The New Favorite of Cosmetic Packaging: Why PE Tubes Are the Dual Choice of Brands and Consumers?

Nowadays, with the increasing refinement of beauty consumption, people are no longer only concerned about the efficacy of cosmetics themselves—every detail, from bottle design to packaging materials, affects the consumer experience. Among numerous cosmetic packaging materials, PE (Polyethylene) tubes have gradually become the "golden partner" for skincare, makeup, and haircare products due to their unique advantages. Both niche emerging brands and international big names favor them. Today, we will take an in-depth look at this "treasure packaging material" and see why it has won so many fans.

1. What Are PE Tubes? Understand Their "Identity" First

PE, or Polyethylene, is a common thermoplastic resin with non-toxic, odorless, and strong chemical stability properties. PE tubes for cosmetics are tubular containers made from PE raw materials through special processes, combined with different types of caps (such as screw caps, flip-top caps, pump caps, etc.), and finally used to hold lotions, creams, serums, hand creams, liquid foundations, toothpaste, and other products.

Different from the heaviness of glass and the high cost of metal, PE tubes have been endowed with the genes of "affordability + practicality" since their birth. They are lightweight but not cheap. Their transparency (from fully transparent to frosted matte), color (solid color, gradient color, printed patterns), and even "touch upgrade" (such as skin-friendly texture, velvet texture) can be customized according to needs, making the small tubes full of design sense.

2. The 4 Core Advantages of PE Tubes: Solving the "Pain Points" of Cosmetic Packaging

Why do more and more brands choose PE tubes? The answer lies in their "strong capabilities"—from production to use, and then to subsequent treatment, they almost solve many pain points of traditional packaging materials:

1. Full Safety: Safe for Direct Contact with Skincare Products

The primary requirement for cosmetic packaging is "non-toxic and safe". PE materials themselves meet food-grade and cosmetic-grade safety standards, free of harmful substances (such as bisphenol A and heavy metals). When in direct contact with skincare products like lotions and serums, they will not undergo chemical reactions or release harmful substances to contaminate the products. People with sensitive skin can also use them with confidence.

2. Excellent Sealing: Locking in Product Freshness and Efficacy

Skincare products (especially serums and creams containing active ingredients) have extremely high requirements for the sealing of the storage environment—once exposed to air, moisture, or bacteria, they are prone to oxidation and deterioration, leading to the loss of efficacy. PE tubes adopt a "squeeze-type liquid discharge" design, combined with caps with strong sealing (such as leak-proof screw caps and vacuum pump heads), which can effectively isolate air and external pollutants, reducing the number of times the product comes into contact with air. At the same time, PE materials have good barrier properties, which can prevent moisture evaporation and external impurities from penetrating, keeping the product fresh and active throughout its shelf life.

3. Full Practicality: Lightweight, Durable, and Easy to Carry

Who hasn't experienced the embarrassment of "broken glass bottles" or "rusty metal cans"? PE tubes perfectly avoid these problems: they are extremely lightweight (80% lighter than glass bottles of the same capacity), so there is no burden to put them in a makeup bag when traveling or on business trips; the material is flexible and impact-resistant, so even if accidentally dropped on the ground, it is not easy to break, and there is no need to worry about product leakage; in addition, the squeeze-type design allows the product to be "used to the last drop", avoiding waste—compared with the problem of easy residue in bottled products, the "empty bottle rate" of PE tubes is second to none.

4. Environmental Protection: Conforming to the Trend of Green Consumption

Nowadays, "environmental protection" has become an important trend in the beauty industry, and PE materials also perform well in this regard. Firstly, PE raw materials have strong recyclability. After classification and recycling, waste PE tubes can be processed into new plastic products (such as plastic pallets, storage boxes, etc.) through recycling processes, reducing resource waste. Secondly, the production process of PE tubes consumes less energy and has lower carbon emissions than glass and metal packaging materials, imposing a smaller burden on the environment. More and more brands choose PE tubes to practice the concept of "sustainable beauty" and cater to consumers' demand for environmentally friendly packaging.

3. Application Scenarios of PE Tubes: Not Just for Skincare, but Also for Makeup and Haircare

PE tubes have strong adaptability and can cover most beauty and skincare categories. Common application scenarios include:

• Skincare products: Serums, lotions, creams, eye creams, hand creams, body lotions;

• Makeup products: Liquid foundations, concealers, lip glosses, blushes, makeup primers;

• Haircare and body care products: Shampoo (travel size), hair conditioners, body washes, facial cleansers;

• Special care products: Baby skincare products, medical repair creams, sunscreen lotions (portable size).

Tubes of different specifications can be customized according to the needs of different products—for example, small-capacity products such as serums and lip glosses can choose thin tubes with a diameter of 10-15mm, while large-capacity products such as creams and body lotions can choose thick tubes with a diameter of 20-30mm; caps can also be flexibly matched, such as pump caps for lotions and serums, and flip-top caps for hand creams and lip balms, to meet different usage habits.

4. Shopping Tips: How to Judge Product Quality Through PE Tubes?

For consumers, the details of PE tubes can also reflect the quality of the product. You can pay attention to the following points when purchasing:

1. Check the sealing: Gently squeeze the tube when purchasing to see if there is air leakage; after closing the cap tightly, invert it to check if there is liquid leakage (applicable to opened products);

2. Check the printing and texture: High-quality PE tubes have clear printing, uniform colors, and no paint peeling or blurring; the touch is delicate, without rough granular feeling or peculiar smell;

3. Check the nozzle design: The size of the nozzle should match the texture of the product (for example, a thin nozzle is suitable for serums, and a thick nozzle is suitable for creams); the edge of the nozzle is smooth and burr-free to avoid scratching the skin during use;

4. Prioritize products with "environmental protection labels: If you care about environmental protection, you can choose products marked with "recyclable" and "recycled PE" on the packaging to support the brand's sustainable initiatives.

Conclusion: Small Tubes, Great Functions

Although PE tubes seem ordinary, they embody the ultimate pursuit of "safety, practicality, and environmental protection"—they are not only a carrier for brands to convey product quality but also a "little assistant" to enhance the consumer experience. As the beauty industry has higher and higher requirements for packaging, PE tubes may also unlock more new ways of use (such as degradable PE materials, intelligent anti-counterfeiting tubes, etc.). Let's look forward to more possibilities of them together!

If you also have cosmetics packaged in PE tubes on your dressing table, feel free to share your experience in the comment section～