Cosmetics retail displays provide plenty of room to be artistic. As products that celebrate life and beauty, you can truly think outside the box when it comes to crafting unique and inspiring point of sale displays.
Perfume, makeup, haircare, skincare, and everything in between. These retail displays are intended to charm and seduce potential buyers in all the right ways.
The main aims of creating retail displays and POS displays are to:
- Catch your ideal consumer’s eye
- Elevate your brand
- Increase sales
Take a look at this collection of 15 creative displays from a range of cosmetics companies. Be inspired to curate something beautiful…
1. Opt for bright pops of colour

When your cosmetics capture the youthful energy of fun and vibrancy, using colour in your cosmetics retail displays is a must.
This bright, cosmetic FSDU display unit focuses on the use of colour. This is done by grouping together similar shades to create a pastel palette that pops and fits the brand beautifully.
2. Go lowkey glam with understated clean organisation
Another angle for your creative cosmetics point of sale is to take the understated approach.
This is especially relevant for high-end and mature makeup brands that have an emphasis on natural beauty, such as Liz Earle.
This makeup display stand uses muted colour schemes, deft organisation skills, and just a splash of daring brightness in its layout. This retail display resembles a well-tailored home beauty counter. It is exactly what their target audience wants.
3. Clean and modern makes the mood
With the evolution of skincare and cosmetics, this delivers the perfect example of a modern retail display.
While they do weave in heavy use of their signature brand colouring. This display also opts for a cutting-edge counter look that feels fresh, clean, and has a laboratory-like vibe. It reinforces consumer trust and plays to their brand strengths.
4. Maximise counter space for last-minute purchases
Jack Dean paves the way when it comes to sleek counter space designs with its compact counter displays for those last-minute purchases.
Aimed at the masculine market, this has a vintage style with its well-groomed yet effortless appeal. For guys who do their shopping in a hurry, compact cosmetics retail displays are a savvy choice.
5. Make a statement
Always communicating a high degree of style and confidence, Dior knows how to turn heads and create a highly coveted brand image. This creative and luminous perfume display is simple, tasteful, and high-end. It makes the perfect grand statement with very little space or fuss.
6. Don’t be afraid to play
Cosmetics can be about fun indulgence and carry themes of dress-up and drama.
This innovative display from Revlon celebrates all the colours you could wish for and presents them in a playful way. It is one of those cosmetics retail stands that’s eye-catching and doubles down on Revlon’s identity as a bold brand for bold women.

7. Minimise for maximum effect

Another attractive element of cosmetic and beauty products can be found in the clean, green, minimalist approach.
By selecting a few signature products that complement each other and making a microdisplay out of these for your points of sale, you reduce the risk of overwhelming your consumer with choice. This example from Sensilis shows exactly how zen your wash bag could be.
8. Set the bar high with endless engagement
While minimalism can work, the opposite effect is also true.
The more colour, products, and display space you have, the longer people can stay and browse. This display from NYX turns the makeup counter into a full-scale cosmetic bar, and the use of layout and lighting makes you want to linger.

9. Spread out with more organic ease

Brands with an organic emphasis can communicate this through fresh, clean, and green cosmetics retail display ideas.
This example from Tour de Fresh makes the most of the brand’s own beautiful unified packaging. It offers plenty of space to breathe and just a few handcrafted images to show the ingredients’ simplicity and nature.
Creating a message of space and breathability is a reminder of exactly how your body should feel when it comes to your beauty routine.
10. Create a space within a space
Cosmetics can be a celebrated routine within a routine, and you can reflect this by creating a world within a world or a space within a space.
This gorgeous example from Gucci takes pop-ups to a whole new level. The whimsical and elegant conservatory-inspired space is peppered with props and has a pretty perfume display. Make your point of sale truly stand out with scene-stealing inspiration.
Source: http://travelmarketsinsider.net/gucci-bloom-blossoms-with-coty-in-brazil/
11. Don’t dismiss the details

A little attention to detail goes a long way in the world of commerce.
Whip up a frenzy around your cosmetics retail displays by branching out and celebrating the space around your point-of-sale stands.
This example from Etude House’s flagship Seoul store may be a costly example, but you can see the whole space incorporates a princess-like theme. This is done through the pale pink colour scheme, soft romantic lighting, and even play corners complete with dressing up tables. The delight truly is in the details.
12. Move away from the expected
Think outside the box when it comes to your cosmetics point of sale.
This inspiring example from Tokyo brand Nendo illustrates how you can move away from the expected and play with perception.
Their beauty library creates a homely vision with its pale tall bookshelf (offering plenty of storage) and intimate table and chairs for one-to-one consultations.
Warmth, simplicity, and intimacy come together to create a subtle sales-driven environment.

13. Location, location, location

Benefit Cosmetics has had the idea to create an innovative point-of-sale vending machine in airports.
This is genius on so many levels. First, consumers may be looking to pick up cosmetics from the airport if they’ve forgotten to pack something or if they have baggage restrictions.
Not only does Benefit solve this problem, but they showcase it in an interactive, fun, and novelty way via the use of vintage-designed vending machines.
14. Tell a visual story
L’Occitane is a master of visual point of sale merchandising and has many strong brand themes that weave seamlessly into their world-building.
A riot of colour and botany, each individual display utilises the use of touch textiles, print, motif, and ornament to communicate the story behind each product and the brand as a whole.

15. Play with shape

Straight shelves are expected, but creating patterns and texture out of your shelf space straddles that line and puts your brand out there as being daring.
Head-turning and making full use of non-linear space, this off-kilter shelf shape example reinforces the celebration of uniqueness and keeps the eye interested.
Enhance Your Cosmetics Point of Sale With KSF Global
As a point of sale display manufacturer and a point of purchase display designer, we have plenty of experience creating and designing a wide range of retail displays, as well as retail fixtures and fittings.
Get in touch to find out how we can help you make your next product launch a success with effective POS marketing techniques.