Lipstick packaging
Hang Tab Lipstick Boxes
Peg-ready lipstick cartons that pair a die-cut hanging tab with a front window, so the shade sells itself at the fixture.
- Window and hang tab on the same panel, engineered so it still holds
- Sized for single bullets, duos and three-pack shade sets
- Kraft, coated white and dark board options
Price starts from $0.30 per piece for large-volume orders. Final pricing depends on size, material, printing, and quantity.
The starting figure applies to qualifying large-volume custom orders. It is not a fixed price for every quantity, and your written quote will state the actual unit price for your job.
Send your dimensions and quantity
Four fields. We reply with a written price for your quantity, or with the questions we need answered first.
Where hanging lipstick packs sell
Colour cosmetics move a great deal of volume through fixtures that are not shelves: pegboard walls in beauty supply stores, clip strips at pharmacy checkouts, slatwall in gift retail and spinner racks in convenience. Every one of those needs a pack that hangs, and a plain lipstick carton cannot.
The other thing these fixtures have in common is that the shopper is looking at a wall of similar packs from three feet away. A window that shows the actual bullet case, and often the shade itself, does more at that distance than any amount of printed description. That is why the hanging lipstick carton is nearly always a window carton too.
Combining both features on one small panel is the engineering problem. Cutting a large window immediately below a hanging slot removes material from precisely the area carrying the load, and a carton designed without allowing for that will elongate around the hook. If your product is going onto shelves rather than pegs, a plain printed lipstick carton without a tab is the simpler and cheaper choice.
Window styles for a bullet case
The window shape controls how much of the case is visible and how much board is left to carry the load.
Tall narrow window
A vertical slot showing the length of the case. Keeps board on both sides of the panel, so the tab stays strong.
Full-height window
Shows almost the entire bullet. Highest visibility, weakest panel, and usually needs a film patch and heavier board.
Shaped window
A die-cut outline in a lip, droplet or brand shape. Stands out on a full peg in a way a rectangle does not.
Half-height window
Reveals the cap or the base only. A good compromise where the panel also has to carry a lot of copy.
Side-panel window
A slot on the side rather than the front, leaving the front panel entirely free for artwork.
Open window with no film
Cheapest option. Not advisable on a hanging pack, where dust collects and the case can shift.
Making a window and a tab work on one panel
The load path on a hanging carton runs from the hook, through the board around the slot, down the side panels, to the base. A window cut into the front panel interrupts that path. The wider the window relative to the panel, the less material is left to carry the weight.
Three measures address it, and larger windows need more of them. Move up a board weight, typically from 18pt to 22pt or 24pt. Add a clear film patch across the window, which restores a surprising amount of panel stiffness. Reinforce the tab with a folded double thickness of board around the slot so the hole itself cannot elongate.
For three-pack cartons the packed weight roughly triples while the panel area only doubles, so reinforcement stops being optional. We test hanging samples at the actual packed weight before printing where you want the assurance, and the closure and base options available are compared on the structural styles page.
Sizing, fixture clearance and retail specifications
Cartons are cut to your bullet case, measured at the widest point with the cap fitted, plus total height and the space the tab needs above it. Send a sample case if you can, because magnetic and weighted cases often measure slightly larger than their drawings.
Peg fixtures also set their own constraints. The pack has to clear the pack in front of it on the same hook, which means depth matters as much as width. Hook diameter is usually between 3 and 6 mm, and the slot has to suit it.
Many retail chains publish a packaging specification covering tab dimensions, barcode position, case counts and pallet patterns. If you have one, send it with the enquiry. Matching it at design stage is straightforward; resolving a mismatch after production is not.
Board choices for peg display
On a peg wall your pack is compared instantly against everything around it, and board choice affects that comparison more than it does on a shelf.
- Coated white SBS, 18pt to 24pt, for bright full-colour print and clear shade differentiation
- Heavier 24pt board where the carton holds two or more cases
- Kraft board for natural and clean-beauty positioning, accepting that colours read muted
- Black-through board for dark cartons, so cut edges and the window rim stay black
- Metallised board for limited editions, though it is not compatible with paper recycling
- Clear film patches in PET or PLA depending on the disposal route you prefer
On a dark carton the window rim is a cut edge in full view at eye level, which is exactly where standard board shows a white line. That single detail is the reason black-through board is worth its premium here.
Printing and finishing for shelf-edge visibility
A peg fixture is viewed at distance and often under mixed store lighting. High-contrast artwork with a clear shade swatch outperforms subtle detail that only resolves in the hand. Where the range shares one design, the shade block should be the largest single element on the panel.
Gloss lamination holds up well here because hanging packs are handled repeatedly by shoppers who put them back. Matte lamination looks more premium but shows finger marks on dark solids, which is a real consideration on a self-service fixture. Spot UV over matte gives you the premium read with a hard-wearing gloss on the logo.
Foil stamping works on a hanging pack, with one caution: keep foil well away from the tab die-cut, since heavy foil coverage on a cut edge tends to flake when the pack is pushed onto a hook.
Designing the front panel
The panel has to hold a hanging slot, a window, a brand mark, a shade name, a net weight, and a barcode somewhere. Work out that allocation before any design happens, because on a carton this size there is no spare room to find later.
The top inch is partly hidden by the hook and by the pack hanging in front, so nothing critical goes there. The window position should show the part of the case that identifies the shade, which on most bullets is the base rather than the cap.
Supply artwork as PDF, AI or EPS at 300 dpi, in CMYK plus spot colours, with 3 mm bleed and fonts outlined, built to the die line we send. Window and tab cut lines are marked on the die line as separate layers, and full file requirements are on the artwork guidelines page.
Quantity, retail programmes and unit price
This carton carries more production steps than a plain box: a more complex die, a window patch application, sometimes a tab reinforcement and a heavier board. Each adds to the unit price, and each is spread more thinly as quantity rises.
Price starts from $0.30 per piece for large-volume orders. Final pricing depends on size, material, printing, and quantity. A window patch and a reinforced tab both sit above that entry figure, so expect your quote to reflect the specification rather than the floor price.
Retail programmes usually specify a case count and a pallet configuration. Send those with the enquiry so packing is quoted correctly, and tell us the ship-by date if a planogram reset is driving the schedule.
Order sequence
Send case and pack details
Bullet case sample or dimensions, units per carton, packed weight, and any retailer packaging specification.
Window and tab proposal
We propose window size and position, tab type, board weight and whether reinforcement or a film patch is needed.
Structural sample and hang test
A plain sample confirms the case fits and, at your packed weight, that the tab holds without deforming.
Proof approval
Colour proof on the specified board showing the window and tab cuts in position, for written sign-off.
Production and case packing
Printed, finished, die-cut, window-patched, glued, and packed to your retailer case count.
Quality control, delivery and disposal
Three checks are specific to this product. The window patch is inspected for adhesion and for clarity, since a hazy or lifting patch is immediately visible at eye level. The tab cut is measured for position and edge quality. And sample packs are hung at packed weight to confirm the panel does not deform around the slot.
Cartons ship flat and glued in counted cases, with the case count set to your retail programme where one exists. Packed hanging cartons should be cased upright so the tabs are not crushed, and we will allow for how you case-pack if you tell us.
A film window means the finished pack is two materials rather than one. PET patches are common and widely accepted; a PLA patch is available where you prefer a bio-based film. Either way the consumer has to separate the patch from the board for clean recycling, and that is worth stating honestly on pack rather than implying the whole carton goes in the paper bin.
Hang Tab Lipstick Boxes specification
A summary of what can be specified on this product. Anything marked as quoted or made to order is confirmed in writing before production.
| Product type | Lipstick folding carton with hanging tab and optional window |
|---|---|
| Tab styles | Euro slot, round hole, delta cut, extended header, reinforced double-thickness |
| Window styles | Tall narrow, full height, half height, shaped die-cut, side panel |
| Window film | PET or PLA clear patch, or left open |
| Capacity | Single bullet, duo and three-pack; tab specified against packed weight |
| Board weights | 18pt single case, 22–24pt for windows and multipacks |
| Materials | Coated white SBS, kraft board, black-through board, metallised board |
| Printing | Offset litho and digital; CMYK plus spot Pantone shade swatches |
| Finishes | Gloss, matte and soft-touch lamination, spot UV, foil stamp, emboss |
| Hook compatibility | Standard retail peg hooks, typically 3–6 mm diameter |
| Barcode area | Minimum 1.5 in clear width on a flat panel, clear of creases and the tab |
| Starting unit price | From $0.30 per piece on qualifying large-volume orders |
| Ordering | Quote based; retail case counts and pallet patterns supported |
Hang Tab Lipstick Boxes: common questions
Answers to the questions we are asked most often about this product. If yours is not here, put it in the enquiry form and we will answer it directly.
Can I have a large window and a hang tab on the same panel?
Yes, but the two compete for the same material. A full-height window immediately below the slot leaves very little board to carry the load. We compensate with a heavier board, a clear film patch to stiffen the panel, and a reinforced tab, and we will tell you if the combination you want needs all three.
Should the window have a clear film patch?
On a hanging pack, yes. An open window on a peg hook collects dust, lets the case shift and rattle, and leaves the panel much weaker. The patch costs little, stiffens the panel and keeps the product looking new after weeks on a fixture.
Which part of the lipstick should the window show?
Whatever identifies the shade, which on most bullet cases is the base rather than the cap. Shoppers on a peg wall are matching a colour, so a window showing a plain black cap tells them nothing. If the case does not show the shade anywhere, print a swatch instead of cutting a window.
How heavy can a three-pack hanging carton be?
Three bullet cases is enough weight that a standard single-thickness tab in 18pt board will start to elongate. We would specify 24pt board with a reinforced tab as a baseline, and hang-test a sample at your packed weight before printing if you want it confirmed.
Do I need black-through board for a dark carton?
It makes a visible difference. On standard white board, the die-cut window rim and every creased edge shows a thin white line. On a hanging pack that rim is at eye level and directly in the shopper's sightline, so it is more noticeable here than on a shelf product.
Where does the barcode go?
On a flat panel, at least 1.5 inches of clear width, not crossing a crease and not on the tab. On a carton this narrow, the back panel is usually the only place it fits properly. Retail scanners fail on barcodes that sit over a fold, so this is worth planning rather than fitting in.
Can you match a retailer packaging specification?
Yes, and send it at enquiry stage. Chains publish exact tab dimensions, tolerances, barcode positions and case counts. Building to that specification from the start costs nothing extra; correcting a rejected delivery costs a great deal.
Is kraft board a sensible choice for a peg fixture?
It depends what is next to you. Kraft reads as natural and stands out against a wall of glossy packs, which is an advantage. But kraft mutes every printed colour, so if your range relies on shoppers distinguishing between six shades at three feet, coated white board serves you better.
Does the window weaken the carton for shipping too?
Slightly, though transit is less demanding than hanging because the load is not concentrated at one point. The bigger transit consideration is casing packed cartons upright so the tabs are not crushed. Tell us how you case-pack and we will set the case count accordingly.
Can a shaped window be cut instead of a rectangle?
Yes. A lip shape, a droplet or a brand mark cut as the window is a strong differentiator on a crowded fixture. Keep the shape reasonably simple and avoid thin board bridges within the cut, since those tear during die-cutting and again in handling.
How does the film patch affect recyclability?
It makes the pack two materials. The board is recyclable in standard paper streams; the film is not, and a consumer has to separate them. PLA is available if you prefer a bio-based film. Either way, say so accurately on pack rather than implying the whole carton is paper.
What lead time should I allow?
Longer than a plain carton, because the window patch is an extra production pass and the tab die has to be cut. If a hang test is included, add time for that too. We confirm the production window in writing with the quote once the specification is settled.
What else fits the same line
Get a written price for hang tab lipstick boxes
Send your dimensions, quantity and artwork status. You will get a written quote with the price at your quantity and at the next volume break, plus anything we need clarified.
Price starts from $0.30 per piece for large-volume orders. Final pricing depends on size, material, printing, and quantity.