Use a twist-up (spiral) mechanism for lipstick bullets of 3.5–4.5 g, balm sticks and solid formulas, and a click (push-button) cartridge for slim crayons, lip liners and soft sticks. Standard cup inner diameters are 8.5 / 8.6 / 9 / 9.8 / 10 / 11 / 11.8 / 12 mm with 4, 6 or 8 ribs. Before approving any mechanism check cup ID to drawing, rotation torque 0.1–0.5 N·m, core pull-out ≥4 kgf, cap opening 0.2–2 kgf and a full up–down cycle with your actual bullet after a 45°C hold. A stock mechanism with decoration ships in 30–45 days; a custom mechanism takes 80–90 days.
What is inside a lipstick mechanism
A twist-up lipstick is three assemblies. The cap in aluminium, ABS, PMMA or PETG; the base in ABS or aluminium; and the core — a cup that holds the bullet, a fork that carries the cup, and a spiral sleeve whose thread lifts the fork as the base turns. Cup, fork and spiral are moulded in PP, POM or ABS; aluminium parts are grades 1070 or 5657; zinc alloy appears on premium parts. The cup–fork–spiral tool is the most complex in cosmetics packaging, which is why a custom mechanism takes 80–90 days and why stock mechanisms exist in every standard size. A double-spiral "fast" thread lifts the bullet in fewer turns; mechanisms are bottom-fill or top-fill depending on your filler. Format specifications are on lip packaging.
Click versus twist
| Question | Twist-up (spiral) mechanism | Click (push-button) cartridge |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Lipstick bullets 3.5–4.5 g, balm sticks, solid formulas | Slim crayons, lip liners, brow and eye pencils, soft sticks |
| Dose control | Continuous elevation; bullet height set by turns | Fixed advance per click; formula retreats only by hand |
| Failure mode | Wobble, dead travel, cup-to-bullet drift after heat | Click that stops advancing; cartridge that slips in the barrel |
| Check before approval | Cup ID to drawing; rotation torque 0.1–0.5 N·m; core pull-out ≥4 kgf; cap opening 0.2–2 kgf | Advance per press; cartridge retention; cap retention under 1 kg compression |
| Tooling if private | Cup–fork–spiral tool, the most complex in cosmetics packaging; custom mechanism 80–90 days | Cartridge and button tools; rarely justified below hero volume |
| Honest default | Stock mechanism, brand in the shell decoration | Stock cartridge in a standard diameter |
The choice is driven by the formula, not the look. A bullet that is poured or moulded into a cup needs a spiral so it can be raised precisely and retracted fully; a soft crayon that is extruded into a cartridge needs a click that advances a fixed amount and a cap that keeps it from drying. Where a brand wants a slim, pencil-like lipstick, a small-diameter twist mechanism usually serves better than a click, because a click cannot retract the formula.
Cup sizes, ribs and the bullet
The cup inner diameter decides the bullet mould your filler uses, so it is fixed before the formula is poured. Standard IDs are 8.5, 8.6, 9, 9.8, 10, 11, 11.8 and 12 mm; ribs inside the cup (4, 6 or 8) grip the bullet. Bullets run 3.5–4.5 g on stock mechanisms.
| Cup inner diameter | Typical use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 8.5–9 mm | Slim and demi lipsticks, tinted balms in slim shells | Smaller bullet mass; check core pull-out carefully because the cup grips less material |
| 9.8–10 mm | Classic lipstick bullet, 3.5–4 g | The most common stock size; widest choice of shells and caps |
| 11–12 mm | Wide bullets, balm sticks, 4.5 g formulas | Higher torque to lift; confirm rotation torque stays within 0.1–0.5 N·m with the actual bullet |
Two practical warnings from partner-factory practice. First, avoid glued weights inside the base — a heavy feel is attractive, but transit vibration loosens glued weights and the mechanism rattles. Use an aluminium or zinc-alloy base if weight matters. Second, magnetic caps are available as a stock option and are worth specifying, but the cap-opening force still has to sit at 0.2–2 kgf.
What to test before approving the mechanism
These are the thresholds a lip packaging inspection report is signed against. Run them on the golden sample with your actual bullet, not an empty cup.
| Test | Method | Pass threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanism function | Full up–down cycle with bullet after a 45°C hold; torque meter; pull tester | Rotation torque 0.1–0.5 N·m; no wobble or dead travel; cup ID to drawing |
| Core retention | Pull tester on the assembled core | Core pull-out ≥4 kgf |
| Cap fit | Force gauge; 1 kg bag compression | Cap opening 0.2–2 kgf; cap stays closed under 1 kg |
| Colour fastness on the mechanism | 24 h soak in the actual formula | No transfer to formula or hands; no lifting |
| Formula compatibility | Cup and shell with your actual bulk, 48°C for 30 days plus ambient and cold controls | No discolouration, swelling, odour or bullet drift |
| Thermal cycling | 48°C and −15°C, 24–48 h each, filled | No cracking, warping or colour change after 2 h recovery |
| Drop | Filled stick onto concrete | 76 cm × 3; no functional damage |
| Decoration adhesion | 3M 600 over print and hot stamp; 3M 810 over 2 mm cross-hatch on spray and plating | No lift; hot-stamp loss ≤0.5 mm²; cross-hatch grade 1 or better |
The 45°C hold is the test most often skipped and most often regretted: a bullet that seats perfectly at 22°C can soften, drift in the cup and then wobble once it cools. The whole battery, including the D65 colour check, is on the QC standards page.
Stock or custom mechanism
A stock (public-mould) mechanism carries no tooling and, with decoration on the shell, ships in about 30–45 days at factory gate. A custom mechanism takes 80–90 days and, as a private mould, costs RMB 25,000–70,000 (≈USD 3,500–9,700) per component tool — and cap, base, cup, fork and spiral are five components. It is justified for a hero product with a proprietary shape and volume of 3,000–10,000 pieces or more to amortise the steel; the payment schedule and ownership clauses are on the mould cost and ownership reference, the calendar on the production calendar. For almost every first launch the honest default is a stock mechanism in a standard cup size with the brand carried in the shell decoration; the decoration minimums are in which lipstick decoration forces a high MOQ, and the stock-only launch plan in how to launch lip products without a private mould. The makeup category as a whole is on the makeup packaging solution; supplier questions on how to evaluate a China packaging supplier.
Vella is a Guangzhou-based beauty packaging solutions provider — a sourcing partner, not a factory. We source stock and custom lipstick mechanisms from vetted partner factories in the Shantou and Yuyao–Shangyu colour-cosmetics clusters operating to ISO 22716 / GMP, and every mechanism is checked against the cup–fork–spiral drawing, torque-tested and cycled with your bullet after a 45°C hold before the golden sample is signed. Range detail: lip packaging.
Common questions
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Launching a lipstick or lip crayon?
Test the mechanism with your bullet first.
Send the bullet weight, the cup size if you have one and the shell you like. We reply within 24 hours with stock mechanisms that fit and the test protocol we sign against.
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