You might have heard about it, but do you know what is right for your product?
Cosmetic tubes are made out of a compound called "Polyethylene (PE)." Polyethylene is a thermoplastic polymer that is a widely used material in consumer products. Especially in cosmetic packaging. Each polyethylene compound has its own rigidness and material make up, which can be expressed in LDPE, MDPE, and HDPE.
LDPE (Low Density PE)
Low density polyethylene make great tubes when you really need to squeeze your product out. This is usually great for creams, and lotions.
However, most LDPE tubes do not retain their shape. Another bad side of LDPE are chemicals that may leak through your tubes. Since LDPE are made with thinner material, chemicals such as acids, and alcohols may reduce the shelf-life of your product and your packaging.
MDPE (Medium Density PE)
Medium density polyethylene are more stable than LDPE. They are great for dispensing product that have more chemical features and are more rigid and retain their shape more than LDPE.
However, MDPE since they are more rigid, are a bit cumbersome to dispensing lotions and cream. MDPE makes a great choice for more "loose" liquid based products such as mascaras, glues, and nail polish.
HDPE (High Density PE)
High density polyethylene are the most stable and most rigid polyethylene group. Not mainly used for cosmetics tube packaging, this material make great packaging for highly chemical used products such as paint thinners, and antifreeze.
HDPE are widely used in bottles such as shampoo, conditioner, and body wash packaging where liquids are runny, or less viscous. These bottles retain their original shape after squeezing that allows the liquid to flow out freely without a lot of effort.