Holiday Beauty Orders: How to Keep Cosmetics From Leaking, Freezing or Breaking in Transit

The busiest weeks of the year for beauty sellers are also the riskiest for their parcels. Gift sets, serums and perfumes ship in record numbers between now and the end of December, and many travel through cold depots, crowded hubs and freezing porches on the way.

It matters because ecommerce is now the largest sales channel for beauty worldwide, accounting for 28 percent of global beauty sales, according to McKinsey & Company. It is also where things go wrong. In a Harris Poll survey for DS Smith, 60 percent of Americans said they had received damaged goods from an online order in the past year, and health and beauty products were among the items damaged most often.

For a small brand, one leaked serum costs the product, the replacement shipment and often the customer. Four checks make the biggest difference this season.

1. Seal every liquid twice

Pressure changes and vibration in transit push liquid past caps. Tape or shrink-band each cap, lock pumps and droppers, and bag every bottle separately, so a single leak does not ruin the whole order.

2. Plan for winter routes

Cold is the hidden risk of the season. Water-based lotions and toners can freeze and separate, and the FDA warns that cosmetics exposed to high temperatures may deteriorate well before their expiration date. Insulated mailers buy time on cold routes, and shipping early in the week, Monday to Wednesday, keeps parcels out of weekend depots.

3. Check the carrier rules for perfume

Fragrance is a popular gift and the easiest item to ship the wrong way. USPS allows alcohol-based perfume to be mailed within the US by ground, but not by air and not internationally. Holiday orders that promise fast delivery need a shipping plan that fits those rules.

4. Shorten the trip

Every extra day in transit is another day in a cold truck or on a porch. Shipping from a warehouse closer to the customer cuts both days and handling points.

DSCP Smart Fulfillment, which operates a warehouse in New Brunswick, recently launched a dedicated cosmetics and beauty fulfillment service for brands selling in the US. Its full guide to shipping cosmetics without leaks or damage, including a product-by-product packing table, is available on the company blog.