Emma Hardie

A proudly British luxury skincare brand, retailing with the likes of Space NK and M&S, delivering spa-like experiences with a natural and botanical product range.

Emma Hardie Midas Touch Revitalising Eye Serum and Cream products with their packaging on a green background.
Emma Hardie Midas Touch Revitalising Eye Serum and Cream products with their packaging on a green background.

The challenge

Emma Hardie’s packaging range was in need of a refresh: even though it felt premium and looked professional, every product in the line looked the same, making it difficult for users to understand each product at a glance as well as creating a potential risk of user fatigue.

The solution

Joining the team as a freelance designer, I first photographed their existing product range to help replenish their web and social image bank. Following this, I refreshed their entire product packaging from concept to artwork delivery, including preparing the packaging dielines to a print-ready standard, introducing hierarchy through colour-coded ranges as well as improved type hierarchy. I also worked on a range of other creative briefs for the brand, from trade show point of sale design to printed editorial features in retailer magazines.

*Hero imagery provided by the brand. This project contains mood board & conceptual imagery, used solely for illustrative purposes. No copyright infringement is intended.

Scope

Artworking, Art direction, Brand design, Creative direction, Editorial design, Packaging design, Photography, Point of sale / Retail design, Print production

A computer screen displaying a collage of beauty and skincare products, nature scenes, and a woman's face with closed eyes.

A strong brand has a story worth telling.

I helped Emma Hardie uncover opportunity areas with early brand strategy work. This work led to conversations around packaging, print and digital touch points we would work together to evolve in line with the brand’s ethos and values.

A beige-colored skincare serum bottle with the label 'Emma Hardie' and the words 'amazing face' on it, placed on a white surface with green leaves partially framing the image.
A tube of Emma Hardie Plump & Glow Hydrating Facial Mist placed on a white towel with small white flowers nearby, on a white surface.
A small glass bottle of facial oil with a dropper cap, labeled 'Brilliance Facial Oil' by Emma Hardie, and its packaging box beside it on a white surface.
Open jar of Emma Hardie moisture boost vitamin C cream with a silver lid leaning against it, viewed from a lower angle with blurred green leaves in the foreground.
Open jar of age support eye cream with silver lid, white flowers on the side, and soft light background.

Emma Hardie’s packaging felt premium to the touch yet faced an issue with product differentiation. I worked with the team to refresh the design from concept to dieline artworking and delivery, introducing colour ranges and improved typography hierarchy.

A row of skincare products and boxes from Emma Hardie on a white surface against a plain wall
Emma Hardie skincare products including protec & prime SPF 30, brilliance facial oil, moringa cleansing balm with cleansing cloth, lift & sculpt firming neck treatment, arranged on a reflective white surface.
Emma Hardie Midas Touch Revitalizing Eye Serum and Cream skincare products with packaging and containers on a light green surface.
A pink box of Emma Hardie MORINGA CLEANSING BALM with a glass jar of the same product on top, placed beside a rolled white towel on a bathroom countertop.

Another packaging line I had the opportunity to work on from concept to dieline artworking was the 2018 Christmas range, which sold out in several Space NK retail stores that year.

Collage of luxury and beauty products including skincare, perfumes, candles, and decorative items with elegant packaging in white, black, gold, and neutral tones.
Flat lay of Emma Hardie skincare products including cleansing balm, moisturizer, and a cleansing cloth, arranged on a white surface with gift boxes wrapped with white paper and ribbons with gold floral patterns.
Beauty skincare products arranged on a white surface, including a dropper bottle, a small tube, a jar, and a cleansing cloth, with beige and white floral themed packaging and materials.
Emma Hardie skincare cleansing kit with jars, cloth, and promotional brochures on a light surface.
Emma Hardie skincare products including a tube of Plump & Glow Hydrating Facial Mist and a smaller tube of Amazing Face Protect & Prime on a gray surface, with a white box with gold leaf design and the text 'Glow on the Go' partially visible.
A gold-colored box with white leaf illustrations and the text "EH EMMA HARDIE" on the front, along with the words "GLOW GIFT SET" and "GIFTING KIT."
Emma Hardie skincare set including a large silver box with pink leaf design, a white cleansing cloth, a small jar labeled 'Moringa Cleansing Balm', a tube labeled 'Moringa Renewal Treatment Mask', and a white towel, all featuring the Emma Hardie logo.
Skincare products displayed on a white surface, including a box, a jar, a tube, and a cleansing cloth, with decorative plant and shadow in the background.
A white shopping bag with gold accents, a gold ribbon bow, and the text 'EH Emma Hardie' printed on it, placed on a textured surface against a light brown textured background.
A white shopping bag with gold lettering that says "EHI EMMA HARDIE" and a gray ribbon tied in a bow, sitting on a carpeted floor near a wooden chair.
Design diagram illustrating the concept for Emma Hardie's skincare display at a trade show booth, with labels such as 'botanical & green glass display,' 'reflective and metallic foiling,' 'installation piece for product display,' and 'soft concrete finish.' The diagram features plants, a reception counter, and shelves with products, with silhouettes of people.
A design diagram for a trade show booth concept with minimalistic product displays, hanging lights and planters, shelves, and various textures and finishes.

Other projects I helped the team with include advertorial layout, digital and print artworking for the like of M&S Magazine and Zalando, as well as booth and POS concept designs for trade show events.

Open magazine displaying skincare products and informational text about a facial treatment.
Promotional image for Emma Hardie hero product: Moringa Cleansing Balm. The composition includes a jar of the balm with its lid partially off, a box packaging, and a close-up photo of a woman's face with closed eyes, showcasing clear skin.

Design takeaways

  • Emma Hardie was my first client won through cold pitching. I shared a brief design proposal by email, and was invited into their London offices shortly later to meet the team and pitch a full proposal for my design and branding services. I went on to work with the brand for several months as a freelance designer, in direct communication with the Marketing and Production teams.

  • Luxury skincare design relies on restraint. From generous white space and calming layouts to subtle hierarchy and minimal visual noise. These are all important considerations to convey a sense of brand heritage, expertise and confidence.

  • Product photography should emphasise texture and atmosphere, rather than hard-selling features, and it should ensure to be consistent across all products in the line in terms of branding and material finish.

Let’s work together

If you have a similar project you’d love a new design perspective on, get in touch with me at hello@chromakane.com – I look forward to finding out about your brand’s story.