More than ever, we’re seeing beauty and wellness brands taking a leaf out of the food-marketing strategies book, with the use of edible elements to trigger the senses and create a deeper connection with their products.

Here’s how I see this trend shaping the product photography world in 2025:

Colour Psychology – it’s nothing new that colour psychology is widely used in marketing and building brand identity, but by ensuring this remains consistent and intentionally placed throughout a brand’s product photography as well as in their branding and packaging, we can craft visuals that not only look good—but stand to evoke more of a feeling in their consumers.

E.g blacks, whites and grey or nude shades tend to be associated more with more luxurious, high-end or scientific based brands and products whereas colours like greens, beiges and warmer shades tend to convey more of a relaxation, self-care and organic/sustainability-focused feeling.

Texture-Driven Visuals – Just like a glossy chocolate drizzle makes a dessert look more indulgent, by combining words we often see used to describe beauty and skincare products, like ‘creamy’ or ‘buttery’, with their food counterparts like ice cream or butter, we can drive that point of interest and appeal more to the sensory side of consumerism.

Sensory Attraction Through Food – No longer are we using things like citrus just because a product simply contains that ingredient. We’re now seeing random foods, objects and styled ‘scenes’ used to promote textures, ingredients, and scents in products, helping viewers imagine the smell or feel of a product before experiencing it. And if it’s not doing that — at the very least it’s creating a sense of intrigue as they see a cleanser or face serum seemingly displaced in something like a breakfast scene - a bit out of the ordinary, right?

These approaches create an instinctual attraction to the product. Steven Bartlett talks about this in his book, Diary of a CEO, in that more often than not, people remember weird things over things that look good or simply blend in. Brands like Rhode and Loewe do this brilliantly with their slightly odd compositions and products doused in ice cream or caramel sauce.

Moral of the story?

— don’t be afraid to get weird with your creative briefs, it might just be the thing to make you stand out.