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2026/09/18

New arrivals

2026/09/17

New arrivals

2026/09/18

What should be considered in OEM cosmetic packaging design?

For cosmetics, in addition to the product’s formulation requiring registration, its outer packaging also needs to be registered. Packaging is just as critical for cosmetics as it is for a house: building the structure is only part of the process; the rest involves interior design and finishing touches. So, what should be considered when designing private-label cosmetic packaging? The goal is to boost efficiency and accelerate time-to-market. There are two scenarios regarding this issue: First, you can entrust a cosmetic manufacturing facility with both the design and selection of packaging materials. This approach is straightforward, as cosmetic manufacturers typically have dedicated teams handling these tasks. Once the packaging design is complete, they’ll send it to you; you can review it, suggest any necessary changes, and proceed with revisions until the sample is approved. Second, you may choose to design the packaging yourself. However, after finalizing the design, it’s essential to first share the design files with your contract manufacturer. They can then liaise with the regulatory authorities responsible for filing to ensure the design complies with all requirements—particularly regarding graphics and text, as certain elements are prohibited to avoid rejection during registration. Making adjustments at this stage incurs minimal cost or delay. Once the design has been confirmed as compliant, you can move on to the next step. Next, a prototype of the packaging is produced and sent to the contract manufacturer. During the product registration period—which typically lasts 10–20 days—you can simultaneously arrange for the packaging supplier to begin mass production. This parallel workflow helps save time, since production can only commence once the packaging has arrived at the manufacturer.

2025/12/11

Cosmetic packaging is evolving: simplicity, eco-friendliness, and high quality are becoming the trend.

Through attending exhibitions and conducting interviews, a reporter from “Cosmetics Finance Online” found that cosmetic packaging manufacturers—whether producing glass or plastic containers—are all striving for superior transparency in their products. “Glass packaging is gradually shifting toward the mid- to high-end segments. In the ongoing balance between product quality and price, transparency remains a key criterion.” At present, most skincare packaging on the Chinese market is made of plastic, with glass bottles occupying only a niche segment. “It’s worth emphasizing that the domestic market is still evolving, and the prospects for glass packaging are increasingly promising. What we need to do is clearly identify our target customer base and work diligently to capture as much market share as possible.” In addition, “thick-bottomed” bottles have become a major trend in the cosmetics industry lately. “Thick-bottomed bottles offer better quality, demand higher technical expertise, and look more premium.” Typically, thick-bottomed bottles are produced using injection molding, whereas thinner‑bottomed ones are made via blow molding; the former places greater demands on manufacturing technology. Among plastic cosmetic packaging currently available, PETG is gradually replacing traditional materials like PP and PET. “PETG is an upgraded version of PET—it’s more resistant to corrosion, boasts higher light transmittance, and is more shatter‑resistant. It’s usually formed through injection molding, resulting in superior quality.” Paper packaging innovations continue to emerge, while eco‑friendly principles are gaining deeper traction. “The paper packaging market is currently stable, though customer needs vary significantly.” To meet these diverse requirements, additional post‑processing steps are applied to paper packaging. Such “handcrafted” enhancements add value, making products more distinctive and boosting competitiveness. According to reports, customers primarily come from overseas markets such as the Middle East, the United States, and Europe. “Middle Eastern clients seek ultra‑luxurious packaging, American consumers favor simplicity and cost‑effectiveness, while European buyers prefer understated elegance.” Depending on specific client preferences, meticulous attention is paid to downstream finishing processes—for example, setting diamonds into boxes, lining them with velvet, affixing pearls, applying localized pearlescent films, creating simulated tactile effects, or achieving three‑dimensional visual impacts. “Compared with domestic companies, foreign firms place far greater emphasis on packaging—using it to showcase products and elevate brand image,” said Yu Liangjie, Asia Sales Manager at Mohawk Fine Papers in the U.S., speaking to our reporter. He added that since 2014, Chinese enterprises have also been increasingly focused on packaging and environmental sustainability. “Therefore, we believe China’s paper packaging sector will move ever higher upmarket, with environmentally friendly materials enjoying growing popularity and wider acceptance.”

2025/12/11

Cosmetic Packaging Material Testing Items and Testing Standards

Barrier properties, heavy metals, coefficient of friction, tensile strength and elongation at break, appearance, heat resistance, cold resistance, pH value, total bacterial count, total mold and yeast count, compatibility, peel strength, thermal wind resistance, sealing and leakage performance, impact resistance, thickness, residual solvent levels, printing quality, and more. I. Testing of Cosmetic Transport Packaging To ensure cosmetics arrive intact in the hands of consumers after transportation and shelf display, robust transport packaging is essential. Currently, corrugated cardboard boxes are the primary choice for cosmetic packaging, with key testing parameters including box compressive strength and stacking tests. 1. Box Compressive Strength Test: Place the corrugated box between the two pressure plates of an XYD-15K carton compression tester, set the compression speed, and initiate the test until the box collapses. The pressure recorded at that moment represents the box’s compressive strength, expressed in kilonewtons (kN). When conducting this test, be sure to follow standard procedures by first setting a pre-compression force—typically 220 N—before starting the test. 2. Carton Stacking Test: During storage and transportation, cartons are stacked, placing significant pressure on those at the bottom. To prevent collapse, adequate compressive strength must be maintained after stacking. Therefore, it is crucial to perform both stacking tests and maximum crush force measurements. II. Testing of Cosmetic Packaging Printing Quality Cosmetics typically feature attractive visual appeal and high-quality printing, making the assessment of print quality particularly important. Common testing items include abrasion resistance (scratch resistance) and adhesion strength, as well as color discrimination. 1. Abrasion Resistance Test: Prepare test samples according to GB 7706 standards, secure them on the testing surface of a friction tester, and attach 80 g of clean offset paper to the weight block. Set the desired number of friction cycles—usually 40 back-and-forth movements—and evaluate print quality based on changes in density before and after testing. A minimum improvement of 70% is generally considered acceptable. 2. Ink Adhesion Strength Test: For plastic-printed surfaces, testing should follow GB 7707 standards. First, apply glass tape to the ink-printed area, then roll it back and forth three times using a YGJ-02 adhesive tape roller. After waiting five minutes, clamp the sample onto the A plate of a BLJ-02 disc peeling tester, securing the exposed tape on the B plate. Start the machine, rotate the A plate at 0.8 m/s to peel off the glass tape, and observe how the ink layer detaches from the sample to assess bonding strength. 3. Color Discrimination: People usually judge colors under natural daylight; however, precise color matching in industrial settings requires lighting sources with spectral power distributions closely resembling real sunlight—specifically, the D65 standard light source defined by CIE. During color formulation, a peculiar phenomenon may occur: samples and test specimens appear identical under one light source but differ under another—a condition known as metamerism. When selecting a standard light box, ensure it provides dual light sources. III. Testing of Self-Adhesive Labels for Cosmetics Self-adhesive labels are widely used in cosmetic packaging. Their testing primarily focuses on the adhesive performance of these labels—both permanent and pressure-sensitive adhesives—with three key metrics: initial adhesion, holding power, and peel strength. 1. Initial Adhesion Test: Employ the inclined plane rolling ball method. By briefly applying slight pressure between a steel ball and the adhesive surface of the label, measure the adhesive's ability to hold the ball. The largest steel ball number that can be retained indicates the label's initial adhesion capability. 2. Holding Power Test: Hang a test panel bearing the adhesive sample vertically, suspending a specified weight at each end of the test frame. Measure the displacement of the adhesive or the time it takes for the label to completely detach after a set period to evaluate its holding power. 3. Peel Strength Test: Peel strength is a critical indicator of adhesive performance. Cut a 25 mm-wide sample using a sampling knife, press the label onto a standard test board with a calibrated roller, then pre‑peel the sample from the board. Clamp the test board and the peeled label into the upper and lower grips of an intelligent electronic tensile tester or an electronic peel tester. Set the test speed at 300 mm/min, start the test, and record the final peel strength in kN/m. IV. Testing of Barrier Properties in Cosmetic Packaging Barrier performance is a key aspect of cosmetic packaging. Barrier properties refer to a package material's ability to resist the permeation of gases, liquids, and other substances, playing a vital role in maintaining product quality throughout its shelf life. Unsaturated bonds in cosmetic ingredients are prone to oxidation, leading to rancidity and spoilage; moisture loss can cause products to dry out and harden; and preserving fragrance is equally critical for sales. Barrier property testing evaluates the ability of cosmetic packaging to block oxygen, water vapor, and aromatic gases. 1. Oxygen Permeability Test: This metric assesses the oxygen transmission rate of films, composite films, and entire packages such as bags or bottles. Clamp a pre‑treated sample between test chambers, allowing oxygen or air to flow on one side while pure nitrogen flows on the other. Oxygen molecules diffuse through the film into the nitrogen stream, carried by the flowing gas to a sensor. Analyze the measured oxygen concentration to calculate the amount of oxygen permeating the material. Similar principles apply to bag and bottle packaging. 2. Water Vapor Permeability Test: Primarily measures the water vapor transmission rate of film materials and containers like bottles, bags, and cans. By creating a controlled humidity gradient—one side with high relative humidity, the other with low humidity—the test determines how much water vapor passes through the material. Moisture differences drive water vapor diffusion across the film, with the resulting vapor carried by the dry air to a sensor, which outputs an electrical signal to calculate the total water vapor permeation. For containers such as bottles and bags, dry air circulates inside the container while the exterior remains humid. 3. Fragrance Retention Test: This metric is especially important for cosmetics, as loss or alteration of scent can significantly impact sales. To assess fragrance retention, separate a test chamber into two sections: one with high concentrations of aromatic gases and the other with low concentrations. This creates a measurable aroma gradient across the sample. Aromatic compounds diffuse through the film into the low-concentration zone, carried by the carrier gas into a separation chamber where a FID hydrogen flame ionization detector measures the concentration of aromatic gases in the carrier stream, enabling calculation of the amount of fragrance passing through per unit area over time.

2025/12/11