Cosmetic Glass vs Pharmaceutical Glass: What's the Difference?

When choosing glass packaging for your product, it’s important to understand the differences between cosmetic and pharmaceutical glass. While both types offer the timeless elegance and sustainability of glass, their uses vary depending on the specific needs of your brand.

Cosmetic Glass

Often clearer, with a smooth flawless finish, cosmetic glass helps highlight your product inside. Designed to showcase beauty, with an added emphasis on aesthetics and brand presentation. Whether it's a sleek, straight-sided jar or the premium finish of frosted or coloured glass, cosmetic packaging creates an upscale, minimalistic feel. And, of course, glass is infinitely recyclable, adding an eco-friendly element to your packaging.

Products this case study features:

Cosmetic Glass Bottles

Cosmetic glass bottles such as our Mallaig range are a great example of how a premium material can form a stunning pack, with great shelf presence, that doesn't disappoint when the customer picks it up!

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Cosmetic Glass Jars

The Richmond Jar range, along with the fluted, high-quality heritage of the Victoria Jar, do a great job of showing off premium quality glass as a skincare packaging material.

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Pharmaceutical Glass

On the other hand, pharmaceutical glass is engineered with specific qualities for safety, stability and protection. Typically thicker, it is more resistant to breakage and designed to preserve the integrity of the products inside. While it may not have the same sleek, minimalistic appeal as cosmetic glass, it ensures the product inside remains protected and effective, whether it's a medicine, serum or other high-stake formulation. At Richmond, there's plenty of bottles and jars that come under the pharmaceutical category for you to choose from.