Most custom lip balm orders ship within two weeks of the day you approve your label proof. From placing the order to having them on your front desk is usually about three weeks, once you add a few days for label design and the time in transit.
Here's what happens in those weeks, what speeds it up, and how to plan reorders so you don't run out.
1. The timeline, step by step
- You place the order, online or with a purchase order.
- You send your logo. Whatever you have works: a logo file, your website, or a photo of your signage.
- We design the label. Proofs arrive within a few days, with several versions to choose from, and you can keep editing until it's right.
- You approve the proof. Nothing goes into production until you sign off, and that's when the two weeks start.
- We make and ship your order. Most orders are out the door within two weeks of approval. Transit time depends on where you are.
2. The proof is the part you control
Production starts when you approve the label, not when you check out, so the quickest way to shorten the timeline is to send your logo right after you order and answer proofs promptly.
It also helps to decide up front what else goes on the label. Besides your logo, it can carry your website, phone number, address, a QR code to your booking page, or a recall reminder. If a partner or office manager needs to sign off, loop them in at the first proof.
3. When you need them sooner
Rush processing is available on standard and paper tubes for an extra fee, and rush orders of standard tubes can often ship within a few days. If you have a date in mind, email info@farmersbody.com and we'll tell you what's realistic.
4. SPF and very large orders
- SPF. SPF lip balm is regulated as an over-the-counter drug, so it takes 14 business days after you approve the label, and it can't be rush processed because the inspection takes the time it takes. If you need SPF by a certain date, order early.
- Very large orders. Orders of up to 5,000 tubes usually ship within two weeks of approval. For more than that, ask us for a date before you order.
5. Reorders
A reorder of the same standard or paper label skips the design step and the setup fee. (SPF reorders go through the compliance review again, at $15 per flavor.) Once you confirm your existing label, it goes into production, so plan on the same two weeks plus shipping.
The planner below has an "extra on hand" setting for this: a cushion of supply so you don't run out while a reorder is being made. It starts at four weeks, which covers production and shipping with a little to spare.
6. Holiday orders
For holiday delivery, place your order by November 1. If you'd like them on the front desk for all of November and December, order in early October.
7. Ordering ahead
Our lip balm has a shelf life of 2+ years, so ordering a few months' supply at a time is fine, and larger orders cost less per tube; here's how the pricing works.
Plan your ordering rhythm
Choose how often you'd like to reorder, every 2, 3, 4 or 6 months, and how much cushion to keep on hand. The planner works out how many tubes each order should be, using our published pricing. Shipping isn't included.
More on ordering: What does it cost? · What's the minimum order? · What to look for in custom lip balm
Meggan Wehmeyer, DDS, MS, is a periodontist and the founder of Farmer's Body, which has made more than 500,000 custom lip balms since 2020 in small batches in Vermont. If you'd like to try our flavors, the Flavor Selection Kit is $10 for five, shipping included, and the $10 comes off your first custom order. More for dental practices at farmersbody.com/dentists.