Hey Reader, did you miss me?

This email is going out later than planned, but I've been busy, and I mean that in the best way. I'm more excited than ever about the design projects coming my way, and this one was too good not to share.

Last weekend, an old friend and client called me up. This is someone I've always admired -- bright, tenacious, and never one to complain about the odds, just beat them. When COVID hit, he pivoted his brick & mortar to a mobile tattoo and piercing supply shop. Now he's manufacturing and distributing his own product line. Watching that evolution in real time? Genuinely inspiring.

He pulled me in to design packaging for his newest product: X.O. Derm Tattoo Aftercare Sealant Gel, a fast-drying liquid gel that forms a protective barrier over fresh tattoos, eliminating the need for saran wrap while preventing infection and irritation.

The challenge? Fitting product benefits, directions, ingredients, warnings, and brand personality onto a label with almost no real estate.

Here's how we solved it.

Since the product lives in the tattoo industry, the design needed to feel rooted in that culture without being cliché. I sourced and modified vintage tattoo assets (skulls, roses, anchors, daggers) into a custom pattern, paired with grungy hand-drawn typography that matched the energy of the space without feeling cheap or dated. Then I pulled the type treatment directly from the X.O. Derm logo to marry everything together.

Then came hierarchy. On packaging this small, every word has to earn its place:

• Product name + benefit
• Key selling point
• Tagline: Respect the Art. Protect the Skin.
• Directions, ingredients, warnings

The goal: communicate value in under 3 seconds because that's all the time you have before a customer moves on.

Why packaging design is actually strategy

If you think packaging is just presentation, here's what the data says:

• 72% of consumers say packaging design influences their purchase decisions
• 81% of shoppers have tried a new product simply because the packaging stood out

And in the tattoo industry? The global market is worth $2.4 billion, growing at over 10% annually, with the U.S. alone projected to hit $1.25 billion by 2032. The products that win in that market won't just perform, they'll look like they belong on the shelf.

My client walks away with a label that elevates his product. I can't wait to share the results after a few months of sales.

So, who's next?

I have a few discovery call spots open this month. No pitch, no pressure. Just a real conversation about where you are, where you want to go, and whether design can help you get there.

TaRon 'Ronnie' Joyner
Founder, 1991 Design