The Ultimate Guide to Skincare Packaging

Creating your own skincare brand is an exciting venture. You can prioritize what matters to you in skincare products and develop a meaningful brand identity that reflects your values. As you begin planning your brand&#;s portfolio of products, one of the most important decisions you&#;ll make is what type and style of skincare packaging and labeling you&#;ll be using. There are several factors to weigh out as you&#;re considering your options. In this guide, we&#;ll take you through each aspect and provide you with a list of the best materials to use in skincare and cosmetics packaging. 

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Considerations for the Best Skincare Packaging 

The best skincare packaging options for your brand will be based on the types of products you offer and how customers will use them. Here are five of the most important things to think about when selecting skincare packaging material.

1. Light Blocking Ability

Some skincare products are highly sensitive to light. The more light they&#;re exposed to, the faster they break down. Essential oils are a great example. These products need to be shielded from sunlight to stay fresh. If your skincare products require light blocking, look for tinted or non-translucent packaging options.

2. Capacity to Withstand Acidic Contents

Certain cosmetics, especially those with fruit extracts, can have high levels of acid, causing them to corrode some containers like metal tins. If metal tins are not coated with a protective barrier, they can quickly degrade, spoiling both the container and the contents. Glass or Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) materials are usually the best choice for these products.

3. Squeezability

Some gels or cosmetic creams are easiest to use when packaged in a flexible container that makes them easy to squeeze out. Think about your product from the consumer&#;s viewpoint, and go with the packaging option that&#;s the simplest to use.

4. BPA-Free

If you are using a plastic container, consider using BPA-free plastics. Consumers are increasingly aware that BPA isn&#;t something they want their facial creams or cosmetics exposed to.

5. Eco-Friendliness

There&#;s been lots of media coverage on the role that plastics play in polluting the world&#;s oceans and overwhelming our landfills. Eco-friendly cosmetic packaging is an excellent option if you&#;re open to thinking outside the box. Look for packaging options that are biodegradable, recyclable, or can be refilled easily. Zao Organic Makeup is one skincare brand that&#;s doing things in a way that&#;s good for the planet. Their Makeup Remover Oil is packaged in sustainable bamboo containers. L&#; Occitane is another leader in this space. Many of their products, like their Shea Butter Hand Cream, come in a recyclable container.

Get more inspiration with these eco-friendly packaging ideas.

Best Materials for Skincare Packaging

Skincare and cosmetics packaging comes in a wide variety of materials. The considerations above will help you identify the characteristics you need to look for in packaging. Though not an all-inclusive list, the cosmetic packaging materials listed below are widely used and commercially available.

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) 

A popular material for cosmetic bottles, PET is available in a large selection of colors, making it easy to customize. It can be used to create semi-rigid containers for squeezable tubes or flexible bottles. PET is also highly resistant to chemical compounds that degrade typical plastics, making it a good choice for skincare products with high acid levels.

Glass

Recyclable, impossible to degrade, and classy, glass has been used for cosmetic packaging for decades for a reason. The only downsides are that glass can be breakable and costs more to ship due to its weight.

If you&#;re considering glass packaging, check out our guide on label options for glass bottles and jars.

Polypropylene Plastic

PP is an eco-conscious choice since it&#;s both recyclable and BPA-free. It&#;s popular for packaging a range of cosmetics and skincare products due to a high degree of flexibility that makes it a superior choice for squeezable tubes.

Considerations for Skincare Labels

Just like with product packaging, there&#;s no one-size-fits-all solution for skincare product labels. Your requirements will be based on the nature of your products and how customers will use them. 

1. Discoloration-Resistant

If your skincare product has acid in it, such as AHA, you&#;ll want a product label that won&#;t become discolored if a drip or smear comes into contact with the label. Some materials used to create product labels are impervious to degrading if exposed to these types of products.

2. Moisture-Resistant

Most cosmetics and skincare products are used around the sink and shower. Water-resistant labels won&#;t get soggy or peel off of the container if they get wet.

3. Oil-Resistant

Oils from the products themselves or the natural oils found on our hands have a way of soaking into labels on jars and tubes that are handled frequently. An oil-resistant skincare product label will ensure your labels look good even if they come into contact with greasy substances.

4. Consistent with Brand Image

The label materials you use to create your skincare and cosmetic packaging designs can help convey the image you want to project. For example, a high-energy, youthful brand may look best with colorful BOPP or PET labels. A great example is Urban Decay. The product label for their Lash Freak Volumizing Mascara requires sunglasses for safe viewing!

Best Materials for Skincare Labels

Certain materials are ideal for cosmetics products, while others aren&#;t. Here are four excellent options.

Vinyl

Vinyl stands out for use in skincare labels because it&#;s highly resistant to moisture, oils, and high acid gels and creams. It&#;s easily molded and wraps around small containers with ease, making it an excellent choice for use with lip balm tubes, squeeze bottles, perfume vials, and more.

Polypropylene

Labels made with polypropylene are just as durable as vinyl but cheaper. Polypropylene is also highly resistant to moisture, oils, and greases, making it a more cost-effective alternative for some skincare product labeling applications. It can also be stretched thinner than vinyl.

Polyester (PET)

Polyester or PET is another durable cosmetic product labeling option that stands up well to long term exposure to moisture, oil, and other liquids.

Check out our guide on label materials and finishes to learn more about all our label offerings, and help you decide which material and finish is best for your product.

Packaging for Skincare Products: The Choice is Yours

When you have the industry knowledge to make smart, informed decisions about your brand, creating a skincare line is a lot more fun. Armed with the information we&#;ve shared here, you can confidently pick out the packaging and labeling for your cosmetics line. 

We&#;ve worked with skincare brands of all sizes, helping them to create packaging labels that stand out. Our team is happy to answer any questions you have about skincare labeling and help you choose the best type of label for your products.

Additional Resources: 

&#; Top 7 Private Label Cosmetics Companies

&#; How to Correctly Label Cosmetics

&#; FDA Compliant Cosmetics Labels

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Editor&#;s note: This article was updated March,

Matching the label, surface and application saves you time and money

Using the right tool for the job increases efficiency and just makes sense. The same is true with labels. Surface roughness, hardness, curvature and corrosion resistance, for example, can all affect how the adhesives on labels adhere to a surface. 

Additionally, the environment where labels are used can wear away or destroy the print on a label or even the material of the label itself. When you have a label that fails to adhere, becomes illegible or falls apart from exposure in a heavy-duty environment it&#;s a waste of time and money.

Not all labels work on all surfaces or for all applications. Choose the right label to avoid label fails that cost you time and money.

Label fail #1: peeling edges or labels that fall off

When labels fail to stick, adhesive strength is not always to blame. Other factors can include: (1) adhesive compatibility with the chemical makeup of the surface, (2) roughness and curvature of the surface and (3) surface condition and 4) environmental and surface temperature.

Adhesive-surface chemical compatibility. A great example are cyanoacrylate adhesives (commonly known as instant glue or SuperGlue®), which are extremely strong adhesives. If you&#;ve ever tried &#;original&#; or basic versions of instant glue on high density polyethylene (HDPE), you&#;ve witnessed chemical incompatibility firsthand.

It will never work because basic cyanoacrylates are not compatible with the chemical makeup of HDPE plastics. For labels that stick securely it&#;s critical to choose labels with adhesives compatible to the surface, for example, ID labels designed especially to work on HDPE, PP and LDPE plastics.

Roughness/curvature of surface. Roughness and curvature of a surface can prevent labels from sticking because the adhesive cannot make contact with enough surface area to fully &#;grab hold.&#; Label materials like vinyl allow for more adhesive-to-surface contact.

Surface condition. Surface coatings, oil, water, dirt, rust and any other debris that forms a barrier between the label and the surface can all affect how well it adheres. Start with a clean, dry surface to prevent labels from peeling and ensure maximum sticking power.

Environmental and surface temperature. Standard office label adhesives are generally designed to work in temperatures ranging from 32°F to 248°F. Extreme temperatures, for example marine conditions, require heavy-duty labels with expected adhesive service temperatures between -40° F and 300° F.

Applying labels to excessively cold or hot surfaces can also the compromise the ability of the adhesive to properly wet out and bond to the surface. Recommended application temperature for most labels are above 50° F.

Label fail #2: illegible labels & barcode labels that won&#;t scan properly

Fading, scratched and smudged or smeared ink are the primary causes of labels that are hard for people and scanners to read. Contributing factors include: (1) exposure to sunlight, (2) abrasions from rough/excessive handling and (3) improper printing processes.

Exposure to sunlight. The natural process of photodegradation (often referred to as sun bleaching) occurs when exposure to ultraviolet light causes colors to fade. Photodegradation is especially detrimental to barcode labels as it destroys the sharp contrasting colors that make barcodes work. 

In direct sunlight, labels and printing processes with UV resistance or protective UV-resistant coatings are the only way to ensure that the printed information remains readable.

Abrasions/rough handling. Abrasive damage can scratch, scrape and rub the print right off of a standard label, making it difficult or impossible to read. Solutions to preserve print stability include, durable abrasion-resistant label materials; laser, pigment inkjet and thermal transfer printing processes; and using self-laminating labels.

Improper printing processes. Different label materials are designed to work with different printing processes and inks. For example, some labels are designed specifically for laser printers and some for inkjet while some can be designed to work with both.

Checking your printer and ink compatibility with the label material is perhaps the most significant factor in print stability. Ignoring it is the leading cause of smudged or smeared labels.

Try the free barcode generator from Avery to easily make durable barcode labels.

Label fail #3: the label itself falls apart

Avoiding labels that fall apart comes down to one simple thing: choosing the right label material.

The use of standard paper labels in heavy-duty environments is the main cause of ripped, torn or disintegrating labels. Regardless of the quality, paper has its limitations when it comes to tensile or tear strength, which is the measurement of how much force can be applied to a material before it breaks or tears.

Tensile strength is one of the main determining factors of how well a label will resist wear and tear from high-traffic areas, frequent use and rough handling. Engineered plastic film labels made with materials such as polyester (PET), polypropylene (PP) and other synthetics are maximized for durability.

Label fail #4: labels damaged by water and/or chemicals

Solvents, ranging from simple H20 to potentially hazardous chemicals, can easily cause standard labels to peel up, become hard to read, fall apart or some combination of the three. In other words, water and chemicals can lead to all of the above label fails that occur in industrial facilities.

Dissolving adhesives. A splash of water or common household chemicals won&#;t cause your label to immediately fall off. However, labels that are exposed to prolonged humidity, industrial-strength chemicals, wet environments or may be submerged in water require special waterproof and chemical-resistant adhesives.

Lifting ink. Water and chemicals easily damage ink on labels, from smudging and smearing, to fading and even lifting the print off altogether. Durable water-resistant, waterproof and chemical-resistant labels are designed to prevent this when printed according to manufacturer recommendations.

Laser, pigment inkjet and thermal transfer printing processes provide the most stability when printing labels that come into contact with water and chemicals. Self-laminating labels also provide protection from light splashes or wiping with common household cleaners.  

Weakening label materials. How many times have you seen a label on a dish or mug submerged in water with the adhesive still intact and the label a mushy disintegrating mess? Paper labels by themselves simply do not mix with water and much less so with chemicals.  

For labels that won&#;t fall apart from water and chemicals, durable films such as polyester (PET), polypropylene (PP), vinyl (PVC) or protective lamination are required. For prolonged exposure to water and chemicals, extremely durable marine-grade labels and outdoor vinyl labels are required.

Label fail #5: labels that damage surfaces

Well-applied labels with permanent adhesives, are generally difficult to remove without scraping and/or solvents which can easily damage surfaces, especially drywall, or leave behind gummy residue. On the other hand, many temporary or removable labels do not stick well to industrial surfaces such as rusted or painted metal.

Industrial labeling that will be updated frequently or used on easily damaged surfaces, such as drywall or glass, requires specialized removable adhesives that sticks securely and removes cleanly. Removable adhesives for industrial labels may also be further divided into safe for wall surfaces (drywall, glass, metal, etc.) or for bins, racks and shelves.

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Industrial label application and surface reference table with quick links