Updated: 4 November 2026

Cosmetics flat-lay with soft shadows

This prompt arranges products such as a lipstick, compact and serum bottle on a coloured paper background with dried flowers and a silk ribbon, with soft shadows.

image-cosmetic-flatlay — midjourney — 42 words

A beauty flat-lay: [PRODUCTS, e.g. lipstick, compact, serum bottle] arranged on a [COLOUR] paper background with dried flowers and a silk ribbon, soft directional window shadows, pastel palette, tidy asymmetrical composition, editorial cosmetics photography, room for text at the top. --ar 4:5

Edit in the builder Copy & open Midjourney ↗Copy & open Gemini ↗Copy & open ChatGPT ↗

Ask for "hard shadows" or "soft shadows" to change the mood.

Get a better result

What you will get

A 4:5 beauty flat-lay with your products on a coloured paper background with dried flowers and a silk ribbon, soft window shadows, a pastel palette and clear room at the top for text.

Why it works

Beauty flat-lays sell mood and order, so the prompt arranges named products on coloured paper with dried flowers and a silk ribbon, using an asymmetrical layout that feels styled rather than stiff. Window shadows add depth, and the tip shows how much they change the mood: hard shadows feel bold, soft ones feel gentle. Room at the top leaves space for a product name or offer.

Common mistake

Product shapes or labels look wrong.

Fix: Use simple descriptions, such as “a gold lipstick tube and a round white compact”, and add no text on the packaging.

Also watch for

The shadows do not match across the objects. Follow the tip and pick one: “soft shadows from a window on the left”, and repeat it so every object falls the same way.
The space for text is filled with flowers. Ask for “keep the top fifth of the frame completely empty and uncluttered”, then add the text in an editor.

Try a variation: skincare spa mood

Change the surface to “white marble with a water ripple shadow” and the props to “a folded towel and green leaves” for a clean spa look.

Still not right? Add this and run it again

Keep the same products and paper colour. Use fewer flowers, make the shadows a little harder and keep the top clear.