Three Ways to Enhance Cosmetic Packaging with Chemically Compatible Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPEs)

Discover how thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) that withstand oils, solvents, and more are helping brand owners and converters create cosmetic packaging that lasts.

Materials can influence consumers’ experience with your product, and ultimately, your brand. From cosmetic applicator tips, brushes, and compact closure seals to applicator slit valves, fine tips, and airless package pumps, the materials you choose have a major impact. Visual and tactile aesthetics boost shelf appeal, and chemical compatibility enables performance.   

Silicones and the standard TPEs traditionally used in cosmetic packaging present several tradeoffs. Though silicone can create complex surface textures, it is expensive and difficult to process. While standard TPEs produce great tactile finishes, they have poor compatibility with cosmetic ingredients.

Chemically compatible TPEs can help brand owners and converters satisfy functional needs and enhance cosmetic packaging applications in three primary ways: 

1.) Achieve chemical compatibility, with regulatory compliant materials

Chemically compatible TPEs do not discolor, etch, crack or delaminate when in contact with most soaps, lotions, oils, surfactants and solvents found in cosmetics. These materials are compositionally compliant with REACH SVHC and FDA 21 CFR*.   

2.) Add a wide range of tactile finishes and surface textures

Chemically compatible TPEs enable you to develop a wide range of finishes such as silky, smooth, tacky and grippy. Injection molded TPEs are easily processed in complex molds, and it’s easy to add surface texture by bead blasting or chemically texturing the mold.

3.) Simplify production

Good processability is a key benefit of chemically compatible TPEs. Cycle times for injection molded TPEs are typically faster than alternative materials, resulting in reduced production costs. Overmolding chemically compatible TPEs is an effective method for simplifying a two-step process into a single step.

For more information on chemically compatible TPEs, download the application bulletin.