The hard compatibility rules (worth memorising):
- Alcohol above ~30% attacks PET — it swells and hazes. Use glass or a suitable copolyester; this is a known recall cause, not a theoretical risk.
- Acetone (nail removers) requires glass with a resistant liner — most plastics and standard liners fail.
- Strongly acidic formulas (pH < 4) — exfoliating acids, some toners — want glass or PP, not commodity PET.
- Oxygen-sensitive actives (vitamin C, retinoids) need a real barrier: a five-layer EVOH co-extruded tube passes 0.2–1.2 units of oxygen where a single-layer PE tube passes 150–300 — a difference of two orders of magnitude, invisible from the outside.
- Essential oils and fragrance concentrates attack AS and many liners — verify with a 30-day contact test at 48°C against your actual bulk, never a water stand-in.
Every one of these is cheap to catch at sampling and expensive to discover in market. Our published QC standards include the compatibility protocol.
Choose by formula and dosing: airless bottles for sensitive actives (vitamin C, retinol, peptides) and hygienic cream dispensing; dropper bottles for serums and facial oils needing precise dosing; jars for thick creams, balms and masks (premium feel, but more air/finger contact); tubes for cleansers and treatments needing squeeze control and larger volumes. When in doubt: airless protects best, droppers dose best, jars feel most premium, tubes are most economical.
Quick comparison
| Format | Best for | Strength | Watch-out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airless bottle | Sensitive-active serums, lightweight creams | No air contact; protects actives; hygienic; near-full evacuation | Higher unit cost; not for very thick textures |
| Dropper bottle | Serums, facial oils | Precise measured dosing; premium ritual; glass resists oils | Rubber bulb can degrade with high-alcohol formulas (use silicone) |
| Jar | Thick creams, balms, masks | Premium feel; easy access to thick textures | Air & finger contact; less hygienic for actives |
| Tube | Cleansers, treatments, hand cream | Squeeze control; economical; light to ship | Less premium unless well-decorated |
When to choose an airless bottle
Airless (vacuum-pump) bottles have no dip tube and admit no air as product dispenses — so oxygen-sensitive actives like vitamin C, retinol and peptides stay stable, and there's no finger contamination. Choose airless when the formula is precious, active-led or premium-positioned. See airless bottles.
When to choose a dropper bottle
Droppers win when precise, measured dosing is part of the experience — facial oils and serums. Glass resists oils and feels premium. Match the dropper bulb to your formula: standard rubber for water-based, silicone for high-alcohol or oil-rich formulas. See dropper bottles.
When to choose a jar
Jars are right for thick textures — rich creams, balms, clay and cream masks, body butters — where a pump can't cope. They feel premium and give full access to product. The trade-off is air and finger contact, so pair jars with well-preserved formulas or consider an airless jar for actives. See cream jars.
When to choose a tube
Tubes are the economical, practical choice for cleansers, exfoliants, treatments and hand creams — squeeze control, larger volumes, light to ship, and available in recyclable mono-material or PCR. See cosmetic tubes.
Whatever format you lean toward, test it with your actual formula before committing. Some formulas react with certain plastics; high-alcohol formulas degrade standard rubber droppers; essential oils can craze some materials. A paid sample round catches this cheaply — and it's exactly the step Vella builds into every project.
Vella sources every format above from specialist partner factories, matches the material and closure to your formula, and runs samples so you validate compatibility before production. One brief, the right container for each product. Send a brief →
Frequently asked
Tell us the formula.
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Describe your product and formula. We'll recommend the best-fit format and material, and run samples so you can validate it.
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