Cosmetics: which label materials are suitable for this purpose?

What is the right label material for cosmetics?

Cosmetic products require the perfect label. But what is the perfect label? The answer depends on a number of things, including the type of cosmetic product, the desired look and the circumstances under which the consumer will use the product. First, of course, the label design must be attractive and appropriate to the brand. But just as important is choosing the right label material. For different types of cosmetics and the circumstances of using the product, we recommend a number of suitable label materials and finishes*. After all, the label must remain beautiful during use and should not wear out or fade. Label finishing is an optional addition to your label, applied to labels after printing on the paper or film. Examples include: protective varnish, foil laminate, spot varnish, foil printing and embossing.

These materials are suitable for cosmetic products

1. Skin care products (creams, oils and serums)

Skin care products are usually applied to the skin with the fingers. In this process, there is no way to avoid direct contact between the cream or serum and the label, especially when sealing the jar or bottle. Thus, the label material must be resistant to grease and oil. Materials suitable for this are PP or PE films and Tyvek®. Suitable finishes are: film lamination (protects against moisture and oil) and spot varnish (as embellishment), possible in combination with PP material and hot foil stamping (embellishment), possible in combination with PP material and Tyvek®.

2. Makeup (lipstick, foundation, eye shadow).

Often make-up products have limited space and can only fit small labels on which the necessary information must still be placed. The solution to this can be an outer packaging, such as a cardboard box, which can have more information printed or written on it. Another solution for labels on cylindrical packaging is release varnish, as an alternative to multilayer labels. This special lacquer is invisible and, applied to PP film material and allows the label to wrap around itself without sticking permanently. This therefore allows the label to be much larger and to print more text on it. The user of the product can now read the full text by unrolling the label, after which they can rewind the label.

If lack of space is not an issue, the choice of materials is more extensive, and PP film and film lamination offer durability and resistance to abrasion. Transparent labels are a good choice for this purpose because they are subtle and do not distract attention from the product itself. Glossy finishes can enhance the vibrant colors of makeup products and contribute to an attractive presentation. Also read our blog: readability of small labels

3. Hair care products (shampoos, conditioners).

For hair care products, it is important that the labels be resistant to regular contact with water. Again, PP or PE films and Tyvek® are an excellent choice. PE film is recommended for flexible plastic bottles because the material itself is flexible. PE can be combined with the finishes protective lacquer and film lamination both in matte and gloss. Film lamination offers the best protection, especially recommended if the product contains alcohol, oil or grease, such as in hair straighteners.

4. Essential oils and perfumes

For products containing essential oils or perfumes, chemical resistance of the label material is a must, we recommend testing the chosen material with your product first. Glass and high-quality plastic such as acrylic are recommended as bottle materials, where a premium paper or a high-end synthetic material such as Tyvek® can be used for the label. An elegant and simple design with gold or silver hot foil accents can emphasize the luxury aspect of the product.

Final opinion

So, when selecting labels it is important that they are not only aesthetically appropriate to the product and brand, but also functionally appropriate to the product in terms of label material to effectively protect and present the contents. It is advisable to always request samples of label materials to test with under the specific conditions in which the product will be used, in order to ensure that the chosen material will actually function and keep your product looking great for a long time.