Cosmetic Labels
From £0.05 a label, priced per job and sent by email within one working day
Labels for the small, curved, often oily packs that skincare lives in: lip balm tubes, squeeze tubes, dropper bottles, pots and wrapped soap bars.
Cosmetic Label specification
Who orders cosmetic labels?
Lip balm makers, soap makers, skincare and haircare brands, beard oil makers, bath and body studios and salons selling their own products.
Small packs, lots of text
Cosmetics often need a long ingredients list on a tiny label. We help you fit it at a size that still reads, or split it across a front and a back.
| Label types | Tube wraps, pot lids and sides, dropper bottle labels, soap bands |
|---|---|
| Common sizes | 50 x 18 mm lip balm wraps, 40 x 120 mm tubes, 50 x 25 mm droppers |
| Materials | White or clear BOPP, silver, kraft paper, gloss or matt paper |
| Finishes | Gloss, matt, soft-touch, foil or spot varnish |
| Supplied | On rolls or on sheets |
| Panels | Ingredients list, batch number area, weight or volume, your details |
| Minimums | Low, and quoted per job |
| Production | 3 to 5 working days after proof approval |
| Delivery | Free tracked UK mainland delivery, 2 to 3 working days |
| Price | From £0.05 a label; the exact price depends on size, material, finish and quantity |
Design Your Label
Drop your logo on a real photo of our cosmetic labels, move it and size it, and send it. A designer sets it up to scale and sends a free proof.
Your logo sits on a real photo of our label. A designer redraws it to scale on the artwork and sends a free proof before anything is printed.
What makes cosmetic labels different?
The packs are small and curved, the products are often oily or creamy, and the labels are handled every day in bathrooms. A label that looks perfect on the desk can wrinkle on a squeezed tube or stain from a hand cream thumbprint within a week.
That is why most cosmetic labels are printed on film. White and clear BOPP are water-resistant, wipe clean and flex with soft tubes. Paper still has a place on soap bands and boxes, where the label stays dry and a natural feel suits the brand.
Sizing labels for common cosmetic packs
| Pack | Typical label | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Lip balm tube, 4.5 g | 50 x 18 mm wrap | Leave a 2 to 3 mm gap so the ends do not overlap |
| Squeeze tube, 50 to 100 ml | 40 x 120 mm front | Keep clear of the crimp and the cap |
| Dropper bottle, 30 ml | 50 x 25 mm | Fits the straight wall below the shoulder |
| Cream pot lid, 50 ml | 45 mm circle | A few mm smaller than the lid |
| Soap bar band | Around 200 x 50 mm | Measure round the wrapped bar |
| Pump bottle, 250 ml | 90 x 60 mm | Front and back labels |
Measure your own packs with a strip of paper; small differences matter on small labels.
How do I fit an ingredients list on a small label?
Ingredients lists on skincare can be long. On a lip balm wrap there may only be a strip 15 mm tall to work with. A few habits help a lot.
Use a clear, slightly condensed sans serif font, keep it at about 5.5 to 6 pt as a minimum, print it in black on white or white on a dark solid colour, and avoid placing it over a pattern or photo. If it still will not fit, move it to a back label, the base of the pot or the outer box.
Which products suit film, which suit paper?
- Lip balms: white or clear BOPP, which copes with warm hands and pockets
- Hand creams and body lotions: BOPP, which wipes clean
- Shower and bath products: BOPP, which is water-resistant
- Serums in dropper bottles: clear or white BOPP, often with foil
- Solid soap bars in a paper wrap: kraft or matt paper bands
- Outer boxes: any stock, as they stay dry
Our film labels for wet places go into more detail on bathroom products.
Wraps on lip balm tubes
A lip balm wrap goes almost all the way round the tube. The ends should not overlap, because an overlap lifts in a warm pocket. Leave a gap of 2 to 3 mm and put that gap at the back, where the barcode or batch can sit.
Keep the label clear of the twist base and the cap seam. Most standard tubes leave room for a wrap about 18 mm tall, but measure yours, as tube heights vary between suppliers.
Lip balm wraps are one of the few labels where a roll and a simple wrapping jig make a big difference. Rolling each tube across a label held face up on the bench is faster and straighter than wrapping by hand, and takes a few minutes to learn.
Finishes that suit skincare
Soft-touch matt gives a smooth, velvet feel that suits premium creams and serums. Gloss makes colours pop on bright, playful brands. Foil in gold or silver on a logo is a simple way to look expensive on a small pack, and spot varnish adds shine to one detail on a matt label.
On very small labels, keep foil to bold shapes. Fine foil text under about 7 pt can break up.
Applying labels to tubes and pots
- Fill, cap and wipe each pack so no product is left on the surface.
- Remove any oily film with a little surgical spirit on a cloth and let it dry.
- On tubes, roll the tube over the label on a flat surface rather than pressing the label onto the tube.
- On pots, apply lid labels from the centre outwards to push air to the edge.
- Let labelled packs rest for a day before boxing them.
What does a cosmetic label need to carry?
That depends on the product and is the maker's responsibility. Many cosmetic packs carry the product name, the ingredients list, the weight or volume, a batch number, a durability mark and the responsible person's name and address. Check the current rules for your products with a cosmetic safety adviser before you finalise the wording.
We set out what you send, check it fits, and point out anything too small to read once printed.
Ranges with several scents or shades
Each scent or shade can have its own label, priced on one quote and proofed together so type sizes and colours match. Many brands keep one layout and change a colour band and the product name, so the range reads as a family on the shelf.
If you add new scents often, a front label with a blank panel and small scent stickers can save reprinting the whole label each time.
Gift sets are worth planning at the same time. A sleeve or a sticker on the gift box that matches the product labels makes a set look considered, and it can go on the same quote.
Cost and timings
Prices start from £0.05 a label, and small labels on a long run come in well below larger ones. Material, finish and quantity set the final figure. Quotes come back by email within one working day with a free proof.
Printing takes 3 to 5 working days after you approve the proof, and free tracked UK mainland delivery takes 2 to 3 working days.
What if labels arrive wrong?
Tell us within 10 days with a photo if any labels are misprinted or damaged and we reprint them or refund you. If labels lift on your packs in use, tell us how they were applied and stored and we will help find the cause, whether it is the stock, the adhesive or a film of product on the surface.
Cosmetic Labels questions
More answers in Help, or call +44 7578 382054 or message us on WhatsApp.
What size label fits a standard lip balm tube?
A wrap of around 50 x 18 mm suits most 4.5 g tubes. Measure your tube's straight section and circumference to be sure.
Will cosmetic labels smudge with hand cream?
Film labels resist oils and wipe clean. A laminate over the print gives extra protection on packs handled every day.
Can you print a long ingredients list on a small label?
Yes, down to about 5.5 to 6 pt in a clear font. If it still will not fit, we suggest a back or base label.
Which material is best for shower products?
White or clear BOPP, which is water-resistant and copes with a damp bathroom.
Do you print soap band labels?
Yes. Bands of around 200 x 50 mm in kraft or matt paper are common for wrapped soap bars.
Can I have gold foil on a serum label?
Yes. Foil suits small premium packs. Keep foiled text at about 7 pt or larger.
How do I label a squeeze tube neatly?
Lay the label face down and roll the tube over it, rather than pressing it onto the tube.
Can each shade have its own label on one order?
Yes. Each design is on the same quote and the same proof.
Do you check my cosmetic labelling wording?
We check it fits and reads clearly. The legal content is the maker's responsibility.
Will labels stay on tubes that get squeezed?
BOPP flexes with the tube. Rounded corners and a little space at each end help it stay flat.
Can I have a clear label on a dropper bottle?
Yes. Clear film on amber dropper bottles is a popular look, often with white ink.
Is soft-touch available on small cosmetic labels?
Yes. Soft-touch matt works on small labels and gives a velvet feel.
Tell us what the label goes on
Send the product, the label size in mm, a rough quantity and your logo or artwork. We reply by email within one working day with a price and a free design proof. Prefer to talk? Call +44 7578 382054 or message us on WhatsApp.