Launching
A first run of one or two products, usually a few hundred boxes. A straight tuck end carton keeps the cost low while the proof stage does the testing.
Usually ordersSerum Boxes, Cream Jar Boxes, Lip Gloss Boxes
Custom Cosmetic Packaging for UK Beauty Brands
We print boxes for the products beauty brands actually sell: serum cartons, cream jar boxes, lipstick and lip gloss boxes, lash boxes, perfume boxes and bath bomb boxes. Tell us what goes inside and how many you need, and you get a custom quote and a free design proof within one business day.
Pricestarting from £0.25 per boxProoffree, before printingMade in4–6 business daysDeliveryfree and tracked, UK only
Packaging by product
Open a group for buying advice, or go straight to a box.
Skincare
Serum, cream jar, lotion and cleanser boxes
Serum BoxesCream Jar BoxesLotion BoxesCleanser and Pump Bottle Boxes
Eyes and lashes
Lash boxes with windows, trays or hang tabs
Fragrance
Perfume, attar, oil and reed diffuser boxes
Perfume BoxesMagnetic Lid Perfume BoxesAttar and Oud BoxesReed Diffuser Boxes
Bath and body
Bath bomb, bath salt and soap boxes
Hair
Spray, mist, shampoo bar and dryer boxes
Hair Spray and Mist BoxesShampoo and Conditioner Bar BoxesHair Dryer Boxes
Gift and sets
Gift boxes, set boxes and subscription mailers
Cosmetic Gift BoxesPerfume Gift BoxesBeauty Subscription Boxes
Packaging by brand stage
Scaling
Reorders of a proven product, often in thousands, where unit price and consistency matter most. We hold your artwork and colour references between batches.
Usually ordersPrinted Cosmetic Boxes, Lotion Boxes, Foundation Boxes
Salon and retail
Products sold across a counter or on a shelf, where the box has to be seen from a metre away. Display boxes, windows and a stronger board earn their keep.
Usually ordersCosmetic Display Boxes, Window Soap Boxes, Perfume Boxes
Subscription and gifting
Boxes that travel in the post and open in front of a camera: mailers with inserts, magnetic gift boxes and set boxes.
Usually ordersBeauty Subscription Boxes, Cosmetic Gift Boxes, Perfume Gift Boxes
Which box style suits which product?
Six constructions cover almost every cosmetic product; the proof stage confirms the style against your actual bottle or jar.
| Box style | How it closes | Suits | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight tuck end | Tuck flaps top and bottom, same direction | Serum droppers, lotion bottles, tubes, lipsticks | Lowest-cost printed carton; ships flat |
| Reverse tuck end | Tuck flaps top and bottom, opposite directions | Lighter products, samples, lip gloss tubes | Easier to fold on a line |
| Auto-lock bottom | Base locks itself when opened out | Cream jars, candles, heavier glass | Holds weight without tape |
| Magnetic closure | Rigid lid held by hidden magnets | Perfume, gift sets, premium skincare | Rigid board with a printed wrap |
| Sleeve and tray | Printed sleeve slides over an open tray | Lipstick sets, lash sets, soap, bath bombs | Two parts, two faces to print |
| Window cut-out | Any carton with a clear or open panel | Bath bombs, soap, lashes, nail polish | Ask for a film window if dust is a concern |
| Drawer | Inner tray pulls out of an outer case | Perfume, gift items, sample sets | Slow to open on purpose |
Lid and base, hang-tab and pillow boxes are also available on request.
Finishes you can add
Every finish is an option and each is priced separately on the quote.
Foil stamping
A metallic or coloured foil pressed into the board, usually for a logo or product name. Gold, silver and rose gold are the common requests.
Spot UV
A clear gloss varnish applied only where you want it, so a logo or pattern catches the light against a matt background.
Soft touch lamination
A matt film with a velvety feel. It photographs well and hides fingerprints, which is why so many skincare and perfume boxes use it.
Embossing and debossing
Raises or presses a shape into the board without ink. Quiet alone, sharper with foil.
Common cosmetic box sizes in the UK
Boxes are made to the product, so these are starting points for a quote. Measure the container with its lid, pump or dropper fitted and add two to three millimetres each side.
Length × width × height in millimetres.
| Product inside | Typical carton size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 30 ml dropper bottle | About 38 × 38 × 110 mm | Allow for the dropper bulb |
| 50 ml cream jar | About 62 × 62 × 65 mm | Auto-lock base for glass |
| 100 ml lotion bottle with pump | About 45 × 45 × 160 mm | Measure with the pump locked |
| Standard lipstick | About 22 × 22 × 80 mm | Reverse tuck stops rattling |
| Lip gloss tube | About 25 × 25 × 100 mm | Thumb cut-out helps opening |
| Strip lashes in a tray | About 100 × 50 × 20 mm | Window lid, magnetic or sleeve |
| 50 ml perfume bottle | About 55 × 55 × 120 mm | Card insert holds the bottle |
| Single bath bomb, 60 mm | About 70 × 70 × 70 mm | Window cut-out or a cube with handle |
Print options
Print is quoted by the number of colours and by whether the inside is printed. Full colour is the usual choice for photographs, gradients and soft tints.
| Option | What you get | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Plain, no print | Unprinted white, kraft or coloured board | Samples, trade orders, label-only |
| One colour | A single ink, often black or a brand colour | Minimal skincare, kraft bath boxes |
| Two colour | Two inks, usually a brand colour plus black or a metallic | Fixed-palette logos, soap sleeves |
| Full colour (CMYK) | Any artwork, photographs and gradients | Most cosmetic cartons and gift boxes |
| Printed inside and out | Full colour on both faces of the board | Subscription mailers, gift boxes |
How ordering works
- Send the product and quantity
Use the quick form or email us the container, the box style you have in mind and how many you need.
- Get a custom quote
A packaging specialist replies within one business day with a price starting from £0.25 per box, broken down by board, print, finish and quantity.
- Approve a free proof
Our designers set your artwork on a dieline and send a proof. Nothing prints until you approve it.
- Production and delivery
Boxes are made in 4–6 business days after approval, then delivered free and tracked to any UK address in 2–3 business days.
What brands reorder
All cosmetic packaging
Serum Boxes30 ml droppers for launch runs and clinic resaleLipstick BoxesSingle bullet tubes and shade range sets
Eyelash BoxesStrip lashes sold by studios and lash brands
Perfume Boxes30 to 100 ml spray bottles, carton or rigid
Bath Bomb BoxesSingle bombs, three-packs and six-piece sets
Cream Jar Boxes50 ml moisturiser and night cream jars
Soap BoxesRectangular and round bars from 80 g to 150 g
Beauty Subscription BoxesMonthly beauty edits and quarterly brand boxesWhat counts as cosmetic packaging?
On this site it means the printed outer box a beauty product is sold in: the carton around a serum bottle, the box a lipstick slides out of, the window box that shows a bath bomb, the rigid case that holds a perfume.
We do not make the bottles, jars or tubes, only the boxes that carry and sell them.
Most of what we print is folding boxboard, a smooth white board of about 350 to 400 gsm that takes full-colour print and finishes well. Kraft board suits bath, body and soap brands that want a plainer look. Rigid boxes, used for perfume and gift sets, are greyboard wrapped in printed paper.
Who orders from us?
Independent beauty brands and skincare start-ups make up most of our orders: a first run of a few hundred boxes, then repeat runs as the product sells.
What every buyer has in common is that the box has to match a real container to the millimetre and the artwork has to come out the colour they signed off. That is why every order gets a free proof, and why we ask for container dimensions, or a photo next to a ruler, before quoting a size.
- Indie beauty brands and skincare start-ups ordering a first run
- Salons, spas and clinics with own-label retail products
- Online and marketplace sellers who need boxes that post well
- Aromatherapy, bath bomb and soap makers ordering by the thousand
- Perfume houses, attar sellers and fragrance brands
- Lash, brow and nail studios with boxed retail lines
How do you choose a board for a cosmetic box?
Weight first.
A 30 ml dropper bottle weighs under 100 g and a 350 gsm carton carries it comfortably. A 50 ml glass jar can weigh twice that, so an auto-lock base or a heavier board stops the bottom flap giving way in a courier bag. A 100 ml perfume bottle is where rigid board starts to make sense, because the box is expected to be kept.
Then the finish. Soft touch lamination and foil look best on smooth white board; kraft takes one or two colours well but mutes full-colour artwork. Not sure? Say so and we quote two boards.
- Weigh the filled container and note whether it is glass or plastic.
- Decide where the box is sold: online, on a counter or in a gift set.
- Pick the construction from the style table, or ask us to.
- Choose the print and any finish, knowing each is priced separately.
- Send the dimensions and artwork for a free proof.
Design Your Packaging
Choose a real photo of the box you have in mind, put your logo on it, pick a colour and finish, and send it over. Our designers turn it into a free, print-ready proof.
Brief us on the box you need
The more we know about what goes inside, the bottle or jar, the quantity and the look you are after, the sharper the price. A packaging specialist replies within one business day with a custom quote and a free design proof.
- Starting from £0.25 per box.
- Free design proof before anything is printed.
- Made in 4–6 business days after proof approval.
- Free tracked delivery across the UK in 2–3 business days.
- Misprints or damage reported within 10 days with photos are reprinted or refunded.
Cosmetic packaging questions
Not answered here? Call +44 7578 382054, message our packaging team on WhatsApp or email info@thecosmeticpackaging.co.uk.
How much does custom cosmetic packaging cost in the UK?
Starting from £0.25 per box, depending on box style, size, board, print, finish and quantity. Every price is confirmed on a custom quote before anything is made.
Is there a minimum order for printed cosmetic boxes?
Yes, the minimum order (MOQ) is 100 boxes. Tell us how many you need, even a few hundred for a launch.
Can I see a sample before I order a full run?
You see a free digital proof before anything prints. For a physical sample of a style or board, ask on the form.
Which products can you make boxes for?
Serums, creams, lotions, cleansers, lipsticks, lip gloss, foundation, palettes, brushes, lashes, nail polish, perfume, attar, perfume oils, reed diffusers, bath bombs, bath salts, soap, shampoo bars and hair sprays. Anything else, send the dimensions.
Do you deliver outside the UK?
No. We deliver to UK addresses only, free and tracked, in 2–3 business days after production.
What artwork files do you need?
A print-ready PDF, AI, EPS or SVG is best. A high-resolution PNG or JPG of your logo works too; our designers set it on the dieline at no charge.
Can you design the box artwork for me?
Yes. Send your logo, colours and any references and our design team lays out the box and sends a free proof.
How long does the whole process take?
One business day for the quote, a day or two for the proof, 4–6 business days for production and 2–3 for delivery. Most first orders arrive within two to three weeks.
Can I print inside the box as well as outside?
Yes. Inside print is an option on folding cartons, mailers and rigid boxes.
What is the difference between a folding carton and a rigid box?
A folding carton is printed board that ships flat and folds into shape. A rigid box is thick greyboard wrapped in printed paper and arrives assembled.
Will my brand colours print accurately?
We match named brand colours as closely as the board allows. If an exact colour is critical, give us the reference and we advise on the board and finish that holds it best.
What happens if the boxes arrive damaged or misprinted?
Send photos within 10 days of delivery and we reprint or refund the affected boxes.