It taps into the current infantilism trend while still supporting the perfume line with their signature daisy cap, a hardware detail Marc Jacobs Beauty carried over from their original run before the 2021 discontinuation.
Kylie Cosmetics lip gloss: Soft overexposed pink and sensorial packaging
What a lovely bunch of trendy shots from Kylie Cosmetics (@kyliecosmetics) shot by Dichen Chen (@dichen_chen)! They lean into that overexposed, almost "ad-y but casual" feel with soft light and sensorial words on the packaging. It's on brand for Kylie Cosmetics because her whole ecosystem is about aspirational girl-world: pink, juicy, playful femininity, and viral "must-have" drops. Even if "everyone" is doing similar creative, the Kylie name, the pink-on-pink world, and the focus on a single main product here, glossy lip work, plug it back into that larger branded universe where her audience already lives.
Sarah Creal Beauty kajal: Editorial styling meets product photography
I'm obsessing over these eye pencil shots from Sarah Creal Beauty (@sarah.creal) shot by Claire Benoist (@clairebenoist). The compositions are so unexpected. Instead of the standard product-on-white approach, each image feels more like editorial work, almost art-directed. The way the pencils interact with the swatches creates this layered depth that makes you actually look at the product instead of just scrolling past it.
What really works here is how the styling choices give context without overwhelming the product. The textures, the angles, the way light catches the metallic finishes all add up to something that feels more considered than your typical indie cosmetics editorial photography. You can tell there was real thought put into making each shot distinct while keeping everything cohesive.
The result is product photography that doesn't feel like product photography. It's the kind of work that makes other brands reconsider their entire approach to shooting makeup.
Chanel Chance Eau Splendide: Warm, saturated departure from brand codes
This Chanel (@chanel.beauty) Chance Eau Splendide soap image feels slightly off-brand. The color story and density are fighting their usual codes. The pink is warm, candy-like, and spreads across liquid, label, and background, pushing it toward cheerful body care rather than controlled, architectural luxury. The label is busy with long product names and copy, so instead of one calm, dominant signifier (the classic square bottle, the double C, a single word), your eye is juggling blocks of text. Chanel's strongest imagery usually rests on sharp contrast (black/white/beige plus one precise accent) and a lot of negative space. Here the frame is saturated and chatty. It reads as a strategic attempt to tap into manifestation, ritual, and joy for a younger audience under new fragrance head Simona Cattaneo, but visually it dilutes that strict, sovereign elegance that makes a Chanel object instantly legible from far away.
Rhode Skin: Textured, warm-toned beauty photography with dimensional lighting
From a product photography point of view, Rhode Skin (@rhode) shot by Nicolas Kantor (@nicolaskantor) is very dialed-in and intentional. They're clearly obsessed with texture and finish: the bronzer looks creamy, skin looks soft and dimensional, and the lighting is set up to show real skin, not plastic retouching. The light is soft but directional, so you get cheekbone structure and a believable "sun on your face" warmth without harsh shine. Color is super controlled, warm browns, caramels, and neutrals, so packaging, skin, and background all feel like they live in the same world, which makes the product look considered and cohesive.
About the Author
Elina is a Ukrainian-Canadian commercial photographer based in Vancouver, British Columbia.
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