Custom Lipstick Boxes with Window and Hang Tab Options

What makes a good lipstick box?

A lipstick carton is one of the smallest boxes a brand orders, and that makes every millimetre count. The case has to sit snugly, the name has to be readable on a panel barely 24 mm wide, and the shade has to be obvious at a glance.

Our four photos cover the common styles. A pink carton with gold line drawing has a window and a hang tab. A plain beige one does the same with almost no print. A long gradient box has no window at all. A white floral pair shows the shade through a window, one with its lid tucked open.

Who buys printed lipstick cartons?

• Independent make-up brands launching a first shade range
• Lip balm makers who want a boxed version for gifting
• Salons and make-up artists selling their own label
• Gift shops putting together lip sets for Mother's Day or birthdays
• Wedding suppliers making boxed lip colours for a bridal party

Most of these buyers start with one shade and add more, so planning a design that changes only a colour band or a shade name pays off later. It also keeps a row of boxes looking like one family on a shelf.

Why do lipstick cartons use a straight tuck?

With a straight tuck end, both end flaps fold in towards the same face. On a box this narrow it keeps the front completely clear, which matters when the front is also where the window sits.

It also gives a neat line at the top when a hang tab rises from the back panel, as on the beige and floral samples. The tuck closes in front of the tab, leaving it flat for the peg.

Read more about how straight tuck end cartons close, with the flap order drawn out.

What size box fits a standard lipstick?

A classic bullet lipstick case is about 21 mm across and 78 mm tall with the cap on. Add 3 mm to the width and depth and 4 mm to the height and you get about 24 × 24 × 82 mm inside.

Cases vary a lot. Square cases, slim cases and magnetic caps all change the size, so send a case or the supplier drawing. Gloss tubes are longer and narrower and need their own carton.

Should a lipstick box have a window?

A cut-out shows off the case itself, and on some designs the shade printed on the base of the case. Three of our four samples use one: a slim upright rectangle on the front panel, starting just below the lid.

Keep at least 4 mm of board either side of a window on a box this narrow. Less than that and the front panel loses its stiffness.

If the case itself is plain, skip the window and print a swatch of the shade on the front instead. The gradient carton in our photos takes that route. Its colour fades from deep purple to black along the length, and the lettering runs up the side so the long panel reads like a label.

Do lipstick boxes need a hang tab?

Only if they will hang. Salons, chemists and gift shops often sell lip products from peg rails, and a euro slot tab lets your boxes go straight onto one. Ask your stockists how they display lip products before you decide; one reply can settle it.

For online sales or a shelf, a tab adds height and cost without much benefit. A plain carton with a thumb notch on the top tuck may suit better. Our page on punched hang tab cartons goes into hole shapes and tab heights.

Printing shade names and finishes

On a range of shades, keep one master design and change only a colour band and the shade name. Each shade is printed as a separate version, and the proof shows every one.

Gold foil suits the line drawings and logos on lipstick cartons, as the pink sample shows. Soft touch lamination gives a velvety feel that matches a matt lipstick. Spot UV on the shade name makes it catch the light.

Lip cartons go on 350gsm white SBS unless you ask otherwise. Its smooth face keeps tiny shade names sharp. Brown kraft or another stock can be swapped in if you prefer.

How should I pack lipstick cartons?

Lipstick cartons are small and light, so they ship easily. They reach you flat, with the long seam glued, and fold up in a couple of seconds each.

For sets, pack several cartons upright in a slim outer or a gift sleeve. For single sales by post, a small padded envelope is usually enough. Fill gaps so the carton cannot slide and crush its corners. A lipstick that has rattled loose in its box tends to arrive with a scuffed cap, which buyers notice straight away.

Store flat cartons away from heat and damp. Warm rooms can make a small box warp before it is folded. A drawer or a sealed tub on a cool shelf is plenty for a run of lip boxes.

Which lipstick box mistakes are easy to avoid?

• Sizing to a bullet case and then using the box for a taller gloss
• A window so wide the front panel bends
• Shade names in tiny type that only show close up
• Foiling the ingredients list, which makes it hard to read
• Forgetting the barcode on a box only 24 mm wide; plan a side panel for it

How do I order lipstick boxes?

Lipstick cartons carry a written price from £0.25 per unit, with every shade version listed. To begin, request a lipstick carton quote and follow these steps.

1. Send the case or tube size with the cap on.
2. Choose window, hang tab, thumb notch or plain.
3. Tell us how many shades and the quantity of each.
4. Upload the master design and shade names, and our studio builds every version on the flat layout, free.
5. Look over the free proof shade by shade.
6. Production takes 4–6 business days from your approval.
7. The flat boxes come by free tracked post; give it 2–3 business days to reach you in the UK.