If you’re active in the cosmetic and beauty industry, chances are high that you’ve heard about a new phenomenon called airless pump bottles. Although airless bottles have been around for quite a while now, it was not until recently that their popularity began to grow. But what are airless bottles exactly and how do they work? And, most importantly, are airless bottles suitable for any type of cosmetic product? Throughout this article, we will have a closer look at what airless bottles are and how they work. Hopefully this will give you a better understanding on whether this type of pump bottles are suitable for your product or not.
What are airless bottles and how do they work?
To understand how airless bottles work and what their advantages are, we first need to know what exactly airless bottles are and how they differ from traditional lotion pumps. Unlike the traditional lotion pump bottle that features an internal dip tube structure, airless bottles come with a non-pressurized vacuum dispensing mechanism.
With the traditional lotion pump, every time you press the lid, upwards air pressure pushes the lotion up through the tube and out of the pump. The empty space created by the used product, will be filled up with air from outside of the bottle. Airless bottles, on the other hand, work with a non-pressurized vacuum dispensing system. These bottles feature a small disc at the bottom that, with every press of the lid, moves up slightly due to air pressure from below. The upwards moving disc pushes up the lotion inside of the bottle simultaneously, causing it to dispense through the pump. Because of the upwards moving bottom that pushes out the product, no external air enters the bottle at any given moment – hence the name; airless bottles. This vacuum and airless design is what gives airless bottles its benefits over traditional lotion pumps.
What are the advantages of airless bottles?
The main advantages of airless bottles are created through their vacuum internal environment. Because the product stored inside of the airless bottle never gets in contact with air and moist from outside of the bottle, the products stored inside enjoy a significantly longer shelf life. When stored in an airless bottle, products remain fresh for up to 15% longer compared to if they are stored inside of a regular lotion pump. The airless design brings along further benefits for storing sensitive products that can easily be affected by external air. Think for instance about sensitive and natural lotions, cremes, or serums. For this type of products, airless bottles offer a safe and lasting storage solution.
Besides its vacuum design, airless bottles bring along a handful of other benefits. An important example of those is that airless bottles are much more sustainable compared to regular lotion pumps. Due to its airless design, these bottles no longer require a bulky lotion cap nor internal tube structure. Thanks to this, far less materials are required to craft the bottles. On top of that, airless bottles can be easily cleaned after use. Unlike traditional lotion pumps that can only be used once, airless bottles can be cleaned and reused numerous times. This allows companies to reduce their production of packaging waste significantly.
Not only do airless bottles create less material waste, but they also reduce product waste. If you have used a traditional lotion bottle before, you must know the struggle of emptying out the bottles. Whenever a traditional lotion pump stops working, a lot of leftover product is still left inside of the bottle around the sides or on the bottom – out of reach from the dip tube. The only way to get this product out is to open the lid and to either use a long tool or water. This can become a very messy process. With airless bottles, this will be an issue of the past. Due to the tight-fit and upwards moving disc at the bottom, every bit of products gets pushed up without leaving any leftovers behind. Whenever your airless pump stops working, you can be guaranteed that the bottle is 100% empty.
Last but certainly not least, airless bottles can be used in any position. One struggle with traditional lotion pumps is that they can only be used standing upright. Thanks to their vacuum design, however, airless bottles can be used in any position. Whether you hold it upright, upside down, or sideways, airless bottles always dispense of the product inside at the same strength.
What to consider before using airless bottles?
After going through the advantages of airless bottles, you might think to yourself; why isn’t everybody using airless bottles already? The truth is that, just as with any other type of packaging solution, there always are considerations before implementation.
One important thing to consider with airless bottles, for example, are the operational costs. Airless bottles on their own are likely already a bit more expensive compared to regular lotion pumps. On top of that, their filling process is a bit more complex and time consuming, resulting in it being pricier. As a result, the use of airless packaging will likely drive up the costs of the end product. The main reason why most companies who are not yet using airless bottles stay away from them is the fact that they are too expensive to use compared to the available alternatives.
Another disadvantage about airless bottles is that there are far less suppliers compared to regular plastic bottles. As such, the use of airless bottles often results in longer lead times and higher minimum order quantities. This may make the switch from regular plastic bottles to airless bottles difficult for small and medium-sized companies.
Last but certainly not least it has to be kept in mind that not all airless technology solutions are created equal and that some may work better than others. Also, it is important to understand that not every type of product can be used with airless bottles. This is why it’s very important to first order some samples of a certain airless bottle and to test these samples with your product before committing yourself to a wholesale order.
