Universal Favourite push minimalism to the side with their 90s-inspired identity for Youthforia

Aiming to make makeup more playful, Youthforia is a US-based beauty brand on a mission to encourage their ‘Gen Z’ target audience to use makeup whenever and however they want; promoting individuality and self-expression within an overcrowded industry inundated with sameness. Their identity and packaging from Sydney-based design studio Universal Favourite follows suit – pushing minimalism to the side in a vibrant, uncurated display of 90s-inspired maximalism.

Particularly inspired by teen magazine mastheads from that era, Universal Favourite’s concept is best represented by the brand’s packaging – which sees energetic typography, playful stickers, clashing colour and layered geometry loudly come together to feel intentionally messy and raw. Each item with Youthforia’s range comes in different colours, which alongside their modular magnetic bases, aim to encourage a coveted collectibility reminiscent of one’s childhood.

This idea of mixing, matching and stacking products is once again present in Youthforia’s wordmark. Seemingly straightforward and precisely aligned at first glance, the two lines of typography subtly move around across different applications, making for a logo that never quite sits still. Universal Favourite chose F37 Foundry’s Judge and Grilli Type’s GT America as the brand’s contrasting typographic counterparts. The former’s condensed letterforms – primarily used in italic – bring another layer of 90s attitude to the party, while GT America takes a quieter back seat in a flexible supporting role.

Universal Favourite

Youthforia