What does it cost to make lip balm?
Cost to make, ex-works $0.5052 per 4.5g stick, at 20,000 units
Per 1,000 units$505.24
Whole run$10104.86
This is a realistic mid-market estimate, not a quote. The same product at 5,000 units and at 50,000 units are different businesses — run size moves tolling more than any other line. Use it to sanity-check a quote, not to replace one.
Where the money goes
Ingredients $0.0720 14%Packaging $0.2400 48%Tolling $0.1600 32%Inbound freight $0.0080 2%Yield loss $0.0253 5%
The formulation
| Ingredient | Qty | Price | Overage | Per unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waxes | 280 g/L | $7.40/lb | 4% | $0.0214 |
| Butters and oils | 620 g/L | $5.20/lb | 4% | $0.0333 |
| Flavour and active | 40 g/L | $38.00/lb | 6% | $0.0160 |
| Antioxidant | 5 g/L | $26.00/lb | 5% | $0.0014 |
| Ingredients per unit | $0.0720 | |||
What actually moves this number
- The stick assemblyA twist-up stick is three or four moulded components. That assembly, not the balm, is most of the cost.
- Very small fill weightAt 4.5g even expensive butters cost fractions of a cent. This is a packaging product with a formula attached.
- Filling speedSticks fill slowly relative to jars, and that shows in the tolling rate.
What is not in here
- Excludes safety assessment. SPF claims change the regulatory picture entirely and add real testing cost.
Change the assumptions. Every figure above is an input, not a fact. Put your own supplier prices, your own pack size and your own run volume into the calculator and see what your product actually costs.
Open the calculatorOther products
Canned soft drink $0.1614 / unit Kombucha $0.5139 / unit Hot sauce $0.8867 / unit Skincare serum $2.8278 / unit Energy drink $0.1759 / unit Cold brew coffee $0.4184 / unit RTD cocktail $0.4067 / unit Flavoured sparkling water $0.1376 / unit Granola $2.3048 / unit Protein powder $11.4803 / unit Gummy supplements $2.3137 / unit Face cream $3.3752 / unit Shampoo $1.5113 / unit Candle $5.0816 / unit Laundry detergent $3.1031 / unit Pet treats $0.9522 / unit Ready meal $2.1280 / unit Chocolate bar $1.4098 / unit Liquid hand soap $1.0726 / unit
A cost you worked out once is already out of date.
Supplier prices move, co-packers raise rates, and runs yield worse than planned. NextBatch derives cost per unit instead of storing it, so it moves on its own.
No card. Set up your first product in about ten minutes.