Mascara Boxes

A mascara box is a slim folding carton cut to a mascara tube, usually with a tuck closure and sometimes a hang tab for peg displays. TBPB makes them custom with no minimum order, and if you bring a written quote for the same specs, we will beat it.

The shape of a mascara carton

A typical mascara tube is roughly four to five inches long and under an inch across, though thick-barrel and curved-wand designs run wider. That makes the carton tall and narrow, which has two effects. First, small measuring errors show quickly, so we size from the real tube with the cap on. Second, the front panel is slim, so the product name and the key claim have to be short. A mascara that tries to print four selling points on a one-inch panel ends up with none of them readable.

Closure and display

For online and drawer sales, a tuck top or straight tuck end carton is the simplest, and it opens and closes without wearing out. For retail pegs, a hang tab on the top panel lets it hang flat, and the tab hole should sit above the carton’s balance point so it does not tip forward. Some brands add a paperboard cradle inside so the tube stays centered and the wand end does not press against the closure. Our hang tab boxes show how the peg option is built.

Think about how the carton opens, too. Mascara is a daily-use product, but the carton is usually in the bin within a minute, so the unboxing moment is short. Put the effort into the first look on the shelf or in the parcel, and keep the inside simple. A single printed message under the flap, such as a shade name or a care note, gives the customer something to read when they slide the tube out and does not change the structure of the box.

Board, print and finish

Folding carton paperboard in the 16 to 24 pt range is the normal choice. We print CMYK, or match a Pantone for an exact brand color, and a clean white interior suits most mascara lines. Mascara is often sold as black, so a dark carton with foil or spot UV lettering reads clearly on a shelf. Soft-touch lamination gives a velvety feel, and matte coating hides fingerprints. One caution on very dark flood colors: they show scuffs from handling, so test a sample before you approve a long run.

Pairing with the rest of your range

If you sell a set, make the mascara carton relate to the rest. An eyeliner box shares the same slim format, and a lip gloss box works as a companion. For a gift set with several products, a larger carton or a rigid setup box suits better than a single narrow carton. You can see the full cosmetic packaging range too.

• Tuck top, straight tuck end or reverse tuck end, with or without hang tab
• Folding carton paperboard, 16 to 24 pt depending on tube
• CMYK or Pantone print, matte or gloss coating, soft-touch lamination
• Foil stamping, spot UV, embossing, paperboard cradle on request

You are responsible for ingredient lists, claims and labeling. We print the artwork you supply, so check requirements with your own regulatory adviser. Send the tube length, diameter and your quantity, even if it is a single box, and we draw the dieline and quote it.

Frequently asked questions