Empty Eye Palette Bulk Guide: Sizes, Shapes & Solutions

Picking the right empty eye palette for your brand isn’t just a design choice—it’s a sales move. From pan count to closure type, every little detail can affect how your product performs on the shelf and your bottom line.

“Some clients come in thinking they need a full custom mold,” says Emma Liu, Product Lead at Topfeel. “But often, a smart layout in a standard size gets them to market faster—and cheaper.”

This guide breaks it down: what sizes work best, when magnetic lids are worth the upgrade, and how bulk packaging can seriously cut costs.

Let’s help you skip the guesswork and make choices that actually move product. Ready? Let’s get into it.

Types of Empty Eye Palette Sizes

Explore popular palette sizes perfect for bulk packaging, from compact travel-friendly designs to large customizable kits.

Compact 6-Pan Eyeshadow Case

• Small and mighty: These six-pan cases are built for portability without sacrificing style.

• Magnetic inserts help keep individual shadows secure.

• Perfect for travel-size beauty product lines or quick-look kits.

• Easy to stack, store, and ship—especially for brands aiming for on-the-go glam.

• A favorite for pop-up collections and influencer collabs.

Standard 9-Pan Metal Organizer for Eye Makeup

1. Market Favorite for Professionals

2. Built to Last

3. Depotting Made Easy

4. Fits Any Beauty Collection

• The nine-pan magnetic format is practically the “gold standard” for eye makeup palettes.

• Built with durable metal tins, these cases hold their shape and resist wear—great for long-term use.

• Makeup artists dig them because they’re perfect for depotting and reorganizing favorite pressed powder shades.

• Their professional appeal makes them an ideal bulk packaging option for B2B buyers.

Refillable 12-Pan Plastic Palette Container

Sometimes all you need is a sleek, transparent option with solid DIY appeal. This twelve-pan plastic beauty isn’t just a container—it’s a blank canvas. With a clear lid and refillable slots, it lets users swap in their favorite pans for eyeshadow, blush, or highlighter. Wholesale buyers get massive flexibility with color assortment and seasonal updates.

Eco-conscious? Budget-friendly? Yup. Plastic materials make production cheaper and faster. Bonus points if it’s recyclable.

📊 Comparative Table: Popular 12-Pan Palette Attributes

Customizable Multi-Pan Cardboard Palette Kit

Eco-Friendly Star Cardboard palettes are making waves in eco-conscious beauty brands. Paper-based, recyclable, and built with sustainability in mind, they’re perfect for standing out in green packaging bids.

Magnetic Meets DIY Throw in a magnetic base and now it’s a DIY dream—easy to swap, organize, and refill on the fly.

Branding Heaven Paper palettes are highly printable, offering rich branding opportunities. Think foil stamping, embossing, and custom art designs.

Wholesale Perk With large capacity and lightweight materials, they cost less to ship in bulk while offering tons of room for blushes, bronzers, and more.

3 Reasons Bulk Empty Eye Palette Packaging Saves Costs

Bulk Material Savings on Plastic & Aluminum

You don’t have to blow the bank to make it look luxe. With bulk orders, materials like plastic and aluminum become budget-friendly.

• Buying raw materials in larger quantities means reduced unit costs.

• Plastic and aluminum packaging molds can be reused across multiple product lines.

• Cost reduction trickles down to tooling, printing, and finishing.

• Suppliers often offer tiered discounts for bulk volume commitments.

So, if you’re prepping for a full beauty product launch or seasonal campaign, stockpiling those raw materials upfront could mean thousands saved on packaging.

Streamlined Customization Cuts Assembly Time

“Customization isn’t about complication—it’s about control,” says Lina Chen, Lead Packaging Engineer at Topfeel Packaging.

And she’s right. Here’s how streamlined designs cut down time and money:

1. Pre-made magnetic inserts allow fast pan layout changes without redesigning full palettes.

2. Standardized refill slots fit blush, bronzer, and highlighter pans of varying shapes.

3. Snap-fit plastic molds reduce the need for glue or screw-based assembly.

4. Interchangeable cardboard sleeve designs let you switch branding visuals without reprinting everything.

All of this means:

• Shorter manufacturing cycles

• Lower labor costs

• Faster delivery from concept to shelf

A clean layout doesn’t just look good—it works harder behind the scenes.

Optimized Storage & Shipping with Stackable Organizers

Let’s talk transport hacks. Bulk packaging doesn’t just help at the factory—it keeps saving you money all the way to your customer’s vanity.

• Stackable palette organizers reduce empty space in cartons.

• Compact plastic cases lower the risk of breakage during transit.

• Flat-packed cardboard kits take up less space in the warehouse.

• Modular kit designs allow easy mix-and-match at the distribution level.

This equals optimized logistics, faster fulfillment, and fewer headaches in warehousing. In other words: Less space, less weight, less cost—more happy clients.

Standard vs. Magnetic Empty Eye Palette Options

A quick look at how non-magnetic and magnetic palettes stack up, especially when you’re sourcing in bulk.

Standard Palette Construction

Standard palettes are classic for a reason: they’re stable, simple, and perfect for straightforward bulk production.

🧩 Palette Materials

• Plastic and cardboard are the go-to options for non-magnetic builds.

• They keep costs low while maintaining decent durability.

🛠️ Tray Design & Pan Inserts

• Molded trays secure the pans permanently.

• Great for eyeshadow or pressed powder palettes with fixed pan layouts.

🔒 Lid Closure and Structure

• Snap-close or hinge lid closures keep things neat and tamper-proof during transport.

• Not as flexible, but reliable.

📦 Bulk-Friendly Setup

• Standard palette molds are ready-to-go for mass production.

• Less customization = faster turnaround = cheaper per unit.

In short, standard palettes are plug-and-play. You don’t get fancy features, but you get consistent output, fast.

Magnetic Palette Advantages

Magnetic palettes are the MVPs when brands want flexibility, elegance, and a little wow-factor built in.

1. Customization Benefits Brands can mix and match pan sizes, materials, and layouts depending on the season or customer segment—no need for a new mold each time.

2. User Flexibility & Refillable Design Customers love being able to swap in a new blush or highlighter pan when one runs out. Refillable = repeat business.

3. Space Efficiency & Travel Friendly These palettes pack flat, and because you can pop in just what you need, they’re perfect for travel kits and smaller makeup bags.

🔄 Interchangeable Pans No glue, no limits. Whether it’s face makeup or eyeshadow, users can depot and refill at will. You’re not stuck with one palette forever.

Magnetic palettes bring the wow and win repeat sales—especially in a market that craves customization.

Magnetic Pan Customization

Customizing your pans? Let’s just say magnetic is where things get spicy. Think design freedom, layout flexibility, and customer loyalty.

🔄 Quick-Swap Options

Pans stick onto the magnetic base with zero fuss—perfect for quick eyeshadow depotting in a pro makeup setting.

🔧 Layout Arrangement Possibilities

Whether it’s a grid of tiny shadows or a mix of bronzer and highlighter, layout freedom is baked in.

🪞Personalized Palettes for Every Client

You can offer kits where customers build their own face or eye makeup combos. This boosts engagement and perceived value.

Data Snapshot: Magnetic Pan Sizes & Buyer Trends

The numbers don’t lie: more brands are choosing personalized palettes with varied pan sizes. And you know what that means—more creative freedom and a bump in customer satisfaction.

conclusion

It’s one thing to pick a pretty palette—it’s another to pick smart when you’re buying in bulk. From the nitty-gritty on sizes and materials to how magnetic designs can cut costs and boost flexibility, this guide is your no-fluff playbook for packaging that actually works for your bottom line.

Buying an empty eye palette isn’t just about what looks good—it’s about what fits your product flow, your warehouse shelves, and your customer’s makeup bags. Think compact cases for travel kits or refillable setups for eco-conscious brands. Get smart about your bulk order and you’ll save more than just dollars—you’ll save time, headaches, and re-dos.

Let’s make your next move a power play. Reach out for a quote or a sample run—we’re here to help you pack like a pro.

FAQs

1. What size empty eye palette is most popular for bulk ordering?

For bulk orders, the 9-pan and 12-pan sizes tend to win out. They’re big enough to showcase a mix—eyeshadow, highlighter, maybe a blush—without getting bulky.

• 9-pan: great for balanced variety

• 12-pan: fits more, perfect for full eye makeup kits

• Usually made with plastic, cardboard, or metal

• Easy to stack, store, and ship in large batches

2. Are refillable palettes more expensive than standard ones?

Yes—but not in the long run. The upfront cost can be slightly higher, but you save later through reorders and less waste.

Refillable palettes also attract eco-conscious customers, which can boost retail appeal.

3. Can I bulk order empty palettes with mixed pan types?

Absolutely. If you want to mix blush, bronzer, powder, and eyeshadow pans in one case, it’s doable. Customizable inserts make that easy.

Just make sure the pan sizes and depths match your needs before placing a large order.

4. What materials are best for compact empty eye palette cases?

It depends on your vibe and budget.

• Plastic: affordable, travel-friendly

• Cardboard: eco-aware, often custom printed

• Aluminum: heavier feel, looks luxe

Most are lightweight enough for shipping, yet strong enough for repeat handling.

5. Do empty palettes come with built-in organizers or cases?

Some do. Others are more stripped down. For wholesale, you’ll often find:

• Removable trays for easy cleanup

• Magnetic inserts that hold pans in place

• Compact outer shells that double as retail display units

6. Which palettes are best for makeup artists or travel kits?

Makeup pros lean toward compact palettes with refillable or magnetic options. These let them swap out shades fast without carrying full-sized kits.

Durable builds—like plastic or metal—and at least one mirror inside are also a plus.