Introduction
The main bottle container for cosmetics are no more than these two types – “glass bottles” and “plastic bottles” , both of which play a different and important role in cosmetics packaging.
Glass bottles occupy a relatively small portion, while plastic bottles and other alternatives dominate the majority of the market share.
However, there is a special phenomenon in the cosmetic industry, that is,”high-end cosmetic products prefer glass bottle packaging”.
Why do high-end cosmetics prefer glass bottles? What are the reasons behind it?
And why the plastic bottles can account for a big part of the cosmetic packaging market? What are the advantages of plastic bottles?
Just read through this blog, and you will get the answers.
Table of Content:
1.Plastic bottle VS glass bottle for cosmetic packaging
1.1 Advantages and disadvantages of plastic bottle for cosmetic
1.2 Development of plastic bottle for cosmetic(PLA material and its benefits)
1.3 Advantages and disadvantages of glass bottle for cosmetic
2. Reasons for preferring glass bottle for cosmetic packaging
3. How to choose a cosmetic glass bottle manufacturer
1. Plastic bottle VS glass bottle for cosmetic packaging
In fact, both cosmetic plastic bottles and glass bottles are not absolutely good or bad.
Different companies, different brands, and different products, according to their own brand and product positioning, cost, profit target needs, choose to use different cosmetic packaging materials.
Let’s analyze the advantages and disadvantages of cosmetic plastic bottles and glass bottles so that may better help you make a choice.
1.1 Advantages and disadvantages of plastic bottle for cosmetic
Advantages
1) Lightweight and durable:
Cosmetic plastic bottles are lightweight and less prone to breakage, resulting in cost savings on transportation and reduced risk of product damage.
2) Versatile customization:
Cosmetic plastic bottles offer a wide range of customization options, such as labeling, screen printing, spray painting, foil stamping in gold or silver, frosted finishes, and more. These techniques allow for branding and aesthetic enhancements to meet specific requirements. Additionally,cosmetic plastic bottles can be produced with low minimum order quantities, starting as low as 500 units.
3) Recyclability:
Cosmetic plastic bottles are recyclable, contributing to environmental sustainability. By implementing appropriate recycling processes, cosmetic plastic bottles can be reused and transformed into new products, reducing waste and promoting a circular economy.
4) Cost-effective alternative:
When compared to cosmetic glass bottles, cosmetic plastic bottles stand out for their cost-effectiveness. Enjoy the advantage of reduced production costs, translating into competitive pricing for your products without compromising on quality.
Disadvantages
1) Reduced barrier properties:
While advancements have been made in plastic cosmetic bottle technology, glass still offers superior barrier properties against oxygen and other gases. This makes cosmetic glass bottles a better choice for products that are sensitive to air exposure, such as certain beverages or cosmetics.
2) Susceptibility to scratches and wear:
Plastic cosmetic bottles are more prone to scratches and wear over time compared to cosmetic glass bottles. This can affect the overall appearance and aesthetics of the packaging, potentially impacting the brand perception.
3) Significant environmental impact:
Plastic cosmetic bottles contribute significantly to environmental degradation, exacerbating the issue of plastic pollution.
1.2 Development of plastic bottle for cosmetic(PLA material and its benefits)
With the development of technology, new plastic material has been applied in the production of plastic containers for cosmetics.
Polylactic acid, also known as poly(propylene glycol), belongs to the polyester family.It is a new type of biodegradable material made from renewable plant resources (e.g. corn) by fermentation process to make lactic acid, which is then converted to PLA by polymer synthesis.It is well-sourced and renewable.
The production process of PLA is pollution-free, and the product is biodegradable and recyclable in nature, making it an ideal green polymer material.
image from https://www.ecolink-bamboo.com/
Benefits of polylactic acid (PLA)
1) Environmental friendly:
PLA has excellent biodegradability and can be completely degraded by microorganisms in the soil within one year after disposal, generating carbon dioxide and water, without pollution to the environment. “From nature, back to nature”! That’s what Pla can achieve.
The world’s carbon dioxide emissions according to news reports in 2030 the global temperature will rise to 60 ℃, the treatment of ordinary plastic is still burning cremation, resulting in a large number of greenhouse gases into the air, while PLA is buried in the soil to degrade, the carbon dioxide generated directly into the soil organic matter or absorbed by plants, will not be discharged into the air, will not cause the greenhouse effect.
2) Suitable for various processing methods:
The processing methods include such as blow molding, injection molding, etc. It is easy to process and very widely used. It can be used to process various food packaging containers, fast food lunch boxes, non-woven fabrics, and industrial and civil cloths and so on.
In turn, it can be processed into agricultural fabrics, health care fabrics, wipes, sanitary products, outdoor UV protection fabrics, tent fabrics, floor mats, etc.
The market prospect is very promising. It can be seen that its mechanical properties and physical properties are good.
3) Wide applications:
The basic physical properties of polylactic acid (PLA) are similar to those of petrochemical synthetic plastics, which means that they can be used in a wide range of applications.
PLA also has good gloss and transparency, comparable to films made from polystyrene, those other biodegradable products cannot provide.
4) Superior compatibility and degradability:
PLA is also used in a wide range of pharmaceutical applications, such as disposable infusion sets, no-disassembly surgical sutures, and low-molecular PLA as a slow-release packaging agent for drugs.
5) Safety:
polylactic acid (PLA) film has good permeability, oxygen permeability, and permeability to dioxide carbon, it also has the property of isolating odor.
1.3 Advantages and disadvantages of glass bottle for cosmetic
Advantages
1)Luxury and elegance:
Glass cosmetic bottles exude a sense of luxury and elegance. Their transparency allows for product visibility, which can enhance the consumer’s perception of the product’s quality.
2)Stability and non-toxicity:
Glass cosmetic bottles are stable non-toxic and not easy to produce a chemical reaction with skin care products. Their good barrier prevents the cosmetics from deteriorating.
3)Strength and rigidity:
Strong rigidity enables the cosmetic glass bottles not easy to deform, in addition to the heavier weight, cosmetic glass bottles provide the consumers with a better hand feeling.
4)Temperature tolerance:
Glass cosmetic bottles demonstrate excellent temperature tolerance, allowing them to endure high temperatures during sterilization processes and maintain their structural integrity even when stored at low temperatures.
5)Sustainability and recyclability:
Glass is 100% recyclable and can be recycled indefinitely without any loss in quality. Using cosmetic glass bottles reduces the demand for new raw materials and helps decrease the environmental impact.
Disadvantages
1)Brittleness and fragility:
Glass cosmetic bottles are brittle, easy to break, and not easy to store and transport.
Reading this, you might want to learn about the various types of void fill that would help solve this shortcoming.
2)Weight and transportation costs:
The weight of cosmetic glass bottles is large, and the transportation cost is high, especially for e-commerce express.
3)High energy consumption in manufacturing:
The manufacturing of glass is highly energy-consuming. This is due to the high temperature required for processing and manufacturing.
4)Limited custom options:
While cosmetic glass bottles can be molded into various shapes, the customization options are generally more limited compared to cosmetic plastic bottles. Techniques like embossing and debossing are possible but may not be as intricate as with cosmetic plastic bottles.
2. Reasons for preferring glass bottle for cosmetic packaging
1) Ensuring cosmetic efficacy with glass bottles
The pursuit of high functionality, multi-functionality, and quality assurance is essential to enhance the primary function of protecting the contents within packaging.
For high-end cosmetics, particularly in the era of “efficacy skin care,” the preference for glass bottle packaging is becoming increasingly common.
Through analysis, it is evident that glass cosmetic bottles possess characteristics such as stability, excellent barrier properties, heat resistance, light resistance, and solvent resistance. These attributes make glass cosmetic bottles highly suitable for skin care products, as they minimize the likelihood of chemical reactions.
Cosmetic glass bottles are the most reliable option in terms of safety and stability. They are particularly beneficial for preserving cosmetic products with active ingredients like antioxidants, anti-aging agents, and whitening components, which are sensitive to light exposure.
Moreover, glass cosmetic bottles exhibit exceptional gas barrier properties, making them the preferred choice for packaging perfumes and other fragrance products that are volatile and easily dissipate. This explains why glass cosmetic bottles dominate the perfume packaging market.
2) Elevating brands through distinctive glass bottle designs
Cosmetics, in general, often lack a distinctive appearance as they are typically in liquid, milky liquid, or cream form. To express the unique characteristics of these products, they require the design of beautiful and distinctive glass bottles.
In the current market, many cosmetic brands opt for translucent or fully transparent glass cosmetic bottles to showcase the composition and color of the product.
From a consumer perspective, the initial goal is to capture their attention and ignite their desire to purchase. Transparent and pure aesthetics evoke a sense of nobility and elegance, which is the captivating allure of glass cosmetic bottles.
Therefore, cosmetic manufacturers employ fashionable, eye-catching, vibrant, and intriguing glass bottle designs as a means to outshine their competitors.
As the “coat” of the cosmetic products, glass cosmetic bottles serve not only the function of holding and protecting the contents but also play a crucial role in attracting customers and influencing their purchase decisions.
3) Reflecting the cultural value of cosmetics through glass bottles
In the market, various skin care ideas are emerging, and various glass bottles are competing with each other, making people dazzled.
Many products not only tell people how efficient their product is but also sell fashion and culture.
The fashion and culture of cosmetics are usually what we call taste.
How to reflect the taste of cosmetics, in addition to product advertising and product counter display and other aspects, the cosmetic glass bottle is an important link and carrier.
A decent glass cosmetic bottle can not only directly stimulate the senses of consumers, but also can reflect the taste of the product.
In addition, the heaviness of the glass cosmetic bottle can make consumers trust and improve the grade of cosmetics, which is impossible to do with cosmetic plastic bottle packaging.
Cosmetics are “selling dreams, selling fashion, selling hope”, and the psychological value of cosmetics play a big role. Some well-known and up-market skincare brands can sell them at a high price of hundreds of dollars.
4) Glass bottles as a sustainable solution for cosmetic packaging
Because of the plastic restriction, packaging which is green, eco-friendly, and reusable has become the first choice of enterprises. Cosmetic packaging is no exception.
Data shows that the discarded plastic bottles from Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Nestle have become the world’s top three largest plastic polluters.
Forced by the relevant laws and external public opinion pressure, these companies have implemented plastic bottle recycling, the implementation of renewable plastic bottles, and other measures.However, there is still a long distance from totally using biodegradable plastic.
Therefore, glass bottles can be recycled and reused without pollution to the environment, which should also be one of the important reasons why high-end cosmetics prefer glass bottle packaging.
Among them, the recycling of glass bottles attracts consumers to join the environmental protection activities.
On the one hand, they are taking on their own responsibility to directly face the challenges of environmental protection and social responsibility;
on the other hand, they are actively communicating with consumers through these environmental protection activities, which greatly enhances the brand reputation of the company.
Click to learn more info about environmentally friendly packaging.
3. How to choose a cosmetic glass bottle manufacturer？
As analyzed above, “ensuring cosmetic efficacy with glass bottles, elevating brands through distinctive glass bottle designs,reflecting the cultural value of cosmetics through glass bottles,glass bottles as a sustainable solution for cosmetic packaging” are the four main reasons why high-end cosmetic brands prefer to choose glass bottles.
So, for the above four reasons, how to choose an excellent and reliable cosmetic glass bottle manufacturer becomes the key for cosmetic brands.
Choosing a cosmetic glass bottle manufacturer is a test for the brand – because it involves quality, quality, price, efficiency, market competitiveness, corporate profit, and many other aspects.
1) Design & development ability and innovative technology
The appearance, style and quality of a cosmetic glass bottle reflect the design and development capabilities, and innovative technology of cosmetic glass bottle manufacturers.
Therefore, this is the first element in the selection among them.
Especially when you need to make a private mold,many factors should be considered such as design, material selection, cycle time, cost, process details, effects, etc.
2) Price and cost performance
The price and cost performance of cosmetic glass bottles are the powerful weapons that can make the brand stand out in homogenization.
Generally speaking, “inexpensive”cosmetic glass bottles can bring the company a reasonable profit margin and higher competition.
3) Production scale and production efficiency
The cosmetic glass bottle manufacturer’s production qualifications, the number of production lines, production equipment, production quality, and production efficiency, directly determine the product supply quantity and speed and indirectly determine the performance of corporate brand marketing.
Before making a decision, you have to go through the manufacturer from hand to toe.
In this way, it can effectively eliminate or reduce the number of products of substandard quality, delayed delivery or delivery shortage, and other bad conditions.
4) Samples and portfolio
Request samples of the manufacturer’s previous work. This will give you an idea of their capabilities, craftsmanship, and the quality of their products. A manufacturer with a diverse and impressive portfolio is more likely to meet your expectations.
5) Reviews and references
Look for reviews and testimonials from other clients who have worked with the manufacturer. You might also consider reaching out to these clients directly for more insight into their experiences.
Conclusion
So there you have it- the advantages and disadvantages of plastic and glass cosmetic bottles. Hopefully, this article has helped you make a more informed decision about which type of bottle will be best for your product and brand promotion.
If you’re still not sure, or you need help finding a reliable cosmetic glass bottle manufacturer, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. Here at Primepac, with extensive experience in the packaging industry, we’re dedicated to tailoring solutions to suit your brand’s unique requirements, leaving a memorable impression and building customer loyalty.
We would be happy to assist you in choosing the perfect packaging for your cosmetics products. Thanks for reading!