Custom Lipstick Boxes

Fitting a small carton

Lipstick cases are small and slightly irregular, so measure the case itself and keep the fit close.

Bullet cases are round or square, and some have a wider cap or a decorative base. A loose carton lets the case slide and the box look half empty when opened. Measure the widest point and the full length, and keep the clearance small so the case sits snug without being hard to pull out.

Glosses and balms in tubes or pots need their own carton sizes, even within one brand.

• Measure the widest point of the case
• Keep clearance small
• Glosses and balms need their own sizes

Printing a shade that matches

The swatch on the box is a print colour, not the lipstick itself, so proof shades carefully.

Customers often choose a shade from the box, so a swatch that prints too warm or too dull leads to disappointment. Print colours vary with board and coating: the same red looks different on gloss and on matte stock. Send us a colour reference for each shade and we set the swatches to it, keeping the whole range on one board and coating so the shades print alike.

A shade name and number on the end panel helps both shoppers and staff find the right box in a drawer.

Sets and gift editions

Lipstick sets suit small rigid or magnetic boxes with a row of slots, so each case sits upright.

A row of three to six lipsticks standing in a card or foam insert shows the shade range at once when the lid opens. Holiday and limited editions often use metallic papers or a single foil detail to look special without changing the structure.

Planning the small print

Small cartons still carry the full label text, so plan where it goes before the design starts.

Ingredient lists, net contents, the maker's details and a batch code are the usual items for a lipstick. A fold-out panel can add room on a box this small, and we check on the proof that every line is large enough to read.