Perfecting a Custom Ink Match for an Iconic Beauty Brand's New Concealer
How Knockout built a Sephora Planet Aware compliant concealer carton for Fashion Fair, matching an existing product line's exact color, foil, and finish down to the smallest detail.
- Client
- Fashion Fair
- Industry
- Prestige cosmetics, founded 1973
- Packaging Type
- Concealer carton, secondary packaging
- Key Requirements
- Exact color, foil, and print match to an existing line, FSC-certified paper, EuPIA-compliant inks, Sephora Planet Aware compliance
- Manufacturing
- 1,000-unit pre-production trial run before full production
- Outcome
- A new SKU that reads as a seamless extension of Fashion Fair's existing lineup
Fashion Fair
Founded in 1973, Fashion Fair was the first prestige cosmetics brand created specifically for women of color, a milestone that made it a trailblazer in the beauty industry's move toward inclusivity.
Today the brand carries that legacy forward with clean, vegan, cruelty-free formulas, continuing to serve customers who have trusted Fashion Fair for decades.
Learn more about Fashion Fair →
Matching a Legacy Brand's Exact Look, SKU by SKU
Fashion Fair needed a new concealer carton that looked like it had always belonged next to their existing lineup: same paper shade, same foil, same print. At the same time, sustainability had become central to the brand's identity, and the new packaging needed to meet Sephora's Planet Aware standards.
- An exact color, foil, and print match to an existing product line
- A new concealer SKU that reads as a natural extension of the brand
- Compliance with Sephora's Planet Aware packaging standard
- No visible gap in quality between old and new packaging
A Custom Ink, Proofed Before Full Production
Knockout developed a custom green ink shade built specifically to match Fashion Fair's existing line, then ran a pre-production trial of 1,000 units to confirm the color, foil, and print were correct before committing to a full production run. FSC-certified paper and EuPIA-compliant inks kept the project aligned with the brand's sustainability goals throughout.
- Developed a custom green ink shade to match the existing product line
- Ran a 1,000-unit pre-production trial before full production
- Verified foil and print alignment against Fashion Fair's specifications
- Used FSC-certified paper and EuPIA-compliant inks throughout
A Seamless Addition, Fully Sephora Compliant
The finished carton sits seamlessly next to Fashion Fair's existing lineup, matched in color, foil, and finish. Built with FSC-certified paper and EuPIA-compliant inks, it also meets Sephora's Planet Aware program guidelines, giving Fashion Fair a new SKU that honors both its heritage look and its sustainability commitments.
- A concealer carton visually matched to the existing product line
- Full compliance with Sephora's Planet Aware packaging standard
- FSC-certified paper and EuPIA-compliant inks throughout
- Confirmed accuracy through a pre-production trial run
Common questions about this project
How do you match a new product's packaging color to an existing line exactly? +
Matching color across a product line typically starts from a physical or digital reference of the existing SKU, then developing a custom ink formulation and proofing it against that reference until paper shade, foil, and print all align.
Why run a pre-production trial before full production? +
A pre-production trial produces a small batch, in this case 1,000 units, before committing to a full run. It lets a brand confirm color, foil, and structural details are correct, reducing the risk of an expensive reprint later.
What is a custom ink match, and why does it matter for brand consistency? +
A custom ink match is a bespoke ink formulation mixed to reproduce a specific existing color, rather than relying on a stock ink. It ensures a new SKU looks identical to established packaging when it sits on shelf.
What makes Fashion Fair historically significant in the beauty industry? +
Founded in 1973, Fashion Fair was the first prestige cosmetics brand created specifically for women of color, and it is widely recognized as a pioneer in the industry's move toward inclusivity.
How does EuPIA-compliant ink support a Sephora Planet Aware submission? +
EuPIA guidelines govern how packaging inks are formulated to limit hazardous substances. Choosing EuPIA-compliant inks is one of the material decisions that supports a brand's case under Sephora's Planet Aware packaging pillar.
