This is probably the question we get asked most often.
And honestly, it’s a fair one.
Because when you’ve never ordered custom lip balms before, it’s hard to picture what 50 tubes looks like… let alone 300 or 1,000.
Most people worry about the same thing:
What if I order too many?
But interestingly, what we hear far more often after an order arrives is:
“We should have ordered more.”
Here’s what we’ve learned after working with hundreds of dental practices, wellness businesses, boutiques, and events.
Start by thinking about how they’ll actually be used
The right quantity has less to do with the size of your business and more to do with how you plan to use them.
Are they:
- sitting at the front desk for patients to take?
- being added into welcome bags?
- handed out at events?
- sold retail?
- included in membership boxes or gifts?
A bowl at the reception desk moves differently than lip balms being tucked into patient bags. A wedding order behaves differently than a retail display.
The context matters.
Dental offices usually go through them faster than expected
This surprises people sometimes.
A lip balm feels small. But because it’s practical, people actually take it.
Patients throw them into purses, cars, backpacks, desk drawers. They get used every day. Which also means people come back asking for another one.
For most dental practices, 200–300 tubes tends to be a comfortable starting point. Enough to keep them visible and consistently available without worrying about running out immediately.
Larger practices or multi-provider offices often order 500+ at a time simply because they disappear quickly once patients notice them.
Events are different
For events, the easiest way to think about it is:
How many people do you realistically expect to hand one to?
If you’re attending a conference with 300 attendees, ordering 300–500 is usually reasonable depending on how heavily you plan to distribute them.
Trade shows and community events tend to move quickly because people naturally grab lip balm without hesitation. It’s one of the few promotional items people genuinely keep and use.
Retail is about display
Retail behaves differently than giveaways.
A full display always sells better than a half-full one.
If you’re planning to sell lip balms in a boutique, spa, wellness office, or gift shop, it’s usually worth ordering enough to make the display feel abundant from the beginning.
That’s part of why our countertop displays have become so popular. Once people can actually see the flavors clearly, they’re much more likely to pick one up.
You can split flavors
This is one thing people are always relieved to hear.
Our minimum order is 50 total tubes, with a minimum of 25 per flavor. So you don’t have to commit to a single scent.
For example:
- 100 tubes could be 25 Vanilla Mint, 25 Lavender Mint, 25 Watermelon, and 25 Honey
- 300 tubes could be split across 6–8 flavors pretty comfortably
Most customers end up liking a mix of:
- one clean/minty flavor
- one cozy or neutral flavor
- one fun seasonal or fruity option
Having variety helps people engage with the display more naturally.
They also last longer than most people expect
One thing that helps people feel more comfortable ordering a larger quantity is knowing the lip balms aren’t going to go bad quickly.
Our lip balms have a shelf life of 2+ years.
So if you decide to order enough to last through multiple events, seasons, or patient cycles, you don’t need to worry about them expiring in a few months.
That flexibility is part of why many customers choose to size up once they realize how quickly people go through them.
It’s usually more cost-effective to order slightly more
Because pricing drops at higher quantity tiers, sometimes increasing your order actually lowers the per-tube cost enough to make it worthwhile.
For example:
- 150–299 tubes = $1.85 each
- 300–999 tubes = $1.35 each
That pricing shift is significant.
So if you’re close to the next tier already, it’s often worth looking at the math before placing the order.
Most people don’t regret ordering them
This probably says more than anything else.
Lip balm is one of those rare branded products that people actually use consistently. It doesn’t get tossed in a drawer or left behind at an event.
And because it’s practical, it keeps your brand in someone’s life longer than most marketing pieces do.
That’s why people usually come back not asking if they ordered too many…
…but wishing they had ordered a little more.