[Industry Knowledge Sharing] Fundamental Knowledge of Lipstick Tube Packaging by Chamsmetic

[Introduction] How much do you know about the fundamental knowledge of lipstick tube packaging? Chamsmetic will summarize and share essential insights. Lipstick tubes are a significant category of makeup packaging materials, and anyone looking to purchase lipstick tubes should have some knowledge in this area. Today, Chamsmetic has compiled comprehensive fundamental knowledge about lipstick tube packaging materials and wants to share it with businesses interested in purchasing lipstick tubes.

Packaging Manufacturing Process of Lipstick Tubes:

1.Basic materials

Lipstick tubes are divided into all-plastic lipstick tubes, aluminum-plastic composite tubes, etc. The commonly used plastic materials are PC, ABS, PMMA, ABS+SAN, SAN, PCTA, PP, etc., while the aluminum material models commonly used are 1070, 5657, etc. Some users use zinc alloy, sheepskin, and other materials as lipstick tube accessories to match the product temperament and brand style.

2.Molding process

Injection molding process is mainly used for the plastic material of lipstick tubes, such as caps, bases, and relevant components inside the core.

3.Surface treatment

There are many surface treatment processes available for lipstick tubes. For plastic parts, processes such as spray painting, electroplating, vapor deposition, laser engraving, and inlaying can be used, while aluminum products can undergo oxidation electroplating, anodizing, and other processes.

4.Graphic printing

Silk-screen printing, hot stamping/silver stamping, pad printing, heat transfer printing, water transfer printing, and other processes can be used for graphic information processing on the caps and bases of lipstick tubes according to customer requirements.

Packaging Hierarchy Structure of Lipstick Tubes:

1.Product classification:

According to components: cap, base, center core (core, bead, fork, and spiral), etc. The center core is generally made of aluminum and has better hardness and metallic texture after anodizing treatment. Some are made of plastic materials by injection molding.

Bead inner diameter: 8.5mm, 8.6mm, 9mm, 9.8mm, 10mm, 11mm, 11.8mm, 12mm, etc.

Bead ribs: 4 ribs, 6 ribs, 8 ribs, etc.

According to product structure: traditional lipstick case, slim type, lip balm/lip gloss case, lip care stick, powder stick, lip oil, etc.

Filling method: bottom filling, top filling.

2.Cap

Lipstick tube caps are generally made of aluminum, acrylic, ABS, etc.

3.Base

The base is usually made of acrylic or ABS plastic, or some are based on aluminum. Some suppliers also add heavy iron inside the base to enhance the feel. However, the use of heavy iron glue inside the base increases the risk within the lipstick tube. If there is a detachment during transportation, it will become a quality accident and result in a worse customer experience.

4.Center Core

The center core is the core component of the lipstick tube and is equivalent to the heart of the product. The overall functionality of the lipstick tube depends on the experience of the center core. It carries the functions such as twisting force, smoothness, locking force, safety, and bead bearing capacity of the entire lipstick tube.

The bead fork screw generally has a double helix structure with long pitch. After one rotation, the bead travels a relatively long distance. Therefore, some users also call it a rapid screw. The bead fork screw is the core component of the lipstick tube, consisting of a bead, fork, spiral, bead fork screw, and lubricating oil. The bead (cup) is the part that directly contacts the lipstick material. The fork (fork) is the linear trajectory of the bead, and the spiral (spiral) is the upward trajectory of the bead on the spiral, working together with the fork to achieve the rotation and upward movement of the bead.

The bead fork screw is somewhat similar to a pump core but more complex. Some manufacturers claim to have bead fork screw designs without lubricating oil, but its application is not yet widespread. The standard drawings of bead fork screws must be standardized. Otherwise, if the dimensions are not accurately controlled, there will be more complexities during assembly. It can be predicted that if the injection molding material does not pass the compatibility verification, compatibility issues may arise, which would cause problems during rotation, resulting in a malfunction. Bead fork screws are crucial.

Considerations for Lipstick Tube Procurement:

1.Selecting a lipstick tube supplier

Before selecting a supplier, it is essential to evaluate the supplier’s design of the bead fork screw. Supplier selection based on reasons such as “L’Oréal has used it” (your material and filling machine are different), “This supplier is cheap,” “The aluminum-plastic channel of this supplier is unstable,” “The assembly line has no experience or is not standardized,” or “blowing one’s own horn” should be avoided. The simplest way to identify the supplier’s level is whether they can provide appropriate drawings of the bead fork screw.

2.Quality control indicators for lipstick tubes

There are indicators related to the feel, filling machine requirements, transportation vibration requirements, airtightness, material compatibility, size compatibility, aluminum-plastic tolerances, color issues, production capacity, and filling amounts that need to meet the claimed values. There are many indicators that need to be clarified one by one.

3.Risks of using aluminum lipstick tubes

During the stretching and cutting process of aluminum products, if the structural parts are not treated smoothly, it may pose potential safety risks to consumers. It is recommended to use razor test equipment that complies with the requirements of U.S. Federal Regulation 16 CFR1500.49 and use pressure-sensitive insulating high-temperature adhesive tape that complies with the standards defined in MIL-I-23594B(1971) to evaluate the risk of the product.

Lipstick tubes are the most complex type of packaging among all cosmetics packaging. Comprised of multiple components, they feature functional packaging made from different materials. Lipstick tubes can be categorized into volatile and non-volatile types based on material properties (airtight/non-airtight). The filling process is mostly automated, including pre-filling, post-filling, and direct filling. It involves aspects such as filling methods, part combinations, tolerance control, and lubricant application. Chamsmetic ensures strict control over these areas for our lipstick tubes made from degradable materials, providing suitable options for potential purchasers.