We all have that one makeup product that we keep buying again, year after year. For many of us, it’s the old standby Maybelline Great Lash Mascara, which hasn’t changed its design since it was first introduced almost forty-five years ago.

How do you develop a product with everlasting appeal? Here are five tips Healthy Solutions a makeup manufacturer can use to create a loyalty item and win over customers for life:

Pay attention to packaging. The reliable pink and lime-green tube of Maybelline Great Lash Mascara looks the same as it did when we were in high school. If Great Lash were to suddenly come out in an all-black tube, women might very well suspect the formula has been changed and steer clear. Meet costumers’ expectations with familiar packaging.
Stress whatever feel-good attributes the product features. Not tested on animals? Bingo. All natural ingredients? No soy? As consumers become more aware of the ingredients in their products, you can leverage this concern by convincing your buyer that the ingredients are non-toxic and not damaging to the environment.
Make sure it smells good. This is key to any product. One of the first things a woman does when she picks up a new makeup item is to take a sniff. If it’s too perfume-y or too plastic-smelling, she will return it in a heartbeat. Here’s where product testing focus groups can really help. In most cases, the safest bet is to go with a bland, nondescript scent.
Make sure your advertising matches your target. Young girls like to see other young girls on the packaging of their products. The same goes for makeup designed for the aging woman—she wants to make sure that foundation base is not going to make her eyelids look crinkly. A picture of a forty-something woman on the package will convince her she has nothing to worry about.
Watch your quantity size. Most women’s magazines advise that bacteria can grow in products that have been sitting around too long. Mascara generally should be tossed after 3-4 months, lipsticks in 6 months and powders after a year. If you oversize your products, women will feel they’re throwing away their money. That said, make sure to charge accordingly for a small size.

By following these tips, you can ensure your customers will return for years, even decades.