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.jpg "Airless Dispenser vs. pump dispenser")
Airless dispenser vs. pump dispenser: how to choose the right cosmetics packaging
Pump dispensers: soap pumps or lotion pumps
These pumps are very widely used for all kinds of liquid and gel-like soaps, creams or lotions that are not overly solid. The pump is simply screwed onto a PET or PE bottle. The filling material can be pumped upwards via a hose.
How pump dispensers work
Pumping is simple – just mechanically push down on the pump body. The pump body is then pulled up again by a stainless steel spring. This creates a vacuum which sucks the filling material via the hose into the pump body. Plastic or glass balls serve as valves, which seal the pump body in the direction of the hose and in the direction of the outlet opening. At the same time, channels are opened during the pumping process which allow air to flow into the container. Without air, the bottle would collapse and the pump’s delivery capacity would be impaired.
Advantages and disadvantages of pump dispensers
Pump dispenser systems are simple, cheap and proven, but they do have some disadvantages:
A major disadvantage is the inflow of air into the bottle. This unfiltered air contains bacteria and mould spores, which then come into contact with the filling material inside. Especially for cosmetics with little or no preservatives, this can very quickly lead to the filling material becoming spoiled. Oxidation due to the added oxygen is also often an issue.
Another problem can be the metal spring in the pump body. Certain filling materials react with the metal, which can lead to the filling material becoming unusable. Soap and lotion pumps without metal components are available, but these are significantly more expensive than standard pumps with metal.
Another disadvantage of pump dispensers is that they cannot be used upside down, as the tube would only suck in air in this case. This is annoying and stops the pump from emptying completely without residues.
Airless Dispenser
So-called airless dispensers were designed in such a way that all the disadvantages mentioned above were eliminated. No new disadvantages were created in the process.
How airless dispensers work
Generally speaking, airless dispensers consist of three parts. The pump head, the container and the piston. The airless dispenser is delivered in two parts – the head part and the container with the piston already inserted. Unlike the soap pump, the airless dispenser does not use a tube. The filling material removed by the pumping process is not replaced by penetrating air, but instead sucks the piston upwards. This not only prevents air from entering the dispenser, but also removes any air present in the dispenser. There is therefore no air in the container – which is why it is called “airless”, meaning “without air”.
A plastic bellows is built into the head of the dispenser, which creates a vacuum by moving up and down. This sucks the filling material out of the container. Unlike the soap pump, the airless dispenser uses a membrane made of soft plastic as a valve.
The volume per stroke (per pumping operation) is determined by the volume of the bellows. The airless dispensers offered by Packari.com have a volume per stroke between 0.2 ml (Dispenser Nano) and 2 ml (Dispenser Macro). Airless dispensers are 100% free from metals.
Advantages and disadvantages of airless dispensers
As mentioned above, airless dispensers have no disadvantages compared to pump dispensers. Since there is no air in the dispenser and no tube is needed, pumping is possible in any position, even from upside down.
Another variant offered by Packari.com is the Self Closing Airless Dispenser. With this dispenser, the dispenser head differs in that the outlet opening is closed by a different valve. This way, the outlet is always clean and protected from mould or unsightly discolouration.
The key point, however, is that no ambient air can penetrate to the filling material. This makes premature oxidation or spoilage unlikely. Airless dispensers are the ideal packaging, especially for cosmetics that do not require a lot of preservatives.