Formula × Packaging Compatibility Matrix: Real Numbers (2026)

The Matrix

Eight formula types, one table.

Read left to right: what the bulk physically does, what that demands of the package, the solutions that are mainstream for a reason, and the trade-off you are accepting with each. The formula type is the first thing we ask for in any brief, because it decides material before it decides shape.

Formula type	What the bulk does	Core packaging requirement	Mainstream solutions (material + closure + dispenser)	Trade-offs to weigh
1. Low-viscosity water / serum Toners, essence waters, watery serums, micellar waters	Flows like water; leaks through any weak seal; often light-sensitive actives; viscosity typically under 100 mPa·s	Leak-proof seal; controlled pour or spray; light protection where actives demand it; dose control	Bottle + flip-top or screw cap with PE/PP orifice-reducer plug (PET economy, PETG higher clarity, glass premium — amber or cobalt for UV); bottle + fine-mist sprayer (PET / PETG / glass; 0.1–0.2 ml per shot; check spring and gasket vs bulk); glass + dropper (pipette for dosing; silicone bulb over TPE for aggressive actives); ampoule / single-dose for high-activity serums	PET is cheapest and clearest but fails above ~30% alcohol; glass adds 2–3× unit weight and breakage risk in transit; dropper bulbs are the weak point for alcohol and essential-oil formulas
2. Medium–high viscosity emulsion / cream Lotions, face cream, body lotion, conditioner, serum-lotions	Pours slowly or not at all; oil phase and actives sensitive to oxygen and microbial contamination; viscosity roughly 2,000–50,000 mPa·s	Hygienic, controlled dispensing; low residue; oxygen exclusion for anti-ageing actives; scoop access for thick creams	Bottle + lotion pump (PETG clear, AS clear, PP opaque, HDPE frosted, glass premium; output ≥95% of rated dose for aqueous bulks); airless pump bottle (piston rises, no air return — best for retinol and peptide creams); tube (LDPE mono or 5-layer co-ex; flip-top most common; ABL for sunscreens and easily oxidised bulks); wide-mouth jar (glass premium, PP standard, PS clear) with inner lid, foil seal and spatula	Airless costs 2–4× a standard lotion pump but cuts residue to near zero; jars give the best shelf presence and the worst hygiene after opening; pumps must be tested with the actual bulk — a cream that primes in 5 strokes with water can need 15 with oil
3. Paste / wax solid Lipstick, lip balm, brow pencil, concealer stick, cream blush, hair wax, solid perfume	No flow at all; needs a mechanism to present the product; softens with heat — a 45°C lorry in summer will deform a poorly formulated stick	Precise mechanical elevation; portability; heat and drop resistance; magnetic or click-secure closures	Twist-up stick (aluminium shell, plateable; ABS / PMMA shell for clear or pearl effects; metal or plastic spiral elevator; magnetic cap); compact or pan (tinplate or aluminium pan, ABS / PP / PMMA case, mirror almost mandatory); mechanical pencil (click or twist cartridge, replaceable refill); soft tube for softer foundation sticks and highlighters	Aluminium sticks feel premium and plate beautifully but dent; plastic sticks tolerate drops better but scratch; the spiral tolerance is the whole product — a cheap elevator that wobbles fails the 76 cm drop and the customer
4. Powder / granular Loose powder, pressed powder, eyeshadow, blush, contour, cleansing powder	Dusts and spills; absorbs moisture and cakes; easily contaminated; pressed cakes crack on impact	Moisture seal; no dusting in the bag; applicator storage; mirror; sifter control for loose powders	Compact with mirror and puff well (tinplate / aluminium for weight and feel, ABS / PMMA for lightness and clarity; foam gasket, magnet or snap closure; hinge, slide or drawer opening; sifter net for loose powder); jar + sifter lid (PP / PET, rotating or fixed-hole sifter); foil laminate sachet for refills and transit only; aerosol for dry-shampoo and powder sprays	Metal compacts add weight and cost but survive shipping; magnet closures feel premium yet add 1 component and 1 assembly step; a compact without a foam gasket will cake in a humid market within 6 months
5. Gel / jelly Gel creams, sleeping masks, aloe gel, hair gel, cleansing gel	Viscoelastic, strings and clings to walls; frequently contains alcohol or volatiles; clarity is usually part of the product story	Easy squeeze or scoop; minimal wall cling; seal against drying and evaporation; transparent presentation	Tube (LDPE or multilayer co-ex, clear or translucent; flip-top or screw cap) — the mainstream answer; bottle + wide-neck pump or flip cap (PETG or AS clear; wide-bore lotion pump for large-volume gels); jar (PP, PS clear, glass) with foil seal for scoop-out masks	Clear tubes show the product but also show every air bubble and colour drift; wide-bore pumps handle gels that ordinary 0.5 ml pumps cannot; jars of gel dry out at the surface unless the inner lid seals properly
6. High-viscosity / high-adhesion paste Toothpaste, medicated ointments, some hair colourants, adhesives	Barely flows; sticks to itself and the orifice; may contain corrosive or highly permeating actives such as fluoride	Squeeze strength; high barrier; orifice that stays clean; low suck-back; no residue build-up in the shoulder	Aluminium–plastic laminate (ABL) tube — mandatory for fluoride toothpaste; 5-layer co-ex plastic tube for non-fluoride pastes and ointments; screw cap with sealing pin or induction foil; polished orifice and shoulder geometry to reduce residue; rigid HDPE / PP tube for industrial-size pastes	ABL gives the best barrier and stays 'squeezed' (no spring-back) which some brands dislike on shelf; plastic co-ex looks cleaner but must prove its barrier in the 48°C / 30-day test with the actual paste
7. Aerosol (with propellant) Sun spray, antiperspirant, mousse, hairspray, shaving foam, cleansing foam	Liquid or emulsion plus propellant under pressure inside the can; flammable; the propellant itself is a compatibility variable	Pressure-rated container; valve system matched to product (spray, foam or metered); gasket compatibility; leak-tightness; safety labelling	Tinplate can (most common, economical) or aluminium monobloc can (premium, lighter, seamless); valve = actuator + stem + gasket + spring + mounting cup; spray valve with the correct orifice and vapour-tap, foam valve for mousse, metered valve for dose control; internal lacquer specified against the formula	Aluminium cans are 30–60% lighter and corrosion-resistant but cost more and need a matching lacquer; a gasket that swells 0.2 mm in the propellant blend is a leaking can — the gasket compound is the single most important line in an aerosol spec
8. High-volatility solvent Perfume, EDT, nail polish, nail-polish remover, some styling sprays	High ethanol or acetone content; permeates and swells many plastics and rubbers; evaporates through a poor seal; strong odour that must be kept in	Extreme seal integrity; solvent-resistant materials and gaskets; barrier against evaporation and odour loss; explosion safety for pressurised formats	Glass bottle + crimp or screw fine-mist pump (glass is first choice; pump gasket in PTFE-coated or solvent-grade elastomer; crimp pump for fine fragrance); glass + roll-on for body oils and oil perfumes; glass nail-polish bottle + brush cap (cone seal in the cap, solvent-resistant bristles); glass + purpose-made inner plug and cap for acetone remover; aerosol for solvent-based hairspray only after full compatibility and pressure testing	Glass is the only fully safe bulk material here; a plastic 'travel' perfume atomiser is a compromise that needs alcohol-rated PETG and a proven gasket; every gasket, dip tube and spring must be tested — the pump body is usually fine, the seals are not

Skincare in one line: serum = glass or PETG + dropper or pump; cream = glass or PP jar with inner lid and spatula, or airless; lotion = PETG or PP + lotion pump; toner = PET or glass + flip-top or sprayer; face oil = amber glass + dropper. Wash-off in one line: HDPE + large lotion pump for volume, LDPE or co-ex tube for everything smaller. Where a brief lands outside these, the hard rules below take over.

Hard Rules

Nine rules that override the mood board.

These are not preferences. Each one has a failure mode behind it that has cost a brand a batch, a launch or a recall. If your formula meets one of these conditions, the material is decided before we talk about finish.

Formula condition	What goes wrong	Rule	Note
Ethanol above ~30% (toners, perfumes, hand sanitisers, some serums)	PET swells, hazes and deforms; standard pump gaskets and dropper bulbs soften	Glass or alcohol-rated copolyester (PETG); PTFE-coated or solvent-grade gaskets; specify ethanol resistance in the spec (e.g. ≥50%)	A PET bottle approved for a >30% alcohol serum swelled in the market and triggered a full-line recall — the material-formula matrix now exists precisely because of cases like this
Acetone (nail-polish remover)	Dissolves or swells PET, PS, AS, PMMA and most standard gaskets; lifts ordinary inks	Glass bottle + purpose-made inner plug and cap liner; solvent-resistant print or label	No stock plastic bottle is acceptable, regardless of supplier assurance
pH below 4 (AHA/BHA toners, peels, some vitamin C waters)	Acid corrodes standard pump springs and etches some coatings and plating	Acid-resistant glass or PP; pump with 316 stainless or plastic spring, or spring outside the fluid path; flip-top or orifice reducer as the low-risk closure	A serum programme that never wrote acid resistance into the glass spec saw bottles corrode and crack in mass production
Fluoride (toothpaste)	Fluoride ions permeate and corrode plastic barrier layers	Aluminium–plastic laminate (ABL) tube — mandatory	Plastic co-ex tubes are for non-fluoride pastes only
Oxygen-sensitive actives (vitamin C, retinol, peptides, some plant extracts)	Oxidation: browning, loss of potency, odour	5-layer co-extruded EVOH tube — oxygen transmission ~0.2–1.2 vs ~150–300 for single-layer PE; amber/opaque glass; airless pump; nitrogen flush on the filling line where possible	Two orders of magnitude of barrier difference between EVOH and mono PE — the tube choice matters more than the cap
Essential oils, fragrance concentrates, perfume oils	Attack AS (SAN), craze PMMA, swell standard NBR/TPE gaskets, extract plasticisers	Glass first; PP or HDPE where plastic is required; silicone or fluoroelastomer gaskets; test every dropper bulb and roll-on housing	AS is a good clear bottle for water-based lotions and a poor one for anything oil- or fragrance-heavy
Acrylic (PMMA) jars and bottles	PMMA must not touch the bulk — oils and alcohol craze and cloud it	Always with a PP inner cup or inner bottle; the acrylic is the outer shell only	An acrylic jar quoted 'without liner' is a quote for a different product
Nickel and chrome plating on touch surfaces	Nickel is a contact allergen; plating on lips, eyes and skin-contact surfaces is a regulatory and complaint risk	Plated parts must not contact skin or bulk: plate the outer shell, keep the inner cup, dip tube and applicator in PP/ABS; request nickel-release data for EU markets	The plated cap can be beautiful; the plated applicator cannot be shipped
Silicone-heavy and oil-serum formulas	Low surface tension: creep past threads and wick through pump seals; swell some TPE bulbs	Glass or PP with tight thread engagement; screw pumps with gasket proven against the oil; silicone dropper bulbs	A face oil that 'sweats' at the neck in a 45°C hold is a seal problem, not a filling problem

A supplier who has not asked your alcohol percentage, your pH and your key actives before quoting a bottle has quoted a shape, not a package. We ask in the first reply, and we keep it to two questions.

Materials

Material quick reference.

Fourteen materials that cover well over 90% of beauty packaging by volume. "Avoid" means avoid in contact with that bulk — most of these materials are excellent somewhere else in the same product.

Material	Strengths	Typical use	Avoid / caution
PET	Clear, strong, economical, good against water-based bulks; recyclable stream well established	Toner bottles, lotion bottles, shampoo, micellar water	Ethanol above ~30%; acetone; strong essential oils; hot-fill above ~60°C; low-temperature impact if thin-walled
PETG (copolyester)	Higher clarity and gloss than PET, thick-wall injection possible, better chemical tolerance (alcohol-rated grades exist)	Premium serum and lotion bottles, thick-wall jars, 'glass-look' plastic	Acetone; check each grade against alcohol level; scratches more easily than PMMA
PP	Chemically robust, heat-tolerant, opaque or translucent, inexpensive	Caps, jars, inner cups for acrylic, tubes, pump bodies, acid-formula containers	Clarity (hazy unless clarified grade); low-temperature brittleness in some grades; poor UV without additive
HDPE	Tough, squeezable in thin wall, good chemical resistance, frosted-look natural finish	Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body lotion bottles, refill formats	Transparency; barrier to oxygen and fragrance is modest; some solvents permeate
LDPE / LLDPE	Soft, flexible, squeezable; cheapest tube body	Mono-layer tubes for cleansers, hand cream, masks; dropper tips; plug inserts	Oxygen barrier (150–300 O2 transmission class); essential-oil absorption; no barrier for actives
AS (SAN)	Hard, water-clear, rigid; good for water-based bulks	Lotion bottles, cream jars, compact cases	Essential oils and fragrance concentrates; alcohol-heavy bulks; impact (brittle)
PMMA (acrylic)	Highest clarity and gloss, heavy premium feel, thick-wall	Outer shell of jars, caps and lipstick components — always with an inner cup	Direct bulk contact of any kind; stress-cracking from alcohols and oils; drop performance
PC (polycarbonate)	Very high impact, clear, heat-tolerant	Compacts and rigid clear shells where drop resistance matters	BPA scrutiny in several markets; alkaline and some solvent attack; avoid for bulk contact
ABS	Strong, easy to mould, plates and paints well	Caps, compacts, lipstick shells, overcaps	Bulk contact; solvents; UV yellowing without stabiliser
Surlyn (ionomer)	Glass-like clarity in thick sections with high impact and warm hand-feel; over-moulds onto glass	Perfume caps, premium overcaps, thick-wall decorative shells	Bulk contact; higher price; limited colour matching between batches unless controlled
Glass — soda-lime (flint, amber, cobalt)	Chemically inert, best barrier, recyclable, premium; amber blocks UV below ~450 nm	Serum, oil, perfume, cream jars, toners, nail polish	Weight (2–3× plastic), breakage, thermal shock, cost of decoration
Glass — borosilicate / Type I neutral	Low expansion, highest thermal-shock and hydrolytic resistance; up to ~12% lighter wall for the same strength	Ampoules, vials, high-active pharmaceutical-style serums, hot-fill	Cost; limited decorative shapes; tooling lead time
Aluminium	Light, plateable, anodisable, excellent barrier	Lipstick shells, aerosol cans, overcaps, tubes (bare aluminium needs internal lacquer)	Dents; galvanic reaction with certain formulas if unlacquered — tested contact is mandatory
ABL / PBL laminate tubes	ABL: foil layer, highest barrier; PBL: all-plastic with EVOH, recyclable-ready	Toothpaste, sunscreen, medicated creams, oxidation-prone actives	ABL does not spring back; PBL barrier must be verified per formula

Test Protocol

The compatibility test, with the numbers.

Rules of thumb catch 90% of problems. The test catches the rest — the specific pump spring that corrodes in your specific acid, the specific ink that lifts in your specific alcohol level. It runs before the golden sample is signed and is repeated when the formula, the resin grade or the decoration changes.

Test	Method	What is checked / pass criteria
Accelerated compatibility (core)	Component filled with your actual bulk, not water or substitute; 48°C for 30 days (humidity controlled); parallel room-temperature (25°C) and low-temperature (−15°C to 5°C) controls; minimum 3 units per condition	Discolouration of bulk or component; odour change; swelling, warping, cracking or stress whitening; delamination or blistering of decoration; weight loss (target ≤0.5% for volatile bulks); migration either way (visual, then lab if flagged); pump priming and dose drift
Decoration colour migration	Decorated component immersed in 75% ethanol at 48°C for 12 hours	No transfer of colour into the solvent; no lifting or softening of print, hot-stamp or spray coating
Seal integrity (leak hold)	Filled unit held at 45°C for 24 hours inverted and on its side; plus vacuum leak at −0.08 MPa for 15 minutes for volatile bulks (−0.06 MPa for standard)	No weep at neck, cap or pump; weight loss ≤0.5%; no bulk trace outside the seal area
Freeze–thaw cycling	3–5 cycles between −15°C and 48°C, 24 hours per stage, 2 hours recovery before inspection	No cracking, warping or leakage; emulsion stability of the bulk noted for the formulator
Pump / dispenser function in bulk	50 strokes × 3 after conditioning in the bulk; dose weighed	Priming ≤5–10 strokes; output ≥95% of rated (aqueous) / ≥90% (non-aqueous); no leak-back; spring shows no corrosion after 30 days
Migration, heavy metals, biocompatibility	Third-party laboratory (CNAS / CMA / ISO 17025) — we help you connect with testing; not an in-house claim	Phthalates and SVHC per REACH; Pb+Cd+Hg+Cr(VI) ≤100 ppm (EU 94/62/EC); USP Class VI where the market or client asks; EN 71-3 for children's products

Timing: the 30-day core test is the longest single item in a new-format schedule. Start it on the first structurally approved sample, not on the pre-production sample, or it will add a month to launch. Where a brief arrives with fewer than 60 days to a fixed launch date, we run the 48°C / 30-day test and the 12-hour and 24-hour checks in parallel with tooling and decoration approval, and we tell you in writing which results are still outstanding at each gate.

What we do not claim: a compatibility pass is a packaging result, not a regulatory approval of your product. Stability of the formula itself, preservative efficacy and market-specific safety assessments remain with your formulator and safety assessor; we help you connect with accredited laboratories and hand over the packaging data they need.

Questions

Frequently asked

Which plastic bottle is safe for a formula with more than 30% alcohol?

Above roughly 30% ethanol, PET is the wrong choice: the bottle swells and deforms, and we have seen a full production recall caused by exactly that. Use glass (best barrier and solvent resistance) or a suitable copolyester (PETG grade rated for alcohol), and specify pump gaskets in a solvent-resistant elastomer or PTFE-coated seal. Write the target into the spec as an ethanol-resistance requirement (for example ≥50% ethanol for a toner bottle) and confirm it with a 48°C / 30-day immersion in your actual bulk.

What packaging does a vitamin C or retinol serum need?

Oxygen-sensitive actives need a high-barrier, light-protective structure. In tubes that means a five-layer co-extruded EVOH tube — oxygen transmission of about 0.2–1.2 against roughly 150–300 for a single-layer PE tube, two orders of magnitude apart. In bottles it means amber or opaque glass, or an airless pump system that keeps air off the bulk. A clear PET bottle with a dropper is the format most likely to turn a vitamin C serum brown on shelf.

Can I use an acrylic (PMMA) jar for a face cream?

Yes, but never with the cream touching the acrylic. PMMA gives the thick-wall, glass-like look, yet it is attacked by many oils, essential oils and alcohols and can craze or cloud. Every acrylic jar or bottle we source is specified with a PP inner cup (liner) that carries the formula; the acrylic is purely the outer shell. The same logic applies to AS bottles — perfume oils and fragrance concentrates corrode AS and its gaskets, so AS is for water-based lotions, not fragrance.

How is formula–packaging compatibility actually tested?

The component is filled with your actual bulk — not water — and held at 48°C for 30 days, with a room-temperature and a low-temperature control running in parallel. You inspect for discolouration, odour change, swelling, cracking, stress whitening, delamination of decoration, weight loss and any migration in either direction. Two shorter checks sit alongside it: colour migration of decoration in 75% alcohol at 48°C for 12 hours, and a seal-integrity hold at 45°C for 24 hours inverted and on its side. We connect you with third-party laboratories for migration, heavy-metal and USP Class VI reports where your market requires them.

Which packaging material is right for a low-pH exfoliating toner (pH below 4)?

Below pH 4 — typical for AHA/BHA toners and peels — use glass or PP. Acid attacks the metal springs in standard pumps and can etch some decorations, so specify a pump with a 316 stainless or plastic spring, or a spring-free path (for example a pump with the spring outside the fluid path), and run the acid formula through the 48°C / 30-day protocol before you approve the pump. A flip-top or an orifice-reducer plug is the safest low-cost closure for acid waters.

What does a fluoride toothpaste or an acetone remover need in packaging?

Two special cases with fixed answers. Fluoride toothpaste needs an aluminium–plastic laminate (ABL) tube: fluoride ions permeate and corrode plain plastic barrier layers, so the aluminium foil layer is mandatory, not optional. Acetone nail-polish remover needs a glass bottle with a purpose-made inner plug and cap liner — acetone dissolves or swells PET, PS, AS, PMMA and most standard gaskets, and it will lift ordinary printing inks. Neither product should be quoted in a stock plastic bottle, however attractive the price.

Ready to source?

Send us the formula. We will send back the package.

Tell us the formula type, alcohol percentage, pH and key actives. Your quote comes with the material logic and the compatibility test plan attached.

Keep Reading

Formula × packaging compatibility matrix