Are you considering dropper bottles for containing and dispensing your products? If so, it’s important to understand how they work and differ from alternative packaging products, to see if they’re the right fit for you and your product.
Here, Origin covers everything you need to know about dropper bottles. Specifically, we discuss what dropper bottles and dropper bottle inserts are, their uses, and cover many frequently asked questions about these fundamental packaging options.
What Are Dropper Bottles?
Dropper bottles are primary packaging containers that feature specialised pharmaceutical closures with built-in dropper devices. They are designed to administer accurately dosed liquid drops – often medicines, consumables such as flavour drops, fragrances, and essential oils.
The dropper mechanism is built into the bottle lid and features a dropper insert or squeezable pipette, used to withdraw liquid from the bottle and dispense it accurately in single droplets.
What Are Dropper Bottles Used for?
Dropper bottles are used for many things, such as pharmaceutical packaging to safely contain a variety of pharmaceutical liquids. They’re also often used in ophthalmic contexts and lifestyle product packaging for products such as essential oils and aromatherapy. With vape liquids growing in popularity, empty vape bottles are an increasingly popular choice for dropper bottles, too.
What Are Dropper Bottle Inserts?
Dropper inserts are used in glass or plastic bottles to dispense liquids. They are a safer alternative to dropper pipettes, which can be useful but are not always ideal, as oils can eat away at the rubber material. As a result, dropper inserts are often used instead of pipettes for products like essential oils.
There are four cap styles to choose from at Origin, including vertical and horizontal solutions and tamper-proof packaging options.
How to Use Dropper Bottles
Unlike squeezable dropper pipettes, the key thing to know about dropper inserts is that the product does all the work, and squeezing is unnecessary.
When using vertical droppers, turn the bottle 180 degrees, allowing the air to go in as the drop falls. This provides the correct amount of oil for dispensing. For horizontal droppers, pour at about 135 degrees, similarly to how you would pour wine.
What Are Dropper Insert Flow Rates
Dropper insert flow rates refer to the speed at which droplets are dispensed. Typically, the first drop dispensed should take 3 to 5 seconds, and after that, it should take 1 to 3 seconds.
However, flow rates can be changed by optimising the dropper. This can be done by adding a dropper insert, which is effective when it comes to controlling the flow of the liquid as it leaves the bottle, or by changing the dropper to increase or decrease the flow rate.
This allows you to have more control over your product. Depending on the thickness of the liquid, different orifice sizes will be needed to achieve the desired flow rate.
To give you an idea of which size you need, essential oils such as tea tree oil, orange, lemon, eucalyptus, lime, cypress, ginger, lavender, peppermint, and wintergreen are thinner and less viscous. In contrast, oils with a thicker viscosity include vanilla, patchouli, cedarwood, vetiver, clary sage, jasminum sambac, and ylang ylang.
How to Choose the Right Dropper Bottle for Essential Oils
When choosing a dropper bottle for essential oil products, you should consider the material, size, and light protection that your chosen bottles offer and whether they’re appropriate for your product.
With regard to material, for example, amber glass bottles are popular choices because they help protect oils from UV light, which can reduce oxidation and help preserve quality over time. Glass is also often preferred instead of plastic for certain essential oils, as some can react with plastic materials.
The bottle’s size should also be considered, depending on how the oil will be used. Smaller bottles, such as 10ml or 30ml, are ideal for convenient personal use, while larger bottles may suit bulk storage.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Materials Are Dropper Bottles Made of?
Dropper bottles can be produced with a range of materials, with both glass dropper bottles and plastic dropper bottles available. Some common plastic bottles used include HDPE bottles, LDPE bottles, and PET bottles. Specifically, dropper bottles must be made from rigid, impact-resistant and non-squeezable materials.
Can You Recycle Glass Dropper Bottles?
Dropper bottles made from glass can be recycled, making them an excellent choice for sustainable pharmaceutical packaging. Glass is highly recyclable and can be reused many times without loss in quality. However, additional components of the bottles, such as the rubber bulb, will need to be separated and either disposed of or recycled separately.
What Are the Transportation Benefits of Dropper Bottles?
Dropper bottles are cost-effective and simple to transport, as they can be shipped in large volumes at a time. This is because they are light and compact, so they don’t take up much space at all.
What Are the Different Types of Dropper Bottle Closures?
You can choose from a range of dropper bottle closures, depending on the needs of the user and the purpose of the bottle. There are dropper nozzles, atomisers, screw necks, and pipette assemblies. Be sure to find out which of these is right for you before buying dropper bottles.
What Are the Different Colour Options of Dropper Bottles?
Dropper bottles come in a variety of colours to meet branding requirements and presentation styles. It is also possible to choose amber glass bottles that protect the liquid inside from harmful and damaging UV rays and lights.
How to Open Dropper Bottles
Most dropper bottles are opened by twisting the cap anti-clockwise, but some child-resistant droppers will require you to push down while turning. If the bottle feels stuck, try gripping the cap with a dry cloth or rubber grip for extra traction. For tamper-evident bottles, you may also need to break the plastic seal around the lid before it opens fully.
How Many Drops Are in a 30ml Dropper Bottle?
A 30ml dropper bottle usually contains around 600 drops of liquid, although the exact amount can vary depending on the thickness of the product and the style of dropper closure used.
Thinner liquids, such as essential oils or tinctures, generally produce smaller drops, while thicker oils and serums may produce fewer drops overall. Considering these when choosing dropper bottles for your products can help to make the most appropriate choice for the end users’ experience.
Dropper Bottles from Origin
Looking for high-quality, customisable dropper bottles that are compatible with a range of dropper inserts, pipettes and closures? Origin’s extensive range of glass dropper bottles and plastic dropper bottles will meet your requirements, with a diverse selection of options available – including child-resistant droppers for end user safety and regulatory compliance.
Origin makes it simple to find the dropper bottles and related products you require, as well as assisting with achieving the perfect flow rate, so you can give your customers the best experience possible. For more information about our dropper bottles, chat with our helpful team today.
