All types of new beauty and personal care products, from makeup to hair care, are launching in tubes. Why are beauty brands—and consumers—so attracted to tubes?

‘Squeezability,’ product protection, versatility, and convenience are a few of the reasons for the growing popularity of cosmetic tubes for beauty products. New cap shapes, add-on applicators, eye-catching decorations, and sustainability features make tubes even more appealing—and an ideal option for all types of beauty products.

The most successful beauty packages elevate the experience of using a product, to instantly associate a brand with a positive user experience. Tubes often win over consumers with their ability to squeeze out every last drop of a product. But pairing a squeeze tube with the right type of dispensing cap or applicator for a formula is crucial, and there are many options. 

We spoke to a few beauty brands and packaging suppliers to get a closer look at the latest trends and innovations in cosmetic tube packaging.

Here’s our full report—highlighting the latest options in tubes from tube beauty packaging suppliers. 

A Rising Demand for Cosmetic Tubes

Beauty brands often choose squeeze tubes because they’re so convenient for consumers. Tubes are also extremely versatile, with the ability to dispense both an oil-based face serum and a thick body cream with ease. This may be one reason for their rising market demand.

The tube packaging market in the U.S., across all industries, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.4% to reach $5.22 billion by 2032. As many beauty brands strive to achieve sustainable packaging targets, demand is rising for recyclable and biodegradable tube packaging materials in the beauty industry, according to a report by Precedence Research. The report also states, “The cosmetic and personal care industries are thriving, and boosting the need for visually appealing and convenient tube packaging.”

A report by Allied Market Research says there’s a rising demand for various types of tube packaging, including tubes equipped with airless pumps, multi-layer tubes for enhanced product protection, and custom shapes. “Brands are leveraging unique designs for tubes to differentiate and enhance the overall consumer experience,” the report states.

In line with the latest market research, Plastube says the demand for more sustainable tubes has increased significantly over the past year. “We’re hearing many more requests for eco-friendly tubes, whether it’s more PCR content, mono-material designs, or tubes that will comply with local recycling regulations,” says Sylvie Charette, President of Plastube.

Suppliers Talk About the Benefits of Tubes 

There are other reasons why brands are choosing tubes, suppliers say. “A tube is consumer-friendly. It’s ‘squeezability’ and ease of dispensing is why tubes are growing in popularity across all areas of beauty and personal care,” says John Ulibarri, Senior Sales Executive at JSN.

Jerry Ruud, Sales & Operations Head, North America, UDN Packaging Corp., adds, “Tubes are extremely user-friendly because the product is always at the orifice. And since many tubes are under 100ml, they’re also travel-friendly.” UDN is a family-owned business now in its second generation. It has over 20 years of experience and expertise in developing innovative tube packaging—with over 100 patents globally.

Tubes also provide benefits from a manufacturing point of view. “Tubes come fully decorated, so after filling and sealing, you’re ready for shipping,” says Ruud. “In comparison, bottles and jars often require closures and labels from other sources, which adds to your supply chain.”

Melanie Gaudun, Business Development and Marketing Manager at Viva Healthcare Packaging, notes that a tube’s adaptability is a major part of its appeal.

“A tube’s versatility knows no bounds. It’s an indispensable packaging solution across genders that spans various categories, from bath and body to hair care, face care, makeup, personal care, and more. Plus—the simple act of squeezing a tube can feel oddly therapeutic, like squeezing a stress ball,” Gaudun says.

‘Squeezability’ is a Selling Factor

Beauty brands’ recent launches in tubes illustrate how versatile a tube is—and how appealing the “squeeze factor” can be. Makeup launches in small tubes include Kiko Milano’s Bridgerton Gilded Glaze Shimmering Cream Eyeshadow, which has a precision tip. There’s also Dr. Jart’s Lip Oil and Laneige’s Lip Glowy Balm.

Suppliers say that tubes for makeup, especially lip color, are on the rise. “I have seen a resurgence of tubes in the lip category, focusing on different applicator materials and styles,” says Bruce Sperling, EVP of Business Development at GPI. “Many types of skincare and sun care products are also going into tubes, especially over the past year,” Sperling adds. 

Lancer Skincare focused on its tube’s “squeezability” for a campaign shot for its Body Cleanse tube, which is shown on the cover of this issue. The brand, founded in Beverly Hills by Dr. Lancer, uses an 8-oz five-layer tube that incorporates eco-friendly materials. The tube’s golden sand-colored hue distinguishes the body care products from the brand’s facial skincare line, which is Turkish blue.

“We refreshed the brand’s aesthetic because evolution is key to merging our heritage with an updated, modernized feel,” says Blair Lancer, Chief Marketing Officer at Lancer Skincare. Body Cleanse is a part of the brand’s three-step body care regimen and its newly redesigned “The Method: Body Care” line.

A tube is the most effective type of package for our silky Body Cleanse formula,” says Lancer. “The tube and cap both make it easy to apply the product to the body,” she says. The hydrating cleanser features an innovative gel-to-cream formula that contains salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and watermelon seed oil.

Eye-Catching Designs Catch the Consumer’s Eye 

Brands are enticing consumers with eye-catching design elements. Brands focusing on decoration include Clarins, with its Body Fit Active Contouring & Smoothing Gel Cream in a white glossy tube with striking red accents.

Caliray’s retro-style branding is very much on-trend and perfectly executed on the mint green oval tube that houses its Clean Blurring Primer with Collagen Peptides. The rainbow image printed on the tube enhances its ’70s vibe.

MILK Makeup’s latest product line features black packaging that consumers won’t be able to miss. Its Pore Eclipse Mattifying + Blurring Makeup Primer is in a matte black tube, which looks luxe, and contrasts beautifully with its shiny black logo.

Jay Nagel, Vice President at JSN, says, “We’re seeing a strong demand for high-end graphics on tubes.” Casey Nagel, Vice President at JSN, agrees, saying, “We are seeing fewer requests for specialized tips, but a considerable amount of requests for ‘decorative’ upgrading. Some brands are switching to tubes to refresh existing SKUs and launch new products.” JSN Cosmetic Packaging specializes in sustainable tubes and closures. 

Packaging supplier GPI Beauty offers brands its Nouveau—a flat extruded tube that can be produced in multiple thickness options, and with an EVOH barrier layer. “It offers flexible decoration through digital and flexographic printing, plus cold-foil stamping to make products pop on the shelf,” says Sperling. “It has superior dimensional stability and a deco seam,” he adds.

PackSys Global, a Swiss tube manufacturer and a member of Brückner Group, offers brands an innovative decoration solution—NEOSeam, a new side-seam technology for cosmetic tubes.

“NEOSeam is the solution for customers who want the appearance of 360° decoration combined with the quality, cost advantages, and multiple printing technologies available with flat printing,” explains Aitor Henao Soto, the company’s head of Marketing and Communications. PackSys Global says it has made significant advancements in its decorating technologies, such NEOSeam.

The ability to decorate with 360-degree printing on laminate tubes and achieve precise alignment is no easy feat.

“It’s an innovation unmatched in the market,” says Soto. “Additionally, We’re also committed to sustainability efforts, as seen in our Detachable tube, as well as our Fuji closure with NorthStar Technology,” he says. In terms of tube shapes, Soto says there’s one popular style. “We’re seeing a resurgence in the production of oval tubes,” he says.

For beauty marketers who are undecided about how to decorate a tube, Plastube offers digital printing, silk-screening, and hot-stamping, as well as label application and offset/flexo graphic capabilities. “We have the resources to meet the ever-changing demands of the most creative graphic designs,” says Charette.

Plastube says it offers the most comprehensive range of options in plastic and laminate tubes in North America—plus mono-material, PCR, high-barrier EVOH plastic, and polyfoil tubes. “We offer short lead times and have a 60-year track record of supply and influence in the North American market,” Charette says.

Precision Tips, Roll-Ons & More Dispensing Options

Every beauty marketer and package designer strives to deliver a positive user experience by ensuring a package dispenses a product effectively, and tubes are no exception. There are a number of designs and dispensing options for tubes, which will all affect the consumer’s experience using the product. 

A formula’s viscosity and the product application method will determine if a tube is paired with a specially designed applicator tip, flow-through cap, or other type of dispenser. Brands often conduct testing to determine which type of cap, orifice, or other dispensing system are compatible with a product.

UDN’s Ruud says he sees a lot of interest from indie beauty brands looking for innovative applicators for tubes, especially for lip color and skincare products. “New brands are striving to be unique and differentiated in the crowded market,” says Ruud. “A tube that helps the user to use a product more effectively is an excellent way to inspire consumer loyalty.”

Jooy is an indie brand that chose a unique applicator for its tube. Jooy’s Scalp Resurfacing Serum is in a small tube with a precision tip applicator. The tube is made from 30% PCT PET and decorated with silk-screening.

“The tube’s narrow tip delivers precise and controlled application directly to the scalp in just the right amount of product to prevent waste, making it easy to use,” says Jennifer Yen, the brand’s founder. “The tip minimizes contact with the hair, enabling the serum to target scalp problems such as flaky, dry and irritated spots,” she explains. “Since we created our brand for an active person who travels, our tube makes this product portable and easy to use on-the-go,” says Yen.

GPI’s Sperling says, “There has been a huge increase in the number of hair care products on the market—and tubes are hugely popular for hair care products, especially in the growing scalp care and hair treatment categories. These trends are fueling the need for more targeted, precise applicators for tubes.”

GPI specializes in airless dispensing technologies and often pairs its pumps with tubes for skincare brands. “We are expanding our tube offerings to include additional diameters, dispensing, and dosage options to support formulas that require product protection and preservation,” he says.

Ban is disrupting the deodorant category with its AHA Roll-On Deodorant in Viva Healthcare Packaging’s Roll-On Ball Tube.

“Our Roll-On Ball Tube presents a distinctive, almost nostalgic application experience. As the ball smoothly glides over the skin, it imparts a soothing sensation that users find comforting,” says Viva’s Gaudun.

Ban’s deodorant tube has a one-inch roll-on ball applicator, a translucent glossy green over cap, and an EVOH barrier. Viva used a spot velvet and spot gloss decoration on this package. The tube is also eco-friendly—the sleeve contains 87% recycled PP, and there is over 50% PP in the collar.

Viva’s Roll-On Tube is available in various sizes, which makes it ideal for both face and body applications. “It offers versatility and convenience for consumers across different product categories,” Gaudun says.

Viva also offers tubes in other specialty formats, including airless pumps, center-dispensing caps, precision-tip applicators that are perfectly suited for scalp treatment products, and more. Viva specializes in injection-molding tubes and says it employs cutting-edge in-mold label technology for seamless decoration. “Our tubes boast extensive customization options,” adds Gaudun.

ROC’s Airless Pump Dispenses Up to 95%

ROC chose Plastube’s airless pump and tube package for its Multi Correction SPF Moisturizer. “This package has been highly successful for the brand and complements its current line of tubes, bottles, and jars. Brand extensions are planned,” says Charette.

Plastube’s airless tube package offers convenient dispensing of lotions and creams, primarily for facial products, the supplier says. “The airless system has the potential ability to evacuate or dispense up to 95% of product in the tube,” says Charette.

Discussing Materials, Design & Budget

Cosmetic tubes are typically plastic, while aluminum tubes enhance product protection. Tubex, for example, says their aluminum tubes guarantee excellent protection and high hygiene standards. Multi-layer tubes can help increase levels of PCR material. 

Certain types of materials can make a tube more difficult to squeeze, so a brand will often test different combinations of materials to ensure a positive user experience, suppliers say.

Beauty brands often look for ways to give a tube an eye-catching look—even when a tight budget is a deciding factor.

“Using standard decorating processes, such as offset, hot-stamping, or heat transfer labels, will typically increase a tube’s cost,” says Richard Esterbrook, Director of Sales at The Penthouse Group/Yoshino.

“In these times of economic uncertainty, beauty brands are often looking for ways to utilize technologies that can give a tube a luxe look without adding extra costs. The team at Yoshino has harnessed its expertise in resins and molding tubes to simulate the appearance of a decoration. The decoration is done during the molding process, so it won’t increase the tube’s cost,” he explains.

Multiple colors can be extrusion-molded into the sleeve at the same time to create a striped or marble effect, since the colors are kept separate during molding. Esterbrook says, “Designs like these wouldn’t require a secondary decorating process. Gradation effects can also be applied in the tube coating.” 

If a beauty brand is looking for ways to further differentiate, Yoshino has the capability to build neck molds for tubes in various shapes, including squares, triangles, and more innovative designs. “Yoshino builds their tooling in-house, which keeps costs low—and produces approximately 90% of the tubes in the Japanese market,” Esterbrook says. Yoshino has produced luxury tubes for Shiseido, Pola, Kanebo, and many other brands.

Eco-Friendly Innovations for Tubes

As sustainability in beauty packaging is always a focus, tube suppliers are offering numerous eco-friendly innovations for tubes.

Plastube offers several options for PCR tubes. “We can provide either EcoPrime or Ocean Bound PCR resins,” says Charette. The company offers up to 50% PCR content in its tubes—and 100% PCR in its assembled flip-top caps.

“Depending on the overall weight of the package, we can supply a PCR tube and cap package with 80% PCR,” says Charette. “Our Ocean Bound PCR material is derived from recycled materials from ocean tributaries, while EcoPrime PCR material is derived from standard recycling facilities,” she explains.

As of May 2024, Plastube says it will be the only tube supplier in North America to offer an Extended Low-Profile Dispensing/Flip-Top Cap. “These caps are designed with 50% less plastic than traditional flip-top caps. It’s the slimmest flip-top cap produced,” says Charette.

Related: Caps & Closures That Seal the Deal

Plastube’s Extended Low-Profile Dispensing/Flip-Top Cap features a highly stylized and unique design. It’s also 100% recyclable and can be produced in a mono-material design using up to 80% PCR. “Its height is reduced by approximately 10mm, which leads to an approximate 20% packaging reduction, overall,” says Charette.

Tubex‘s latest innovation is its aluminum MonoRefill Tube. “It’s designed to provide brands with everything they need from their refill packaging. It’s a lightweight mono-material design made of 100% recycled aluminum—95% of which is PCR and it is easily recyclable,” says Thierry Bitout, Group CEO at Tubex Aluminium Tubes.

Tubex’s MonoRefill is available in a range of sizes and is ideal for refilling perfume flacons, as well as jars or small bottles. It can also carry concentrates to refill larger size bottles. “A growing awareness of a package’s environmental impact is driving consumers and retailers to seek functional, eco-friendly packaging, and this applies to tubes as well,” adds Bitout.

“Brands are making bold commitments and setting sustainability goals that cover their whole supply chain,” she says.

UDN’s one-piece tube is another eco-conscious solution. “As beauty brands strive to be more sustainable, we are seeing a lot of interest in our one-piece tubes in round and oval styles,” says UDN’s Ruud.

Viva Healthcare Packaging says a brand can choose to incorporate recycled PP into its tube designs, using up to 87% in the sleeve and up to 100% in applicators, closures, and oval tube shoulders. Viva also offers a mono-material tube and cap in PP. “It is compatible with the Association of Plastic Recycling’s Design Guide for tube recyclability,” says Gaudun.

Viva’s latest innovation is its newly designed injection-molded D48.5 tube. The new light-weighted tube now uses 30% less plastic and weighs 30% less. “It offers a softer squeeze while maintaining the exceptional benefits synonymous with Viva tubes,” says Gaudun.

JSN offers tubes derived from sugarcane, as well as PCR. The supplier earned the EcoVadis Silver Award—making it among the top 15% of manufacturers globally producing sustainable products.

More Sustainable Solutions for Tubes

The use of plastic-alternative materials is growing for all types of packaging, as well as tubes. GPI Beauty recently added two new tube offerings to its portfolio. PaperLuxe is a sustainable alternative to plastic tubes made from 80% paper sourced from FSC-certified forests. “This eco-friendly design reduces plastic consumption by 46% compared to traditional PE tubes,” says Sperling.

GPI Beauty also offers brands its one-piece tubes, which integrate a low-profile flip-top cap into the tube shoulder to enable it to be produced in a mono-material—in PE or PP—with a significant reduction in plastic.

“Another sustainable solution we recently introduced is our Fiberluxe Tube,” says Sperling. “This is a unique tube crafted from 80% FSC-certified paper that can be paired with a low-rise flip-top cap for both plastic and CO2 reduction,” he says.

Aluminum Tubes Look Luxe

Prestige beauty brands have been choosing aluminum tubes in recent years, and the package has never looked so luxe. Once only synonymous with toothpaste, aluminum tubes have a newly reinvented upscale image.

“Major luxury brands are rediscovering aluminum tubes as a high-end packaging option again,” says Tubex’s Bitout. Chanel chose Tubex’s aluminum tubes for its limited-edition Chance scented hand creams.

The floral-scented trio features Chance, Chance Eau Fraiche, and Chance Eau Tendre, in travel-size tubes. Chanel’s Chance trio is designed to make it easy for the consumer to carry to use throughout the day, to moisturize their hands with their favorite scent.

“Chanel chose our Blue Tube Evo, made of 100% recycled aluminum with 95% PCR content,” says Bitout. “It’s a classic elegant tube with significantly low emissions during production—so it’s a win for both Chanel and the planet,” Bitout says.

What Lies Ahead?

Experts say we’ll see more advances in eco-friendly innovations for tubes, as both beauty brands and suppliers push the envelope on sustainability.

Aveda is leading the pack. Its new tube, Be Curly Advanced Curl Enhancer Cream (shown) is made with 100% PCR.

Tube suppliers say they will focus on eco-innovation, while striving to develop new tubes that deliver greater functionality combined with new designs.

GPI’s Sperling says the company will continue to make strides to increase the percentage of PCR in its tube sleeves, tube heads and closures.

UDN’s Ruud says, “We will continue to bring innovation and value so beauty brands, and ultimately consumers, will benefit.”

Viva’s Gaudun adds, “We will remain a trusted partner for beauty brands committed to sustainability and look forward to contributing to a more eco-responsible future—while producing outstanding tubes.” 

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