Home Page
Fresh Masks
Meet a Member
Essentially Yours
Kitchen Soaping
Spice Cabinet
Labeling Challenges
In The News
Hints & Tips
Contest!
Submit

Labeling Challenges
Part 2 - 
Bottles and Jars and Tubes... Oh My!  

Last month we covered a few different methods of wrapping and labeling bar soap.     If you have gone ahead and made up sugar scrubs, room sprays, lotion sticks, lip balms or lotions, you know that cigar bands just don't work for these labels.   They present a challenge all their own.

I basically use the same plan of attack with all these packages; they are just scaled up or down to fit that particular container style.

I like to use sheets of label paper and create my own stick-on labels.  I use the one solid label style vs. the sheets with pre-defined label shapes.   This is much more versatile and allows me to create my own unique label and size.   I find that the waterproof sheets of labels are the absolute best.

Microsoft Word is the software of choice for me, except for round labels, in which case I use Microsoft Publisher.     In know many soapers like to use PrintShop or a similar program.  

For bottles and jars, I like two different labels.    The front label has my company name, the product name, scent, and approximate weight.    I like to include a pretty graphic, too.     The back label is separate.  I list ingredients, directions for use, company contact information, a disclaimer, and, if I am in an extremely creative mood, a little blurb about the product.

The idea is similar on smaller, squat jars or tins.  Of course I have to resize the labels so they fit in the smaller space, and I add a round label to the top lid.  I love how the round label looks.

Designing and printing the labels is always quite time consuming for me.  I have a paper cutter that I use to cut the labels as neatly as possible.    This thing is the best; I can't imagine what I did before I got it as a Mother's Day gift.   A circle cutter works well for cutting any round ones out.  Cutting those by my hand rarely resembles anything round to me.

Shrink bands are getting quite easy to find for our specific uses.  I absolutely love how a lip balm or sugar scrub looks with a shrink band - very neat, clean and professional.    They keep all the "yuckies" out and you know the last thing we want in lip balms are the "yuckies".   I have great ease-of-use experience with them.   I apply mine with a blow dryer set on hot and have no problems at all.

I have also seen sealing disks which are super.    There are a couple different varieties I've noticed.    One just sits on top of the jar, and below the lid.   It creates a barrier, but it isn't adhered in any way.   The newer ones I've seen sit on top of the jar and closing the lid actually seals it tight.  I love this idea!     

To get some other ideas, look around how others label their items.    Don't forget to use your imagination...   you can come up with something wonderful; I have great confidence in that.

~ Jessica Miller