Tubes
Cosmetic Tube Packaging
Cosmetic tube packaging combines a tube body and cap with a printing system — offset, flexo, screen or digital — that can cover the entire pack, which makes tubes the most brand-communicative low-cost format in skincare.
- 5 ml
- 10 ml
- 15 ml
- 20 ml
- 30 ml
- 50 ml
At a glance
- Best for
- Brands launching a full printed range · Limited-edition artwork · Trial and travel formats
- Formula fit
- Face cream · Eye cream · Cleanser
- Materials
- PE (virgin and PCR) · EVOH-barrier PE · PP and PCR-PE caps
- Decoration
- Custom colour matched to the brand palette · Printing on body, lid and shoulder
What are cosmetic tube packaging?
Decoration is the reason many brands choose tubes over bottles: print runs across the full circumference and shoulder, no label to apply, no separate printing step, and finishes from high gloss to soft touch.
The most common cosmetic tube diameters are 19 mm (eye and trial), 25 mm (serum and small cream), 30 mm (face cream, 50–75 ml), 35 mm (75–100 ml) and 50 mm (body and hair, 150–300 ml).
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 | 5 ml, 10 ml, 15 ml, 20 ml, 30 ml, 50 ml, 75 ml, 100 ml, 120 ml, 150 ml, 200 ml, 250 ml, 300 ml |
| Materials | PE (virgin and PCR), EVOH-barrier PE, PP and PCR-PE caps |
| Closures / dispensing | Flip-top cap, Disc-top cap, Screw cap, Nozzle cap, Stand-up cap, Metallised cap |
| Customisation | Custom colour matched to the brand palette, Printing on body, lid and shoulder, Hot stamping for premium retail packs, Frosted, soft-touch or metallic finishing, Secondary packing: cartons, inserts, shrink sleeve, Closure and component upgrades (airless, dropper, pump) |
| 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
Full-surface print
The entire tube can carry artwork, with registration aligned to the cap seam, so no label application step is needed.
Finish matching across a range
Matte, gloss, soft-touch and hot-stamped finishes can be combined on one tube so a range keeps a consistent finish language.
Efficient short runs
Digital printing supports low-quantity tube runs for market tests without the plate cost of offset printing.
Who it is suitable for
- Brands launching a full printed range
- Limited-edition artwork
- Trial and travel formats
- Clinical and pharmacy channels
- Contract manufacturers filling multiple brands
Suitable formulas and products
- Face cream
- Eye cream
- Cleanser
- Treatment mask
- Sunscreen
- Hair mask
Customisation options
Cosmetic Tube Packaging 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 matched to the brand palette
- Printing on body, lid and shoulder
- Hot stamping for premium retail packs
- Frosted, soft-touch or metallic finishing
- Secondary packing: cartons, inserts, shrink sleeve
- Closure and component upgrades (airless, dropper, pump)
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
- PE — material guide
- PCR plastic — material guide
- PP — material guide
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions buyers ask most about cosmetic tube packaging. Send any specific question through the contact form and a packaging engineer will reply in writing.
Which printing method is best for cosmetic tubes?
Offset printing gives the sharpest multi-colour coverage in high volumes; flexo is economical for simple artwork; screen printing suits thick ink or metallic effects; digital is best for short runs and multi-variant launches. We quote at least two methods when quantities allow.
Can tubes be hot stamped?
Yes. Hot stamping can be applied to the tube body and shoulder for logos and metallic accents, and is often combined with a matte over-varnish for contrast.
What is the minimum quantity for printed tubes?
3,000 pcs for offset or flexo-printed tubes, and about 1,000 pcs for digitally printed tubes, though price per unit improves significantly above 10,000 pcs.
Do tubes need secondary packaging?
Not necessarily. Many brands ship tubes unboxed, which saves cost and material. Cartons are recommended when the pack must protect print in e-commerce transit or when retail regulations require a printed information panel.
What is the MOQ for cosmetic tube packaging?
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 matched to the brand palette 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 cosmetic tube packaging. 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 cosmetic tube packaging 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?
PE (virgin and PCR), EVOH-barrier PE, PP and PCR-PE caps. 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 Tubes
Plastic Tubes
Plastic cosmetic tubes are extruded or laminated squeeze packs from 5 ml to 300 ml that dispense creams, gels and fluids hygienically and evacuate almost completely — the strongest all-round format for viscous formulas.
5 ml · 10 ml · 15 ml · 20 ml · more
View range →
Squeeze Tubes
A squeeze tube is a collapsible plastic pack that dispenses product by hand pressure: no mechanism, no air ingress, minimal product loss and low unit cost, which is why it dominates cream and gel packaging.
5 ml · 10 ml · 15 ml · 20 ml · more
View range →
Travel-Size Tubes
Travel-size tubes are 5–30 ml packs in 19–30 mm diameters, used for deluxe sizes, amenity programmes and sampling where the pack must be light, sealed and identical in quality to the retail format.
5 ml · 10 ml · 15 ml · 20 ml · more
View range →Continue researching
Quotes and samples for cosmetic tube packaging
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)