Our minimum is 50 tubes, ordered in lots of 25 per flavor. That means 50 of one flavor or 25 each of two, and your total is always a multiple of 25. SPF is the exception, at 150 tubes per flavor.
The minimum is the smallest order we make. It isn't necessarily the right size for your office, so here's how I'd think about it.
1. The per-flavor minimum matters more than the total
When you compare suppliers, look at both numbers. A low total minimum doesn't help much if every flavor has to be ordered by the hundred.
With lots of 25, a 150-tube order can be six different flavors, chosen from more than 70 plus unscented. I'd make one of those lots unscented. More and more patients are sensitive to scents and flavors.
2. Standard and paper tubes
Both have the same minimum: 50 tubes in total, with at least 25 of any one flavor. We don't make standard or paper orders under 50 tubes, or with fewer than 25 of a flavor.
3. SPF
SPF lip balm is regulated as an over-the-counter drug, and the rules are different. The minimum is 150 tubes, and 150 per flavor as well. Setup covers an FDA compliance inspection, $75 for the first flavor and $35 for each additional one. SPF reorders carry a $15 fee per flavor, and SPF can't be rush processed.
4. How far do 50 tubes go?
That depends on who gets one. Two examples:
- If you hand one to every hygiene patient, and two hygienists each see eight patients a day, that's 16 tubes a day. Fifty tubes last about three days.
- If you save them for whitening kits and new patient welcome bags, at ten of each a month, 50 tubes last about two and a half months.
So 50 tubes suit a trial run or a single use, like new patient bags. If you plan to hand one to every hygiene patient, start with a bigger order.
5. Ordering more than the minimum
Bigger orders cost less per tube: $2.35 at 50–149, $1.85 at 150–299, and $1.35 at 300–999. Our lip balm has a shelf life of 2+ years, so a few months' supply on hand is fine. Here's the full pricing, including where one more lot of 25 costs less in total.
If you'd rather order smaller amounts more often, you'll pay more per tube, but you won't pay for setup again. The $75 label setup fee is one time, and reorders of the same standard or paper label are free.
6. Try the flavors first
If you'd like to try them before committing to 50, the Flavor Selection Kit is five flavors for $10, shipping included, and the $10 comes off your first custom order. Hand them to your team and see which ones they reach for.
Work out your order size
The planner below starts with your team and your schedule. Check off the moments you'd hand out a lip balm, and it works out how many tubes you'll go through, how much to order, and how often to reorder, using our published pricing.
More on ordering: What does it cost? · How long does it take? · 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. More for dental practices at farmersbody.com/dentists.