Cosmetic & soap labels
A label that holds in the bathroom, and looks like the price
The short answer: anything that meets water, steam or oil needs a synthetic film — polypropylene for printed colour, clear polyester for the minimal look. Paper is for dry products and gift boxes. Then add the finish: soft touch, foil, relief varnish. From 100 labels per design.
Materials
Start with what the product touches
White polypropylene
Shampoo, shower gel, body lotion. Bends with a squeezable bottle, survives wet hands and steam.
from £168 / 100
Clear polyester
For serums and frosted glass where the container is the design. Waterproof, oil-resistant, nearly invisible.
from £181 / 100
Pearlescent
A shimmer across the whole surface, not just an area. Reads premium without a single foil block.
from £154 / 100
Deep black + foil
Matte black paper that absorbs light, gold or silver pressed on top. The fragrance and night-care standard.
from £145 / 100
Mirror gold & silver
A metallised surface across the whole label. Strong on dark glass, and cheaper than foil over a large area.
from £120 / 100
Kraft & natural papers
Solid soap, shampoo bars, gift wraps — anything that stays dry. Honest texture, takes a letterpress look well.
from £175 / 100Formats
Small containers, real constraints
| Container | Label | Typical size | The difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serum 30 ml | Body wrap | 55 × 40 mm | Fitting the INCI list — consider a peelable layer |
| Cream jar 50 ml | Lid + body | Ø 45 mm + 100 × 25 mm | Two small runs rather than one |
| Shampoo 250 ml | Front + back | 75 × 105 mm | Must bend without creasing on a squeezable bottle |
| Soap bar | Belly band | 150 × 55 mm | Cut to the bar, not to a standard |
| Roll-on 10 ml | Wrap | 70 × 25 mm | Very small type; keep the design sparse |
| Candle 200 g | Body + base | 85 × 60 mm | CLP panel usually goes underneath |
Sizes above 150 × 105 mm are quoted as a custom request.
Finishes
Where the perceived value comes from
Soft touch
A velvet, almost rubbery surface. The finish customers notice before they read anything.
Hot foil
Gold or silver pressed into the stock — reflective in a way no printed metallic ink can imitate.
Relief varnish
A raised logo you feel under the thumb. Pairs best with a matte lamination.
All three are available from 100 labels — see the full finishing room.
FAQ
Cosmetic labels — what brands ask us
Will a cosmetic label survive the shower?
Only if it is a synthetic film. White polypropylene or clear polyester with a laminate resists running water, steam and repeated handling with wet hands. Paper labels — even laminated ones — will eventually lift at the edges in a bathroom. For a shower gel, a film is not a premium option, it is the minimum specification.
What about oils and essential oils?
Oils are more aggressive than water: they creep under the edge of a label and attack the adhesive and the ink. Use a polypropylene or polyester film with a laminate, never an uncoated paper. If your formula is rich in essential oils, mention it and we spec a reinforced adhesive.
How small can the INCI list be printed?
We hold fine detail down to about 4 pt on coated and synthetic materials, but legibility matters more than the technical minimum: EU cosmetic rules require the ingredients list to be visible and legible. On very small containers, the usual solution is a peelable two-layer label — the front carries the brand, the layer underneath the full INCI list.
Do soap labels need a CLP hazard panel?
Cold-process soap sold as a cosmetic follows cosmetic rules, not CLP. But a soap sold as a cleaning product, and most candles and reed diffusers, do require CLP pictograms and hazard statements. If you are unsure which regime applies, put the question in your request — it changes what has to fit on the label.
Which finishes work for a premium range?
Soft touch lamination for a velvet feel, gold or silver hot foil for the name, and relief varnish to raise a logo you can feel. Pearlescent and metallic stocks change the whole surface rather than an area of it. All are available from 100 labels.
The formula is yours. The finish is ours.
Material, size, finish — priced instantly, from 100 labels.