Airless Packaging
Airless Cream Packaging
Airless cream packaging applies airless protection to creams and emulsions: a jar with a central dispensing plate, or a wide-plate airless bottle, both dispensing a fixed dose from a sealed chamber.
- 15 ml
- 20 ml
- 30 ml
- 50 ml
- 60 ml
- 80 ml
At a glance
- Best for
- Retinol and vitamin C cream launches · Clinical and aesthetic skincare · Preservative-reduced creams
- Formula fit
- Retinol cream · Vitamin C cream · Peptide night cream
- Materials
- PP (all wetted parts) · PCR PP · Acrylic outer shell
- Decoration
- Custom colour on outer bottle, actuator and overcap · Screen printing or UV printing on the outer wall
What are airless cream packaging?
Creams are usually packed in jars for reasons of ritual and merchandising, but the category's most sensitive products — retinol, vitamin C creams, enzyme treatments — lose activity in an open jar. Airless cream packaging resolves the tension between the format the customer expects and the protection the formula needs.
The two common architectures are the airless jar (wide plate, piston below, familiar jar silhouette) and the airless cream bottle (0.3–0.5 ml dose, tapered nozzle, more precise and easier to fill).
Typical specification range
Values below are the ranges we quote most often. Confirm against your formula viscosity, fill weight and destination market before freezing a specification.
| Parameter | Options we quote |
|---|---|
| Capacities | 15 ml, 20 ml, 30 ml, 50 ml, 60 ml, 80 ml, 100 ml |
| Materials | PP (all wetted parts), PCR PP, Acrylic outer shell, SAN accents, TPE gaskets |
| Closures / dispensing | Airless jar lid, Wide-plate airless pump, Domed lid, Refill cartridge |
| Customisation | Custom colour on outer bottle, actuator and overcap, Screen printing or UV printing on the outer wall, Hot stamping and metal-look collars, Soft-touch, satin, matte or frosted coating, Metallised actuator and collar finishes, Refill cartridge colour differentiation, PCR or mono-material outer components |
| MOQ | 1,000 pcs per design for stock moulds; 3,000 pcs for decorated orders; 10,000 pcs per size for custom moulds. |
| Sampling time | Stock samples in 5–10 working days; custom colour and decorated samples in 10–20 working days. |
| Production lead time | 15–30 working days after sample approval, depending on quantity, decoration and assembly complexity. |
Product features
Protection in the format consumers expect
The jar silhouette stays; the exposure to air and fingers goes away. That keeps merchandising and shelf familiarity intact.
Dose accuracy
Cream doses of 0.2–0.5 ml per stroke avoid over-application of expensive actives and make label directions reproducible.
Higher product evacuation
Piston geometry pushes product out instead of leaving a hard-to-reach film behind, which matters on high-value emulsions.
Who it is suitable for
- Retinol and vitamin C cream launches
- Clinical and aesthetic skincare
- Preservative-reduced creams
- Eye and lip treatment formats
- Premium refill cream programmes
Suitable formulas and products
- Retinol cream
- Vitamin C cream
- Peptide night cream
- Eye cream
- Barrier treatment
- Enzyme and acid treatments
Customisation options
Airless Cream Packaging can be delivered as a stock-mould pack with your colour and decoration, or developed into a proprietary format. Decoration is specified against the final surface finish so print adhesion and colour hold in use.
- Custom colour on outer bottle, actuator and overcap
- Screen printing or UV printing on the outer wall
- Hot stamping and metal-look collars
- Soft-touch, satin, matte or frosted coating
- Metallised actuator and collar finishes
- Refill cartridge colour differentiation
- PCR or mono-material outer components
How these are manufactured
Parts are moulded by injection, injection blow or extrusion blow moulding depending on the format and material, then assembled, decorated and inspected in lots. Moulding parameters are recorded per mould so repeat orders match the approved sample. Read the manufacturing process.
Quality control
Dimension and weight checks, closure torque, leak and dose testing where relevant, colour verification (ΔE ≤ 1.5 opaque parts) and AQL 1.0/2.5 final inspection. Lot records are supplied with the shipping documents. See the inspection checklist.
Materials for this range
- PP — material guide
- PCR plastic — material guide
- Acrylic — material guide
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions buyers ask most about airless cream packaging. Send any specific question through the contact form and a packaging engineer will reply in writing.
Should I use an airless jar or a jar for a retinol cream?
Airless. Retinol oxidises and loses potency when exposed to air and light repeatedly, so an airless jar or wide-plate airless bottle supports the claim structure better than an open jar.
How do I choose between an airless jar and an airless cream bottle?
Choose the jar if shelf presence and a familiar ritual matter, and the bottle if dose precision, filling speed and cost efficiency matter more. Bottles also suit pigmented cream formulas better.
Does airless packaging mean I need no preservative?
No. Airless packaging reduces oxidative exposure and contamination risk, but a preservative system is still required for water-containing formulas unless the product is sterile, single-use or technically self-preserving — a decision for your formulator.
What is the MOQ for airless cream packaging?
Airless cream jars and wide-plate airless bottles start at 3,000 pcs per size, with custom outer shells at 10,000 pcs per size.
What is the MOQ for airless cream packaging?
1,000 pcs per design for stock moulds; 3,000 pcs for decorated orders; 10,000 pcs per size for custom moulds.
Can I customise the colour?
Yes. Colour is matched to a Pantone reference or a physical sample and verified on production-resin parts. Custom colour on outer bottle, actuator and overcap is the standard route, and we supply samples for approval before the run.
Can you print or emboss my logo?
Yes — printing, hot stamping, coating, labelling and custom closures are all available for airless cream packaging. Choose the method with your surface finish in mind: gloss print or foil works best on matte and soft-touch surfaces.
Can I request samples?
Stock samples in 5–10 working days; custom colour and decorated samples in 10–20 working days. Stock samples are supplied free (up to five pieces per SKU, courier at your cost); custom colour and decorated samples are quoted per project, typically USD 120–450.
Can you develop a custom mould?
Yes. Custom tooling is quoted as a separate line item with the cavity plan stated, usually from around 10,000 pcs per size and 25–40 calendar days from drawing approval to first-article inspection.
What is the production lead time?
15–30 working days after sample approval, depending on quantity, decoration and assembly complexity.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes. We ship airless cream packaging to the United States, Canada, the UK, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea and Latin America, quoting FOB, CIF, DDP and air freight.
Which materials are available?
PP (all wetted parts), PCR PP, Acrylic outer shell, SAN accents, TPE gaskets. Selection is driven by formula compatibility, clarity requirements, decoration and any recycled-content target.
Still have a question? Talk to a packaging expert.
More in Airless Packaging
Airless Bottles
An airless bottle dispenses product with a vacuum piston or pouch system instead of a dip tube, so the formula never contacts air between uses, the dose is metered and up to 95% of the fill volume is usable.
15 ml · 20 ml · 30 ml · 50 ml · more
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Airless Jars
An airless jar keeps the familiar wide-mouth cream jar format but dispenses through a central plate with a piston underneath, so the formula stays protected and only the dose is exposed.
15 ml · 20 ml · 30 ml · 50 ml · more
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Airless Pump Bottles
An airless pump bottle dispenses a metered dose from a sealed chamber, using a piston or a collapsible pouch so the formula is never exposed to air, contamination or back-flow.
15 ml · 20 ml · 30 ml · 50 ml · more
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Airless Cosmetic Containers
Airless cosmetic containers are sealed systems — bottles, jars, dual-chamber packs and compacts — that dispense cream, serum or fluid without exposing the remaining formula to air.
15 ml · 20 ml · 30 ml · 50 ml · more
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Refillable Airless Packaging
Refillable airless packaging combines the protection of an airless pump with a reusable outer body: the decorated shell stays, the inner cartridge and piston are replaced.
15 ml · 20 ml · 30 ml · 50 ml · more
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Double Chamber Airless Bottles
A double chamber airless bottle holds two formulas in separate sealed chambers and dispenses them together through a single actuator or a dual outlet, so incompatible actives can be applied in one step.
15 ml + 15 ml · 20 ml + 20 ml · 15 ml + 5 ml · 30 ml + 30 ml · more
View range →Continue researching
Quotes and samples for airless cream packaging
Send the capacity, quantity, colour reference and decoration you need. We reply with MOQ, unit price band, sampling time and lead time — and we will tell you if a different format suits your formula better. Stock mould formats from 1,000 pcs per design; decorated orders typically from 3,000 pcs; custom moulds usually from 10,000 pcs per size.
No account required · NDA available · Quote replies within one business day (Mon–Sat, GMT+8)