Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Sourcing Lipstick Packaging

For sophisticated buyers, this distinction is vital for product quality:

• • Guided Mechanisms: Feature internal tracks or "ribs" that stabilize the cup as it travels up. This reduces bullet wobble, preventing the lipstick from scraping against the side of the tube—crucial for soft, creamy, or high-pigment formulas.
• • Non-Guided Mechanisms: A standard, cost-effective option suitable for harder waxes or budget-friendly lines, though they offer less lateral stability for the bullet.

• • Aluminum Lipstick Tubes: Offers a "cold touch" and significant weight, which consumers subconsciously associate with luxury and high value. It allows for premium decoration like anodizing and embossing.
• • Plastic (ABS/AS/PP) Lipstick Tubes: Allows for intricate injection molding, transparency (for "glass-look" effects), and lower costs. New heavy-wall plastics can mimic the density of metal.

The cup size must match your filling mold and bullet diameter.

• • 12.1mm: The global standard for most lipstick bullets. If you are using stock filling molds, this is likely your size.
• • 12.7mm: A slightly wider cup often used for premium, high-coverage formulations or larger volume sticks.
• •

  Tip:

  Always confirm the "retention beads" or ribs inside the cup match your formula's viscosity to prevent the bullet from falling out.

Refillable packaging allows the consumer to keep a heavy, luxury outer case (often metal) and purchase simple, lower-cost refills. This trend, popularized by brands like Hermès and Dior, reduces waste and increases customer retention. The refill mechanism usually snaps or clicks into the reusable base.

Yes. For luxury brands, the haptics of the closure are engineered features.

• • Magnetic Closures: Provide a silent, smooth pull and a satisfying, audible "clack" upon closing.
• • Snap-Fit: Engineered tensions can be adjusted to create a firm "click" that signals security to the user.

For brands seeking sophisticated mechanisms and high-end finishes, we recommend partnering with established specialists:

• • WWP Beauty: A global leader in "Beauty with Purpose," WWP operates a dedicated rigid component factory in Taicang, China. They are a go-to for turnkey solutions and sustainable innovation, leveraging their "6R's framework" (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, etc.) to offer award-winning refillable and mono-material designs. Their hybrid manufacturing model ensures rigorous quality control from concept to delivery.
• • Shinhan CM: Based in Incheon, South Korea, Shinhan CM is a premier choice for brands prioritizing design-led customization. With over 20 years of experience, they specialize in high-end decoration techniques—including hot stamping, digital printing, and silk screening—that transform standard stock molds into unique, brand-defining components. Their localized production ensures agility and premium Korean quality.
• • J-Cop (Jeong Hun): A veteran of the Korean beauty industry since 1990, J-Cop manufactures for one in five Korean cosmetic brands. They are renowned for having one of the largest libraries of lipstick stock molds and expertise in both metal and plastic fabrication. Based in Gyeonggi-do, they are an ideal partner for brands seeking OEM/ODM capabilities, competitive MOQs, and reliable "Made in Korea" engineering.

Creating a custom shape or unique mechanism is a capital-intensive process and can vary supplier to supplier.

• • Stock Components: 4–8 weeks (decoration dependent).
• • Custom Tooling: 12–16 weeks for molds + additional time for production. Brands looking for custom shapes should plan for a 6-month runway.