Filed under wholesale cosmetic bottles — start there for the stock moulds, then use the detail below to narrow the spec.
Wholesale cosmetic jars are jars from existing stock moulds, supplied with matched lids, so a formula that is ready to fill does not wait on tooling. The main choices are the jar category (cream, loose powder or lip), glass or acrylic for the body, and the liner that suits the formula. Pricing depends on quantity and is quoted per project, together with the closure, decoration and freight terms you choose.
Stock jar formats and capacities
Three functional categories account for 90% of what skincare lines ask for, and each one has a different critical specification.
- Cream jars, also sold as balm or butter jars, are wide-mouth containers from 15ml to 100ml with threaded or lug finishes, made for thick products that are scooped or dipped. Seal integrity comes first. Stock versions combine a glass or acrylic body with a PP inner lid, a PE liner and an outer closure in ABS, aluminum or bamboo.
- Loose powder jars have a simple body, usually straight-sided and 10g to 50g. The sifter decides how the jar performs: its hole pattern and its seal against the rim separate a tidy pack from a messy one. Rotating sifters with open and closed positions suit travel; fixed sifters suit value lines.
- Lip gloss pots and lip balm jars run from 5g to 15g with screw closures or snap lids. If a wand is involved, check the wiper fit. For pots, wall clarity matters because it displays the product color.
| Stock jar type | Material | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Straight-sided cream jar with PP lid | Clear glass | 15ml / 20ml |
| Wide-mouth cream jar with aluminum lid | Clear glass | 30ml / 50ml |
| Heavy-base cream jar with bamboo lid | Frosted glass | 50ml / 100ml |
| Double-wall cream jar with PP lid | Acrylic (PMMA) | 15ml / 30ml |
| Double-wall cream jar with upgraded cap | Acrylic (PMMA) | 50ml |
| Loose powder jar with rotating sifter | Acrylic / SAN | 10g / 20g |
| Lip gloss pot with screw lid | Clear glass | 5g / 10g |
| Lip balm jar with snap lid | Acrylic | 7g / 15g |
Glass or acrylic for the jar body
Pick the material from how the product is positioned and shipped. Glass feels heavy, cool and permanent in the hand. It is chemically inert, so retinol, vitamin C, acids and formulas rich in essential oils do not react with it, and it can be recycled indefinitely, which counts on the sustainability scorecards of US retailers. Against that, glass costs more to ship and can break in transit or on a bathroom floor.
Acrylic (PMMA) gives similar clarity at roughly 40 percent of the weight and removes most of the breakage risk. A double-wall acrylic jar, with a clear outer wall around a colored or frosted inner wall, photographs well for e-commerce. Its limits are real: the surface scratches more readily, it can craze in contact with some high-alcohol or oil-heavy formulas, and its sustainability case is weaker.
| Attribute | Glass | Acrylic (PMMA) |
|---|---|---|
| Formula compatibility | Inert with aggressive actives | May craze with high-alcohol or oil-heavy formulas |
| Weight and breakage | Heavier, can break | Much lighter, break-resistant |
| Surface wear | Holds its finish | Scratches more easily |
| Recycling story | Endlessly recyclable | Weaker |
| Typical use | Hero SKUs, night creams | Travel sets, subscription boxes, price-point lines |
Liners, seals and leak testing
The liner is what protects the formula. A quoted stock jar comes with its matched lid and a standard PE foam liner. For oil-rich balms, specify an EPE liner instead: standard PE can absorb oil and lose compression over time. Induction-seal liners and disc liners are further options.
Stock jar-and-lid combinations are checked with a 24-hour inverted leak test at 40°C, a vacuum leak test for airless-adjacent formats, and a torque retention check after 72 hours. Ask for the test report when you request samples, then repeat the inverted test with your own formula.
Light-sensitive actives such as retinoids, ascorbic acid and some botanical extracts are better served by amber or UV-coated glass. Amber glass is available for 30ml and 50ml stock jar bodies, and other light-protective formats are covered in our guide to amber cosmetic bottles.
Branding a stock jar
A stock mould can still carry your identity. Frosted glass takes screen printing well, and a clear acrylic outer wall over a printed inner wall makes the logo appear to float. Labels are the quickest route: the flat label panels on stock jars are dimensioned to standard US label sizes, so a label vendor does not need custom dies.
Planning the order
Stock jar pricing moves with quantity. Several jar styles can be combined in one order, and the total across styles is what the quote is based on. Acrylic quotes assume double-wall construction with stock inner colors, so say so if you need something else. A first order for an indie skincare brand typically covers one or two jar styles, sized to avoid holding a year of inventory.
If the line also includes lotions and serums, choosing them alongside the jars from our lotion and cream bottle formats lets everything travel in one container under one QC inspection.
FAQs about wholesale cosmetic jars
What is the minimum order for stock cosmetic jars?
Minimums are quoted per project. They depend on the mould and the line it runs on.
Do stock jars include lids and liners?
Yes. The matched lid and a standard PE foam liner are part of the quoted jar, with induction-seal, EPE and disc liners as alternatives.
Can my logo go on a stock jar?
Yes, by screen printing, a printed inner wall on double-wall acrylic, or a label on the flat panel.
How fast can an order reach the US?
Timing is quoted per project once the mould, decoration and line schedule are confirmed.