This is the specification sheet for lipstick cartons. The product page, where you order, is custom lipstick boxes. Lipstick is a small, tall, high-margin pack, which means fit tolerance and finish quality both matter more than they would on a larger box.
Specification summary
| Line | What to specify |
|---|---|
| Internal dimension | From the capped tube plus insert thickness, stated length x width x depth, marked internal |
| Construction | Straight tuck end (clean front panel), reverse tuck end (lower board cost), or rigid two-piece for a prestige line |
| Board | Folding carton paperboard in points. Heavier caliper gives the stiffness a narrow tall carton needs to avoid bowing. |
| Insert | Platform or collar so the tube stands and does not slide. Essential on any carton taller than it is wide. |
| Digital for multi-shade versioned runs, offset where a brand colour must match exactly across reprints | |
| Finish | Matte, gloss, soft touch, spot gloss, foil stamp, emboss or deboss |
| Quantity | Minimum 100 boxes, priced from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes on your written quote |
Measuring the tube
- Cap the tube fully and seat it. A cap sitting a millimetre proud changes the carton height.
- Take the outside diameter at the widest point. On many tubes that is the cap, not the body. On a square or oval tube take both cross-axis measurements.
- Take total capped height.
- Add the insert. A collar or platform adds to the footprint, a base platform adds to the height.
- Add enough clearance that the tube drops in cleanly at the filling bench.
Because the die is included in the job, a carton cut to your exact tube costs no more to tool than a near-standard size, so there is no reason to accept a loose fit. A lipstick that rattles in its carton undercuts the price point immediately.
Handling a shade range
Lipstick lines are shade ranges, which makes this a versioning exercise rather than a series of separate design jobs. Build one layout with fixed brand elements and one defined zone that changes: shade name, shade swatch or colour block, and the code. Then a single die serves the whole range and the print run is versioned. Digital printing handles that well, and the trade-off against offset is on digital versus offset packaging printing. Keep the shade swatch away from a crease, and accept that a printed swatch is an approximation of the bullet colour rather than a match.
Finish, which is most of the perceived value
On a carton this small the whole surface is within arm's length of the buyer, so finishing gives a better return here than on almost any other pack. Foil stamping on a narrow panel reads crisply. Soft touch changes the product the moment it is picked up. Spot gloss over a matte base gives contrast that a gloss base cannot, which is covered on matte versus gloss lamination. Be aware that matte over a dark solid, which is a very common cosmetic look, shows fingerprints on a tester unit that is handled all day.
Production and terms
Minimum order is 100 boxes and pricing starts from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes, confirmed on your written quote. The die, the printing plates, design support, US shipping and a digital proof before anything prints are included. We make in two plants, West Chicago in the US and Guangzhou in China. Turnaround is quoted per product in three lanes: rush (expedited production plus air freight), standard (air) and cost saver (sea), from about 7 business days plus 2 to 5 for delivery, and specialty imported rigid constructions can run up to about 12 weeks. Rush adds about 7 to 25% depending on the job.
Order at custom lipstick boxes.
Send your capped tube measurements, your shade count and your quantity through the quote form and we will return a completed spec with an internal dimension and a written price. A digital proof shows layout but not surface, so if the finish is the deciding factor, say so and we will arrange physical samples through the quote conversation.
