A cosmetics range usually ships one design across a carton, a tube, a pump bottle and a jar lid — four substrates with four different surface energies. This page explains which foil grade belongs on each, how we test resistance to the formulation inside, and which label constructions survive bathroom humidity.
Match the foil to the container polymer
Untreated polyolefins (PP, PE) have a surface energy around 29–31 mN/m, well below the ~38 mN/m most adhesives need. Foil applied to them looks perfect on press and can be thumbnailed off a day later. Corona or flame treatment before stamping, plus a plastic-grade foil, is what makes the bond permanent.
PET, ABS and acrylic behave far better and take a general plastic grade directly. Coated cartons take a standard paper grade. If you must run one foil across all of them for stock simplicity, choose the plastic grade and accept a slightly narrower window on the carton rather than the reverse.
| Component | Substrate | Foil grade | Typical temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Folding carton | Coated board | Paper / universal | 110–130 °C |
| Squeeze tube | PE / PP laminate | Plastic grade + treatment | 120–150 °C |
| Pump bottle | PET / PETG | Plastic grade | 120–140 °C |
| Jar lid / closure | PP / ABS | Plastic grade + treatment | 130–160 °C |
| Sleeve / label | BOPP, PP synthetic | Film grade | 110–130 °C |
Resistance testing that matters for beauty products
- Cream and oil contact: 24 h occluded contact with the actual formulation, then a rub test — emollients and silicones are the most aggressive.
- Alcohol rub: 50 double rubs with 70 % IPA simulates sanitiser-heavy handling and testers in store.
- Adhesive tape pull after 24 h, not immediately — plasticiser migration and coating cure both take time.
- Scratch and abrasion for shipping: matte foils show scuffing more readily than gloss, so specify an over-varnish where the pack is shipped loose.
Finishes and effects used in beauty
Matte silver and champagne tones now outsell mirror gold in skincare, because a diffuse metallic reads as clinical rather than ornate. Colour-shift and soft holographic patterns dominate in colour cosmetics and K-beauty influenced ranges, where the pack has to photograph well under ring lights.
Combining foil with embossing in one pass — sculptured or registered emboss — gives depth without a second setup. It needs a matched die set and slightly lower temperature than flat stamping, since the foil travels further and stretches at the shoulders.
MOQ and lead time by product
Minimum order quantity and production lead time for the products used in this industry. Each row links straight to the product page with full specifications.
| Product | MOQ | Lead time |
|---|---|---|
| Matte Silver Hot Stamping Foil | 50 kg | 15–20 days |
| Holographic Rainbow Foil | 50 kg | 15–20 days |
| XG1080G Hot Stamping Machine | 1 set | 45–60 days |
| LM-1100 Laminating Machine | 1 set | 30–45 days |
Frequently asked questions
Why does foil rub off my PP cosmetic jar lids?
- Untreated polypropylene has too low a surface energy for the adhesive to wet out. Corona or flame treat the component immediately before stamping and switch to a plastic-grade foil. Verify with a dyne pen: you want at least 38 mN/m at the moment of stamping, because treatment decays over hours to days.
Which foil resists creams and facial oils?
- Use a plastic-grade foil with a chemically resistant release and test it against the actual formulation for 24 hours under occlusion. Emollients, silicones and fragrance oils are far more aggressive than water-based formulas, and the same foil can pass on one product in a range and fail on another.
Can I stamp foil on a matte soft-touch laminated carton?
- Yes, but soft-touch films are the most common cause of adhesion complaints. Ask for a foil grade specified for soft-touch or velvet lamination, raise temperature by roughly 10–15 °C over plain coated board, and always test after 24 hours because the initial bond looks stronger than the cured one.
What label material suits bathroom humidity?
- A synthetic PP or PET face with a permanent acrylic adhesive handles steam and repeated wetting far better than paper. For a paper look with film durability, use a top-coated synthetic and specify a laminate rather than a varnish over the print.
Do you supply small quantities for a launch run?
- Yes. Foil is available from 50 kg per specification and sample rolls are supplied for press trials before that. For label materials we slit from a single jumbo roll, so a launch quantity across several SKUs is practical without holding wide stock.