If you feel like every year there’s more and more information that needs to go on the labels for health and beauty products — you’re not alone. Be it cosmetics, supplements, or sports nutrition, sometimes it can be daunting to figure out how to squeeze in an encyclopedia’s worth of information on one label! Not to mention keep it looking sharp and well-branded at the same time — that’s no small feat.

We’ve been working hard to give you options so you can include all the required info while still creating an esthetically pleasing label, and one of our favourite label solutions for this is the peel-back label. 

We’ve come a long way from the peel-backs of yesteryear, where one peel was all you’d get, and the result was a floppy label that would never stay stuck down again! Happily, those days are long past. Below, we’ll… peel back the layers of peel-backs.

Label considerations for peel-backs:

Before we talk details, let’s go over a few things to take into account if you’re thinking about going with peel-backs for your health and beauty labels.

• What material is your container or packaging? The adhesive we use for peel-backs doesn’t work with all materials, make sure you let our team know what material you’re thinking of using or have chosen. 
• How durable does your product need to be? While our peel-backs are meant to be peeled back and pressed down multiple times, by their nature they have edges. If your product is going to be on the move inside purses, pockets, and belt bags, those edges are likely to eventually get caught and bent or damaged. 

ALL ABOUT PEEL BACK LABELS

Depending on the amount of information you need to be included on your labels, and regulations around where that info needs to be placed, whether it needs to be a permanent part of the label, and where it needs to be located, we have a peel-back label option that will have you wondering how you ever did it another way. Let’s get into the different types of peel-back labels first and further down we’ll talk about the pros and cons. 

Peel-Back labels

Give your creative team double the space to work with and brace yourself for the level of excitement unique to a designer that’s been gifted the ability to use more than 1pt font!

Standard peel-back labels, also called hinge labels or extended content labels, are created by placing one label on top of another and hinging them at one end. The stock is slightly sticky on the inside layers, allowing your customers to peel back the top layer, check out all that juicy content underneath, and then stick it back down. What’s not to love? 

Triple peel-back labels

If you really want to up your game, double down with triple peel-back labels. All the same features as standard peel-backs, but with an extra layer. 

*Cue creative happy dance* 

The layers are thin but durable, meaning that you’ll get all that extra content in without a bulky, bumpy label. 

Peel Off labels

Peel-off labels and the next section, peel-out labels might sound like the same thing, but there’s a seemingly small difference that results in a very different final label. Here’s the scoop:

• Peel-off labels include a sticker that sits on top of your label.
• When the sticker is peeled off, your label remains nice and smooth underneath — you’d never know there was a sticker there. 
• You can put the same design under the sticker as you have on it, or have something different hidden under the sticker. Options abound!

Peel Out labels

Peel-out labels work a bit differently:

• Peel-out labels have stickers that are a part of the label stock instead of sitting on top of it. 
• When the sticker is peeled off, it leaves a small depression in the label. (Picture the sticker pages of your childhood!)
• You have the option of putting the same design under the sticker, or something unique, same as peel-off.

The crux of the difference between peel-off and peel-out is that once the sticker is off the label, a peel-off label will be nice and smooth, just like a standard label. A peel-out label will have a raised edge around the outline of the sticker. 

PROS AND CONS ABOUT PEEL-BACK LABELS

Peel-backs are a distinctive option that can let you stretch your creative legs, free of the constraints of the reams of required content and seemingly never enough space. 

That being said, there might be another label option that works even better for you! Let’s get into the detailed pros and cons of peel-backs for health and beauty labels. 

Pros of peel-back labels

• So much space for activities! (And legally required information, of course.)
• Wave goodbye to 1pt font — you can give your customers a chance to read use directions and ingredients without needing a high-powered microscope. 
• The exterior of your label can stay more focused on your brand elements without being crowded with all of the required info — creating a final look that’s cleaner, more streamlined and brand-focused. 

Cons of peel-back labels

• Peel-backs are definitely an upgraded label type, but we can still work with you on a cost-effective version. The reason this is in the ‘con’ section, is because our cost-conscious peel-backs do come with size constraints. 
• 2-layer peel-backs can only be 6” tall. 
• 3-layer peel-backs can only be 4” tall.

Note: We are able to make peel-backs larger, but it requires a different process on our end, and is then more expensive. 

• Peel-back builds don’t work on all container sizes and materials. 
• If you use white BOPP or white conformable material and have a lot of open white space on your top layer, it’s possible that you’ll see some show through from the second layer. 

Researching all the options for your cosmetic labels, supplement labels, or sports nutrition labels can be an overwhelming task — we completely get that! Hopefully, we’ve helped explain the world of peel-back labels and how they could work for you. 

The next step is to get in touch with us so we can connect you to one of our Label Specialists in your area. They’ll be able to answer any questions you have about your specific label needs and help you feel confident that you’re making the best choice for your business!

If you have questions about peel backs and how to use this cool technology to elevate your labels