Do lotion boxes need an auto-lock bottom?
Not always. Bottles under about 200 g are fine in a tuck end carton. Heavier 250 ml bottles are safer with an auto-lock bottom.
Custom Printed Lotion Boxes for 100 to 250 ml Bottles
Written prices from £0.25 a box. Free proof, made in 4–6 business days, free tracked UK delivery.
Tall tuck end cartons for body lotion, face lotion and hand and body bottles, cut around the pump head so the lid tucks without force. Print runs edge to edge, from a soft gradient to a botanical line drawing, with a free proof before the run.
- Highlights
- Cut around the pump head
- Edge-to-edge print, every panel
- Gradient or line art prints well
- Stands straight on a shelf
Common sizes
| Bottle | Typical box size |
|---|---|
| 100 ml pump bottle | About 45 x 45 x 150 mm |
| 150 ml pump bottle | About 50 x 50 x 170 mm |
| 250 ml pump bottle | About 55 x 55 x 195 mm |
| 250 ml bottle, pump locked down | About 55 x 55 x 180 mm |
Lotion Boxes specification
- Product
- Lotion Boxes
- Range
- Skincare Packaging
- Style and closure
- Straight tuck end carton; auto-lock bottom on request for heavier bottles
- Typical board
- Folding boxboard about 350 to 400 gsm, white surface for gradient print
- Typical sizes
- About 45 x 45 x 150 mm for 100 ml; about 55 x 55 x 195 mm for a 250 ml pump bottle
- Window or insert
- Window cut-out on the front panel on request; usually no insert needed
- Finish that suits it
- Gloss or matt lamination over full colour print, as options
- How it ships
- Flat, side seam glued, folded at your packing bench
- Sizes
- Made to your bottle, jar, tube or compact; common sizes quoted on request
- Board
- Folding boxboard, kraft board, rigid greyboard with printed wrap, metallic or textured board, as options
- Printing
- Plain, one colour, two colour or full colour CMYK
- Inside print
- Available on folding and rigid boxes
- Finishes
- Matt, gloss or soft touch lamination; foil, spot UV, embossing or debossing as options
- Inserts
- Card, foam or tissue inserts available on request
- Files we work from
- Vector PDF, AI, EPS or SVG is ideal; a sharp PNG or JPG of the logo is enough to start
- Layout
- Our designers set your artwork on the dieline at no charge
- Sign-off
- A free proof to approve before any ink touches board
- Run size
- Priced per order, from a launch batch to a repeat run
What are lotion boxes?
Lotion boxes are tall, slim printed cartons made for lotion bottles with a pump or disc cap, most often 100 to 250 ml.
They are cut a few millimetres larger than the bottle and its pump, so the box stands straight and the pump does not push the lid open. We print them to order for UK bath, body and skincare brands and deliver free with tracking.
What is a lotion box and why is it so tall?
A lotion box is the carton round a lotion bottle, and it is tall because the bottle is.
A 250 ml pump bottle stands around 190 mm with the pump up. The box has to clear it with a few millimetres to spare.
That makes a narrow column with a small base. The two things that keep it upright are a square footprint and a bottom that locks or tucks firmly.
Look at the pink and white body lotion carton in our photos. The front carries the name and volume, the back carries the ingredients and the box is only a touch wider than the bottle.
Which lotions and which makers?
Lotion boxes cross over between skincare and bath and body.
The bottle shapes are similar, so the same carton layout works for several products.
Makers who also box soaps, scrubs and bath salts can keep the look consistent across the bath and body packaging range.
- Body lotions in 200 and 250 ml pump bottles from bath and body makers
- Face lotions and emulsions in 100 to 150 ml bottles
- Hand and body lotion sold in salon and spa retail
- After-sun and massage lotions in 200 ml flip-top bottles
- Aromatherapy lotions in amber bottles with a black pump
- Gift sets where a lotion carton sits beside a soap
How tall should a box be for a 250 ml pump bottle?
Stand the bottle up with the pump in the position it will be sold in.
Many pumps lock down for transit and that saves about 15 mm of box height. Measure to the top of the pump head, then add 5 mm.
Measure the width across the widest part of the bottle, which on a flat-sided bottle is often the shoulder, and add 3 mm each way.
These are guide sizes from common UK bottle shapes. Our table of common UK cosmetic box sizes covers other bottle families, but your own bottle always decides the dieline.
| Bottle | Height with pump up | Typical box |
|---|---|---|
| 100 ml round pump | About 145 mm | About 45 x 45 x 150 mm |
| 150 ml round pump | About 165 mm | About 50 x 50 x 170 mm |
| 250 ml round pump | About 190 mm | About 55 x 55 x 195 mm |
| 250 ml flat oval pump | About 185 mm | About 70 x 40 x 190 mm |
Tuck end or auto-lock bottom?
A straight tuck end carton closes at both ends with a tucked flap.
It is the cheapest to make and fine for a 100 or 150 ml bottle.
An auto-lock bottom has a base that snaps into place when you open the carton. It carries more weight and will not drop a full 250 ml bottle through the bottom when lifted by the top. We suggest it for bottles over about 200 g.
Both styles, with their fold sequences, are in the box styles guide for cosmetic cartons. Rigid, board and finish options come on request, listed on your quote.
Printing gradients and line art on a tall carton
The tall front panel suits print that runs top to bottom.
The gradient box in our photos fades from blue to cream with an orange botanical drawing at the foot, and the pump bottle label repeats it.
Full colour CMYK handles gradients well on a white board. Keep text away from the fold lines, and give the back panel a plain block of colour behind the ingredients list so it stays legible.
Two colour and one colour print are available for simpler designs, and inside print is an option if you want a pattern when the carton opens.
Which finish suits a lotion carton in a bathroom?
Lotion boxes often end up on a bathroom shelf for weeks, so moisture and handling matter.
A gloss or matt lamination seals the print against splashes and wiping.
For a gift edition, foil and spot UV are available as options, and soft touch lamination gives a matt feel on a dark carton. Our guide to spot UV, foil and lamination on beauty boxes compares them with photos.
How do lotion boxes travel in a parcel?
A tall carton laid flat in a parcel takes crushing on its long side.
Pack it standing, or lay it with other cartons packed tight so nothing can shift.
Lock the pump down before boxing if it has a lock, and check that the carton height allows for the pump up if it does not. A pump that is pressed in transit leaks lotion onto the print.
For direct-to-customer orders, a cosmetic mailer box sized for cartons keeps the lotion carton clean until the customer opens it.
Shelf and online presentation for lotion cartons
Tall cartons work in a row.
Line three up at the same height and the band of colour across them becomes the display.
For online listings, show the carton standing beside the bottle with the back panel visible in a second photo. Buyers want to see that the ingredients panel is real.
A window on the front is an option, though most lotion bottles are opaque, so the print usually does more than a window would.
What goes wrong with lotion box orders?
The pump is the usual culprit.
Measuring with the pump locked and selling with it up means the box will not close. Decide the position first.
Next is ignoring the weight. A full 250 ml bottle in a tuck end carton with a light board can push the bottom tuck open when picked up. Ask for the auto-lock bottom.
Last is a dark gradient over the fold lines, where cracking shows as a pale line. We keep heavy ink off the creases on the proof.
How do I order lotion boxes?
Here is how a lotion box order runs.
Misprints and transit damage get a reprint or refund; report them with photos inside 10 days.
The lotion box quote request page has a field for your bottle sizes.
- Send bottle measurements with the pump up or locked, plus a quantity.
- Choose tuck end or auto-lock bottom, board and lamination.
- Receive the written quote, starting from £0.25 per unit.
- Send artwork or a logo and our designers prepare a free proof.
- Approve the proof, after which the boxes take 4–6 business days to make.
- Delivery is free and tracked, arriving at your UK address in 2–3 business days.
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.
Boxes that pair with lotion boxes
Skincare PackagingBrief 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 written quote and a free design proof.
- Written prices from £0.25 a 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.
Lotion Boxes: questions buyers ask
Not answered here? Call +44 7578 382054, message our packaging team on WhatsApp or email info@thecosmeticpackaging.co.uk.
Can a lotion box be made for a flat oval bottle?
Yes. We cut to the width and depth of the bottle, so a flat oval gets a rectangular box rather than a square one.
Should I measure the pump up or locked down?
Measure it in the position it will be in when boxed. If customers will unlock it later, the locked height is fine.
Can lotion boxes be printed with a gradient?
Yes. On white board, CMYK print handles a gradient smoothly, and the proof shows how it falls across the panels.
Is a window possible on a lotion carton?
Yes, as an option. It suits clear or tinted bottles; opaque bottles usually look better with a fully printed front.
Will the same lotion box fit bottles from two suppliers?
Only if the sizes match within a millimetre or two. Send both bottles and we check, or cut two sizes.
Can I use lotion boxes for shampoo or conditioner bottles?
Yes, if the bottle is a similar shape. We cut to whatever bottle you send, whatever is inside it.
Are lotion boxes laminated?
Lamination is an option, not standard. Matt or gloss lamination makes sense for cartons that live in a bathroom.
How are lotion cartons supplied?
Flat and glued, in bundles. They fold into shape by hand, and an auto-lock base clicks open when you square the carton.
What quantity of lotion boxes can I order?
Any run size. Each order is priced on its own numbers, from £0.25 per unit.
How long do lotion boxes take to arrive?
Boxes are made in 4–6 business days from proof approval and reach you by free tracked UK delivery 2–3 business days later.
What if my lotion boxes arrive crushed?
Take photos and let us know inside 10 days. The crushed boxes are replaced or refunded, as set out in our reprints and refunds policy.