Custom Cosmetic Display Boxes

Sizing Cosmetic Display Boxes Around the Product

Start with one finished unit in its own packaging, if it has any. Measure the widest point and the height, then decide how many rows and columns the retailer needs. A lipstick in its own carton might need a 22 mm square cell; a nail polish bottle often needs closer to 35 mm. Allow a millimetre or two of clearance per cell so units lift out without the insert tearing.

Next, think about the front lip. A low front, around a third of the product height, shows off the shades while still stopping things sliding out. For minis and sachets that lie flat, a deeper tray with a sloping front works better.

Finally, check the counter. Many retailers have only the space beside a card machine to spare, so a compact footprint with a tall header usually beats a wide, low tray. If you know the stockist, ask them for the space they can give you before we quote. Gloss tubes and small sticks use the tray sizes from our lip gloss boxes and display trays.

Board, Print and Finish

Most counter units are made from a stiff folding boxboard, often with a white surface for bright colour reproduction. For heavier glass bottles or a deep tray, we suggest E-flute corrugated with a printed white liner; it is a little thicker but holds its shape under weight and survives being moved between shelves.

Print is full colour throughout, so shade swatches, model photography and ingredient callouts all reproduce well. Beauty buyers notice finishing, so think about where it pays off. A soft-touch matt lamination gives a velvety feel and hides fingerprints. Spot gloss on the logo picks it out under shop lighting. Foil blocking in gold, rose gold or silver works well on a header, but keep it to a few key elements so the display does not look busy.

The inside of the tray can be printed too. A block colour or a subtle pattern inside the compartments looks finished when stock runs low, rather than showing bare grey board.

If your products already sit in printed cartons, match the display to them rather than inventing a new look. Use the same brand colours, the same typeface and the same finish, so the counter unit and the products inside read as one family. A display that clashes with its own stock looks like an afterthought, whereas a matched set makes a small brand look established on a crowded counter.

Getting the Artwork Right for Retail

A display is read in two seconds, so the header should carry three things at most: your brand name, what the product is and one reason to pick it up. Long ingredient lists belong on the individual product packaging, not the display.

Leave space for a price sticker if the shop sets its own prices, and add a barcode panel on the outer carton if the unit is ordered as a single stock line. If you sell through several retailers, a neutral design without shop-specific wording means one print run can serve them all.

We send a flat proof showing every panel and fold line. Check it with a real product in hand: confirm the shade names line up with the right cells and that nothing important falls onto a crease.

Ask the Stockist for Their Counter Space First

The best cosmetic display is the one a retailer actually puts out, so before we size anything, ask your main stockist how much counter space they can give you. A footprint of 150 x 120 mm with a header up to 200 mm tall is accepted almost everywhere; a wider tray gets moved to a lower shelf. Then count the units you want on show, usually 12 to 24, measure one product including its cap, and send both numbers with the style you prefer.

A custom quote comes by email within one working day, with minimums quoted per job so a limited shade range or a new stockist can be tested with a short run. The free proof shows the die-cut front, the header and the insert together. Production takes 4 to 7 working days after approval, displays ship flat on free tracked delivery to UK mainland addresses in 2 to 3 working days, and any that arrive misprinted or damaged are reprinted or refunded if reported within 10 days. Polishes that need a fitted insert are covered on the nail polish boxes with bottle inserts page.