GET FREE SAMPLES

sign up for our newsletter to get free sample alerts
Photo 9/12
The collection: Fresh
Fresh gift sets are known for their packaging, which gets prettier every year. The metallic starburst designs say holiday in a chic way -- without being too cutesy.

Fresh Fragrance Essentials Rollerball Trio, $36
Fresh Spa Escape, $50

Photo 10/12
The inspiration: Tarte
When it came time to design their holiday collection, the creative team at Tarte threw traditional out the window. Instead, they opted for cool Ikat prints in bright colors, using mostly fabric swatches on their inspiration board.

Photo 11/12
The collection: Tarte
Tarte named the collection "Baby It's Bold Outside" for both the bright packaging and the vibrant shadow shades inside. We love that the prints feel festive without being seasonal; we'll be using them year round.

Tarte Carried Away Collector's Set, $54
Tarte The Big Thrill Color Collection, $48

Want more holiday gift ideas? Check out these gift sets that are so gorgeous you can skip the wrapping paper entirely.

Long before Pinterest became everyone's favorite way to spend their lunch break (and then some), beauty brands were crafting tangible inspiration boards for their collections each season.

Picture this: The creative team spends months tacking ribbons, photos, fabric scraps, and magazine pages to giant slabs of cork on an expansive white wall. They stand around, arms crossed, evaluating these mood boards. They take some pictures down; they add others. Finally, a color scheme starts to develop and a theme emerges. Only then do they actually start to conceptualize the packaging, shades, and formulas that go into manufacturing makeup.

While every collection has a different story -- and creative process -- behind it, holiday beauty collections tend to be especially interesting: "Parisian desserts!" "Shimmery snowscapes! "Moroccan vacations!" So we knocked on beauty brands' metaphorical doors (via email) to see if they'd give us a glimpse at the mood boards that inspired their fabulous holiday launches.

Skip ahead to see our favorite holiday beauty mood boards.

Sure enough, these collages totally wowed us -- so we're sharing them here. Whether you want insight into what makes these collections special or you're looking for some holiday beauty inspiration of your own, we have a feeling you'll love what you see. At the very least, let them inspire you to add to your own holiday Pinterest board.
BY DAWN DAVIS | SHARES
VIEW COMMENTS
Full Site | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy
TotalBeauty is a property of Evolve Media Holdings, LLC. © 2024 All Rights Reserved. | Affiliate Disclosure: Evolve Media Holdings, LLC, and its owned and operated subsidiaries may receive a small commission from the proceeds of any product(s) sold through affiliate and direct partner links.