Summer is turning up the heat, and your products might be feeling it too!
You know it's getting hot when stepping outside feels like opening an oven. While we're reaching for the aircon, grabbing iced coffees and searching for the nearest patch of shade, there's something else worth thinking about.
Your products experience the heat too.
And unlike us, they can't simply move into the shade or grab an iced coffee.
From lotions separating to bottles leaking during delivery, changing temperatures can affect your formulations, packaging and ultimately your customer's experience.
So, before summer really gets going, here are a few things worth checking.
1. Your Products Might Not Be Enjoying the Sunshine
We all love a little sunshine. Your skincare formulations? Not necessarily.
Heat can affect products in ways you might not immediately notice.
Here's what could happen:
Lotions and creams: High temperatures can affect emulsion stability, sometimes causing separation or changes in texture.
Oils and serums: Heat, light and oxygen can accelerate oxidation in certain ingredients, affecting their colour, smell and quality.
Fragrance products: Some fragrance components are sensitive to heat, which can change how a product smells over time.
Shampoos and body washes: Temperature changes can affect viscosity, making some formulations thinner or thicker.
And remember, even when the weather feels comfortable, a parcel sitting in direct sunlight or inside a delivery vehicle can experience very different conditions.
Bright Tip: Keep a reference sample from every batch you manufacture. If you notice changes in your finished products, you'll have something to compare them with.
Just remember that comparing samples doesn't replace proper stability testing.
2. Your Bottle Might Be Tough, But Is It Summer-Tough?
Not all packaging handles heat in the same way.
And while we love a good-looking bottle, there's more to packaging than looking pretty on a shelf.
PET Bottles
Lightweight, versatile and a popular choice for personal care products.
PET bottles are great for many applications, but excessive heat can cause deformation, depending on the bottle's specifications.
Our tip: Avoid leaving filled PET bottles in direct sunlight or hot vehicles. Always check the recommended filling and storage temperatures for your specific bottle.
Glass Bottles
A favourite for serums, oils and premium skincare.
Glass generally offers good chemical resistance, but don't forget about what's inside. Certain formulations can still be affected by heat and light.
Our tip: Consider amber or other light-protective packaging for ingredients that are sensitive to light, and use suitable protective materials when shipping glass.
HDPE Bottles
Commonly used for larger-volume products, homecare products and certain cosmetic formulations.
HDPE is durable and offers good chemical compatibility with many products, but it's not automatically suitable for every formulation or temperature.
Our tip: Always check compatibility, particularly when packaging products containing concentrated fragrances or essential oils.
The takeaway? Choose packaging based on what you're putting inside it, not just how good it looks on the outside.
3. A Leaky Bottle Is Nobody's Idea of a Summer Surprise
Picture this.
You've carefully formulated your product, chosen the perfect bottle, designed a beautiful label and shipped your order.
Your customer opens the parcel.
And your lovely lotion has decided to explore the inside of the box.
Not quite the unboxing experience you had in mind.
As temperatures change, liquids can expand, pressure inside containers can increase and unsuitable closures may begin to leak.
Before sending out your next batch, check the following:
Caps: Are they the correct size and properly fitted?
Liners: Are you using the right sealing solution for your product and packaging?
Fill levels: Have you allowed the appropriate headspace?
Pumps and sprayers: Are they suitable for your formulation and securely fitted?
Bottle compatibility: Has the complete packaging system been tested with your product?
Bright Tip: Test a few filled samples in different positions, including upright and on their sides, under controlled conditions. Look for leaks around the cap, pump or bottle neck.
It's a useful first check, although proper packaging compatibility and transport testing are still important.
4. Good Ingredients Need Good Storage
Your raw materials deserve a little TLC too.
Some ingredients are more sensitive to heat, light or oxygen than others.
For example:
Shea Butter: Can soften or melt when exposed to warmth. Changes in cooling conditions can also affect its texture.
Carrier Oils: Oils such as Sweet Almond Oil and Rosehip Oil may oxidise more quickly when exposed to heat, light and oxygen.
Fragrance Oils: Certain fragrance components can evaporate or degrade with excessive heat exposure, potentially changing the scent.
Cosmetic Actives: Ingredients such as Sodium Hyaluronate and certain Vitamin C derivatives have specific handling and storage recommendations that should be followed.
A few habits worth keeping:
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Store raw materials in a cool, dark place.
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Keep containers tightly closed when not in use.
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Avoid leaving ingredients in direct sunlight.
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Check expiry dates and monitor changes in appearance or smell.
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Follow recommended manufacturing temperatures when adding heat-sensitive ingredients.
Bright Tip: Don't assume that a product is fine just because it looks fine. Some forms of ingredient degradation aren't immediately visible.
5. Your Parcel Might Be Taking a Hotter Holiday Than You Are
Your products don't travel in air-conditioned comfort all the way to your customer's doorstep.
Well, not usually.
During storage and transport, parcels can experience very different temperatures, particularly when left in delivery vehicles or exposed to direct sunlight.
And even on a mild day, delivery vehicles and storage areas can become surprisingly warm.
Here's how to prepare:
Pack smart. Use sturdy cartons and appropriate cushioning to protect bottles from movement and damage.
Check your closures. Make sure caps, pumps and liners are properly fitted before dispatch.
Avoid unnecessary delays. Where possible, plan dispatches to minimise time spent in transit or storage over weekends.
Test before you scale. If you're launching a new product, trial your packaging and shipping process before sending out large quantities.
Think about temperature-sensitive products. Some formulations may need validated thermal packaging or temperature-controlled transport.
Bright Tip: A box protects your product from bumps and knocks, but ordinary cardboard doesn't guarantee protection from heat.
6. The Five-Minute Summer Packaging Check
Before your next production run, take a few minutes to review your packaging.
| Check | Ask yourself |
|---|---|
| Bottle | Is this material suitable for my formulation? |
| Closure | Does my cap, pump or sprayer fit and seal correctly? |
| Liner | Am I using the right liner for my product? |
| Storage | Am I following the recommended storage conditions? |
| Shipping | Can my packaging withstand normal transport handling? |
| Product stability | Has my finished product been appropriately tested? |
Five minutes of checking won't replace proper testing, but it might help you spot a problem before it becomes an expensive one.
And if you notice leaking, separation, unusual odours or packaging deformation, investigate before selling or dispatching the affected products.
7. Keep Your Cool. Keep Your Products Protected.
Summer might bring the heat, but that doesn't mean your products have to suffer.
Good packaging should be ready for more than just a good-looking product photo.
It should be suitable for your formulation, protect your product throughout its intended shelf life and perform under the conditions it may encounter.
At Brightpack, we offer a wide selection of bottles, jars, caps, pumps, liners and raw materials to help you find suitable solutions for your products.
So, while we can't control the weather, we can help you make more informed packaging decisions.
Keep your cool. Keep your products protected. And let summer do its thing.
Explore our packaging range online or visit us in-store.
Please note: Packaging compatibility, product stability and appropriate storage conditions depend on the individual formulation and packaging specifications. Always carry out suitable testing before commercial release.