Cosmetic aerosol packaging is deceptively uniform. A 100 ml facial mist and a 100 ml body spray are the same object to look at and completely different to use: one has to land as a fine, even mist on a face, the other has to deliver a meaningful volume across a larger area without soaking the skin.
The difference is almost entirely in the valve, the actuator and the internal coating — not in the can body, which is built the same way across the range. This page works through the sizes we make for cosmetic and personal-care products and what each is actually suited to.
The sizes we make for cosmetic and personal care
| 100 ml | Fine mist · 1-inch valve Facial mist, toner, setting spray |
|---|---|
| 150 ml | Fine mist · all-over spray Hydrating mist, body mist |
| 200 ml | BOV / continuous spray Sunscreen, continuous spray, after-sun |
| 300 ml | Strong hold · 1-inch valve Hair spray, styling spray, hair mist |
| 50 ml | Aluminium body, valve & actuator Body spray, perfume spray, deodorant |
| 100 ml (black) | Black body, black valve & cap Body spray, full body spray |
| 100 ml (white / gold) | White body, gold shoulder & cap Full body spray |
| 120 ml (black) | Black body, black valve & cap Perfume and deodorant spray |
| 120 ml · D45 × H120 mm | Sloped shoulder · 1-inch neck Antiperspirant, dry shampoo |
| 30 ml | Fine mist · 1-inch valve Personal care sprays |
| 15 ml | Fine mist Oral spray, mouth mist, medical spray |
The same 1-inch (25.4 mm) opening runs through the range, so a valve and actuator chosen for one size will fit the others in the same family — useful when a brand scales a formula from a travel size to a full size without wanting to re-qualify the fitting.
Fine mist, continuous spray, or bag-on-valve
- Fine mist. The default for facial products. The actuator shapes the spray into a narrow, low-volume pattern so the product lands where it is aimed rather than wetting a wide area.
- Continuous spray. Used where coverage and volume matter more than fineness — body mist, sun care, hair spray. The spray pattern is set by the actuator and valve together, so the two should be specified as one set rather than sourced separately.
- Bag-on-valve. The formulation sits in a sealed bag and the propellant stays outside it. Two consequences matter cosmetically: the propellant never becomes part of what reaches the skin, and the can sprays from any angle — including upside down, which is how most people actually apply sunscreen to their shoulders and back.
The valve is the standard 1-inch (25.4 mm) valve across the cosmetic range — the same opening the actuators above are built for. Because the fitting is constant across the size range, a formulation can move between the 50 ml, 100 ml, 150 ml, 200 ml and 300 ml sizes without the valve being re-specified.
The components that decide how it feels in the hand
- Fine mist actuator — for facial mist, toner and setting spray.
- Sunscreen actuator with a colour ring — the ring lets a range of shades or SPF levels be distinguished on the shelf without changing the can.
- Nasal actuator — for nasal and saline sprays.
- Mousse nozzle and petal cap — for cream and foam formats (see the mousse and foam article).
- Colour-matched caps — standard or custom moulded, in any colour, so the cap can sit on the brand's palette rather than on ours.
Decoration, finish and the premium problem
Perfume and body spray sell on appearance, and the aluminium body is unusually good at carrying that: printing goes direct onto the metal in up to 9 colours, so there is no label edge, no sleeve to slip and no film to wrinkle in a bag.
Finishes available across the range are high gloss, matte, pearlescent and metallic lacquer, plus vacuum coating where a true metal look is wanted. The perfume sizes are also available as a matched assembly — body, valve, shoulder and cap in one colour scheme — which is usually what makes a low-cost unit read as a premium one.
Testing and documentation
- Leak testing — 100% of production, water-bath immersion, every can.
- Pressure and burst testing — sampled per batch, recorded against the batch number.
- Coating adhesion — tested on internal and external coating after curing, which matters where an aggressive formulation sits against the lacquer for months.
- Print colour control — matched against the approved Pantone reference each run.
- Heavy metal and migration testing — third-party laboratory testing available on request for regulated markets.
Cosmetic products are regulated by market, and the documentation a given market expects varies. Tell us where the product will be sold and we will list which documents we can issue for it. What we do hold is listed on the certificates page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum order quantity?
Our standard MOQ is 10,000 pieces per size and design. Smaller trial quantities can be discussed for a first production run.
Can I get free samples before ordering?
Yes. We provide free blank samples so you can run pressure and spray-pattern tests on your own formulation. Printed samples are charged at cost and refunded against your first bulk order.
Which format suits a sunscreen or any-angle spray?
Sunscreen and after-sun formats are usually supplied as bag-on-valve or as a continuous spray. BOV keeps the formulation separate from the propellant and sprays regardless of the angle the can is held at, which matters for a product applied to arms, shoulders and back.
Do you make a fine mist suitable for facial toner?
Yes — the 100 ml and 150 ml cans are supplied with a fine mist actuator on a 1-inch valve as one matched set, and are the sizes we recommend for facial mist, toner and setting spray.
Can the can be finished to look like the product it holds?
Yes. We print direct on the body in up to 9 colours and can supply high gloss, matte, pearlescent, metallic or vacuum-coated finishes. The perfume range is also available with a matched black or white body, valve, shoulder and cap so the whole assembly reads as one object.
Next step
Send the formulation type, the fill volume and how the product will be applied. We will suggest the valve, actuator and internal coating together, because choosing them separately is how spray problems begin. The sizes are on the product pages, and you can ask about cosmetic cans directly.