Custom Mascara Boxes & Mascara Packaging
Mascara is a tall skinny tube going into a tall skinny carton, and that shape is deceptively awkward to print well. Narrow panels leave you almost no room for copy, the carton tips over on shelf if the base is wrong, and every compliance mark still has to fit somewhere. We print a lot of mascara packaging at ZEE Packaging so here is what actually matters.
The Shape Problem
A standard mascara tube is roughly 4 inches tall and under an inch wide. That gives you very little real estate.
- Front panel is narrow, so brand name and product name are about all that fit comfortably
- Ingredient list nearly always goes on a side panel or a fold out flap
- Base needs enough footprint or the mascara box topples on shelf
- Tall cartons crease badly if the board is too thin
- Wand length matters, measure with the cap screwed on
We often widen the base slightly on a mascara box just for stability, and most clients never notice the difference visually.
- Reverse tuck end cheapest and most common mascara box in retail
- Straight tuck end cleaner front face, worth the small extra
- Seal end carton glued ends, gives you tamper evidence
- Sleeve over a tray for duo and set mascara packaging
- Rigid box luxury and gift range
- Mailer for direct to customer mascara packaging
Sizes We Print Most
Every mascara box is built to your tube, but these come up constantly:
- 1" x 1" x 4" for a slim standard tube
- 1.25" x 1.25" x 4.5" for a wider barrel mascara box
- 1.5" x 1.5" x 5" for jumbo and volumizing tubes
- 2.5" x 1.25" x 4.5" for a duo mascara box with primer
- 4" x 3" x 5" for a gift set mascara packaging
Measure the tube with cap on and add the wand clearance. Send that and we build the dieline around it.
Board Choice
- 18pt to 20pt SBS C1S, our default for a printed mascara box
- 22pt to 24pt if the tube is glass or heavier than usual
- Kraft board for clean beauty and natural ranges
- Metallized or pearlescent stock for a premium mascara box
- Rigid greyboard 36pt for gift sets
Below 16pt a tall narrow carton just does not hold shape. It bows in the middle and looks cheap on shelf.
Compliance And Copy
Cosmetic cartons carry a lot of mandatory information and space is tight, so plan it early.
- INCI ingredient list, usually a side panel
- Net weight in oz and ml
- Batch and expiry area, leave blank for inkjet coding
- PAO symbol, mascara is normally 6M
- Manufacturer name and address
- Barcode with proper quiet zone
- Cruelty free, vegan or ophthalmologist tested claims
Our prepress team checks every one of these against the dieline so nothing gets trimmed at the edge.
Finishing That Sells
- Soft touch lamination, by far the most requested for mascara packaging
- Matte film with spot UV over the logo
- Foil stamping, gold, rose gold and holographic all work here
- Emboss or deboss on the brand mark
- Metallic and pearl effect straight off the stock
- Printed inside panel, cheap and it gets noticed
Greener Options
- Recycled kraft mascara box with no film
- FSC certified board, certificate on request
- Soy and water based inks
- Uncoated finish that recycles curbside
- Right sized mascara packaging so you ship less air
How We Work
- 100 unit minimum on any mascara box design
- Free 3D mockup and flat proof
- Free dieline from our inhouse designer
- 5 to 8 business day urgent turnaround
- Free shipping worldwide
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my carton keep tipping over on shelf?
Base footprint too small for the height. We widen the base a fraction on the dieline and it solves it without changing the look much.
What's the price of a mascara box?
Our mascara box packaging cost $0.20 to $0.70 per unit for folding cartons, $0.85 to $2.10 for mailers and $1.90 to $4.80 for rigid at moderate quantity. Foil and metallized stock push it higher. Shipping is included in our price. This is estimate only, so ask our team for a exact quote.
Where should the ingredient list go?
Side panel, almost always. The front is too narrow and cramming INCI onto it makes the whole mascara box look busy.
How small can the text go?
6pt is our floor on ingredient copy. Any smaller and it starts filling in on press, especially on uncoated stock.
Can you leave space for batch coding?
Yes, we mark a clear coding window on the dieline so your inkjet has clean unprinted board to hit.
Does soft touch mark easily?
It shows finger prints more than matte film, but the feel usually wins. For pale colors we sometimes suggest matte instead.
Can you do a duo with mascara and primer?
Yes, either a divided carton or a sleeve over a tray so both tubes sit separate and neither rattles.
