Professional packaging of oils: What you should know about containers for oils and oil-based cosmetics
It is often the case that oils and oily substances are even more demanding in terms of packaging than acidic or alkaline products. Leaks, splashing or uneven dosing are just some of the problems that may arise if the packaging of an oily substance does not fulfill key functions.
How to choose the right oil packaging to make it convenient and efficient?
Two things are crucial for storing oily substances: packaging material i close.
The classic solutions are, of course, a glass vial with a plastic reducer. Glass is chemically neutral and impermeable to both water and oil, which is necessary to keep the original formula intact. The reducer, in turn, provides good protection against leaks. Therefore, approximately 95% of all essential oils and similar products are sold in glass bottles with reducing agents. However, the weak point of this set is the inconvenient dosing. While using thin, water-based liquids poses no problems, oils require shaking, tapping and swirling the bottle, which inevitably leads to uncontrolled oil splashing.
What is the alternative?
First, the materials. The best packaging materials for oils and oil-based cosmetics are polypropylene (PP), glass and glass polymer (also known as Glass PET, PETg). These materials do not chemically interact with the contents and provide adequate impermeability, which protects the substance from both external damage and seepage through the walls of the container. According to this last criterion, for example, polyethylene (PE) is removed from the list because oil-filled containers made of it become covered with a greasy coating after some time. Theoretically, PET or aluminum can also be used to store oils, but it is difficult to find perfectly tight closures for such containers. Thus, the pool of recommended packaging materials for oil-based cosmetics comes down to glass, glass polymers and PP.
Closures
Glass droppers are the second most common solution for oils after vials with reducers. Generally, the cosmetics industry uses glass droppers with two types of suction cups: TPE or NBR. Most droppers on the market come with TPE suction cups that are only compatible with water-based products. Suction cups made of NBR (nitrile rubber) withstand the temperature range from -30 to +90 C and are able to ensure full effectiveness when working with oils. So, when considering a dropper bottle set for oil-based substances, remember that an NBR suction cup is required. Additionally, to ensure the best performance and cleanliness of use, it is recommended to use droppers with a curved tip to prevent accidental drops on hands, clothes and other nearby surfaces.
Other packaging can also be used for products based on oily substances, but with certain modifications. The least common solutions are ordinary pumps or airless packaging. However, the latter are harder to obtain and have a higher price, so they are not the first choice of manufacturers. Many more solutions can be found among sprinklers. First of all, sprays designed for oily substances are equipped with a special type of seal (just like droppers have different nozzles for oily and watery substances) and spray in a completely different way. While regular liquid pumps offer a fine mist of micro-droplets of liquid, oil sprays can dispense the substance in much larger drops, but still avoid it running down the neck of the bottle or dripping.
Therefore, pumps compatible with oily substances are always presented as a separate product category or at least marked in an additional way.
Finally, it's worth remembering the golden rule of packaging - regardless of the contents and packaging, it compatibility testing is sacred in the packaging process. Even if the market is full of similar products in identical packaging, something can go wrong in one particular case. The best choice is the one confirmed not by experience, but tests.
