Airless Packaging
Airless Cosmetic Containers
Airless cosmetic containers are sealed systems — bottles, jars, dual-chamber packs and compacts — that dispense cream, serum or fluid without exposing the remaining formula to air.
- 15 ml
- 20 ml
- 30 ml
- 50 ml
- 75 ml
- 100 ml
At a glance
- Best for
- Brands launching actives-led formulas · Clean beauty with reduced preservation · Medical-aesthetic brands
- Formula fit
- Serum · Cream · Eye product
- Materials
- PP · PCR PP · Acrylic (outer)
- Decoration
- Custom colour on outer bottle, actuator and overcap · Screen printing or UV printing on the outer wall
What are airless cosmetic containers?
This page covers the airless category as a system choice rather than a single format: which container architecture fits which formula, how dose volume changes the experience, and what has to be validated before production.
Because an airless pack is assembled from five or more moulded parts, the engineering conversation happens earlier than for a standard bottle: capacity and dose are fixed together, and the fill line, not just the pack, becomes part of the project.
Typical specification range
Values below are the ranges we quote most often. Confirm against your formula viscosity, fill weight and destination market before freezing a specification.
| Parameter | Options we quote |
|---|---|
| Capacities | 15 ml, 20 ml, 30 ml, 50 ml, 75 ml, 100 ml, 120 ml, 150 ml, 200 ml |
| Materials | PP, PCR PP, Acrylic (outer), PE/EVOH pouch, TPE and silicone gaskets |
| Closures / dispensing | Airless pump, Locking actuator, Overcap, Refill cartridge, Dual-chamber actuator |
| Customisation | Custom colour on outer bottle, actuator and overcap, Screen printing or UV printing on the outer wall, Hot stamping and metal-look collars, Soft-touch, satin, matte or frosted coating, Metallised actuator and collar finishes, Refill cartridge colour differentiation, PCR or mono-material outer components |
| MOQ | 1,000 pcs per design for stock moulds; 3,000 pcs for decorated orders; 10,000 pcs per size for custom moulds. |
| Sampling time | Stock samples in 5–10 working days; custom colour and decorated samples in 10–20 working days. |
| Production lead time | 15–30 working days after sample approval, depending on quantity, decoration and assembly complexity. |
Product features
Format matched to formula
Bottle, jar, dual-chamber or compact — the correct architecture follows from viscosity, dose requirement and how the product is applied.
Validated as a system
Dose, priming, evacuation and leak resistance are measured on the assembled pack, then documented per production lot.
Platform reuse
One airless engine across several outer designs lets a brand build a coherent range without developing a new mechanism for each SKU.
Who it is suitable for
- Brands launching actives-led formulas
- Clean beauty with reduced preservation
- Medical-aesthetic brands
- Premium travel retail
- Brands standardising on one dispensing platform
Suitable formulas and products
- Serum
- Cream
- Eye product
- Sun care fluid
- Foundation
- Body treatment
Customisation options
Airless Cosmetic Containers can be delivered as a stock-mould pack with your colour and decoration, or developed into a proprietary format. Decoration is specified against the final surface finish so print adhesion and colour hold in use.
- Custom colour on outer bottle, actuator and overcap
- Screen printing or UV printing on the outer wall
- Hot stamping and metal-look collars
- Soft-touch, satin, matte or frosted coating
- Metallised actuator and collar finishes
- Refill cartridge colour differentiation
- PCR or mono-material outer components
How these are manufactured
Parts are moulded by injection, injection blow or extrusion blow moulding depending on the format and material, then assembled, decorated and inspected in lots. Moulding parameters are recorded per mould so repeat orders match the approved sample. Read the manufacturing process.
Quality control
Dimension and weight checks, closure torque, leak and dose testing where relevant, colour verification (ΔE ≤ 1.5 opaque parts) and AQL 1.0/2.5 final inspection. Lot records are supplied with the shipping documents. See the inspection checklist.
Materials for this range
- PP — material guide
- PCR plastic — material guide
- Acrylic — material guide
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions buyers ask most about airless cosmetic containers. Send any specific question through the contact form and a packaging engineer will reply in writing.
What is airless packaging used for in cosmetics?
Airless containers are used for oxidation-sensitive and dosing-critical products: vitamin C and retinol serums, eye creams, tinted creams and foundations, sun care fluids and preservative-reduced formulations.
Is airless packaging more expensive?
Yes, typically more than a bottle with a conventional pump because of the additional moulded parts, assembly and function testing. The investment is usually justified by active preservation, dose accuracy and higher evacuation of an expensive formula.
How much product is left in an airless container?
Piston systems typically evacuate about 90–95% of the fill volume, pouch systems can reach similar or higher figures. We measure residual volume during sampling and report it rather than quoting a generic number.
Can airless containers be recycled?
Most airless packs are mixed-material assemblies, so recyclability depends on how components separate. We offer mono-material PP airless bodies with PP engines, and refillable designs that keep the outer pack in use.
What is the MOQ for airless cosmetic containers?
1,000 pcs per design for stock moulds; 3,000 pcs for decorated orders; 10,000 pcs per size for custom moulds.
Can I customise the colour?
Yes. Colour is matched to a Pantone reference or a physical sample and verified on production-resin parts. Custom colour on outer bottle, actuator and overcap is the standard route, and we supply samples for approval before the run.
Can you print or emboss my logo?
Yes — printing, hot stamping, coating, labelling and custom closures are all available for airless cosmetic containers. Choose the method with your surface finish in mind: gloss print or foil works best on matte and soft-touch surfaces.
Can I request samples?
Stock samples in 5–10 working days; custom colour and decorated samples in 10–20 working days. Stock samples are supplied free (up to five pieces per SKU, courier at your cost); custom colour and decorated samples are quoted per project, typically USD 120–450.
Can you develop a custom mould?
Yes. Custom tooling is quoted as a separate line item with the cavity plan stated, usually from around 10,000 pcs per size and 25–40 calendar days from drawing approval to first-article inspection.
What is the production lead time?
15–30 working days after sample approval, depending on quantity, decoration and assembly complexity.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes. We ship airless cosmetic containers to the United States, Canada, the UK, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea and Latin America, quoting FOB, CIF, DDP and air freight.
Which materials are available?
PP, PCR PP, Acrylic (outer), PE/EVOH pouch, TPE and silicone gaskets. Selection is driven by formula compatibility, clarity requirements, decoration and any recycled-content target.
Still have a question? Talk to a packaging expert.
More in Airless Packaging
Airless Bottles
An airless bottle dispenses product with a vacuum piston or pouch system instead of a dip tube, so the formula never contacts air between uses, the dose is metered and up to 95% of the fill volume is usable.
15 ml · 20 ml · 30 ml · 50 ml · more
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Airless Jars
An airless jar keeps the familiar wide-mouth cream jar format but dispenses through a central plate with a piston underneath, so the formula stays protected and only the dose is exposed.
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Airless Pump Bottles
An airless pump bottle dispenses a metered dose from a sealed chamber, using a piston or a collapsible pouch so the formula is never exposed to air, contamination or back-flow.
15 ml · 20 ml · 30 ml · 50 ml · more
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Refillable Airless Packaging
Refillable airless packaging combines the protection of an airless pump with a reusable outer body: the decorated shell stays, the inner cartridge and piston are replaced.
15 ml · 20 ml · 30 ml · 50 ml · more
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Double Chamber Airless Bottles
A double chamber airless bottle holds two formulas in separate sealed chambers and dispenses them together through a single actuator or a dual outlet, so incompatible actives can be applied in one step.
15 ml + 15 ml · 20 ml + 20 ml · 15 ml + 5 ml · 30 ml + 30 ml · more
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Airless Serum Bottles
Airless serum bottles are 15–50 ml sealed packs with a fine-dose airless engine, designed for concentrated actives such as vitamin C, retinol, bakuchiol and peptides that must stay protected from air and light.
15 ml · 20 ml · 30 ml · 40 ml · more
View range →Continue researching
Quotes and samples for airless cosmetic containers
Send the capacity, quantity, colour reference and decoration you need. We reply with MOQ, unit price band, sampling time and lead time — and we will tell you if a different format suits your formula better. Stock mould formats from 1,000 pcs per design; decorated orders typically from 3,000 pcs; custom moulds usually from 10,000 pcs per size.
No account required · NDA available · Quote replies within one business day (Mon–Sat, GMT+8)