Inner values matter: COSSMA

When it comes to optimal use of airless systems, it is not only the technology itself that plays a role, but also the inside. Marco Costatino knows how important the filling and the formulation are.

By default, the dispenser is delivered in two parts: Container with piston and pump with a mounted cap. There are two different systems for the container. The snap-on solution means that the pump is pressed onto the open container. Alternatively, there are airless dispensers with a thread to screw on the pump.

It is recommended to slightly overfill the airless dispenser. Anyway, it is important to keep an eye on the maximum filling volume since the recommended overfill emphases “slightly”. If the dispenser is filled with the declared volume only, there will be a small air gap between the product and the underside of the dispenser head. As a result, additional pumping strokes are required.

Airless dispensers are perfect for filling lotions, fluids, creams, toothpaste, hair gels and serums with textures having a viscosity ranging approximately 1,000 – 70,000 mPas. Using textures too thin, such as water, the formulation/texture might squirt out too strong. On the other hand, if the texture is too viscous, the pump might be blocked.

Critical ingredients

Oil and alcohol have a strong influence on the plastic parts and can affect their properties. Even small quantities of such ingredients might impair the handling of the airless system. Though, the emphasis is on ‘might’. If the dosage of oil and alcohol is very high, malfunctions or even a complete system failure is likely.

Dosage and type of the ingredient affect the time span of affecting the material. An effect on the material as well as on the function is possible. The consequences that occur can already lead to problems during storage. In practice, there will hardly be any consequences for the distributor, as they must fulfil legal requirements anyway.

The product and the packaging are subject to sufficient tests in advance. This is usually done through storage stabilisation tests. In most cases, these are carried out over several weeks and at different temperatures, thus simulating the different scenarios of a ‘product’s life’. Formulations with lower proportions of the above-mentioned ingredients are usually unproblematic.