Skincare Creams Not Pumping?

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Marie Patane holding CameLife Restorative Serum

Airless Pumps?

Find out why skincare manufacturers use airless containers and what to do when they stop working. 

Premium skincare products are often packaged in airless containers. Here at CameLife, we package our premium Restorative Serum, Eye Cream, Night Cream and Day Cream in high quality Airless Containers to ensure that our product reaches you in perfect condition and stays that way until you have used every last drop from the container.

An airless pump isn't pressurised and doesn't have a a dip tube reaching down into the product.  Instead, there is a diaphragm plate which rises up as you pump to push out the product.  When you pump, you create a vacuum effect, drawing the product and the diaphragm upwards.

But what do you do when your cream won't pump?

My Container Won't Pump!

Fortunately, fixing a pump that isn't working is very easy; just follow these steps:

  • Fit the cap on and turn the container upside down.
  • Tap firmly several times on the base or give a good few shakes downwards.
  • Put your finger over the nozzle to seal and pump very slowly 5-10 times
  • Your cream should pump

If this doesn't work, have a look at the bottom of the container. There's a small hole there.  If you insert a paper clip here, you can gently push up the plate. Sometimes it may be necessary to unscrew the pump before pushing; if you do this, watch carefully from the top as you push and be gentle.  You don't to push too far and waste your cream!
If you don't have a paper clip to hand, blowing hard into the air vent works well too.  Check out CameLife founder Richard priming an airless container.

Why We Use Airless 

Have you bought an expensive cosmetic cream and found that you can’t dispense all of your product because the tube doesn't reach the bottom?  Or maybe the little tube from the pump to the bottom of the container clogged up or fallen off? Or have you left a cream in the bathroom cabinet for a few months and found it has gone off?

Well, that's why you want airless containers.  Airless pumps protect sensitive natural skin care creams and serums by preventing exposure to air and moisture. The product doesn’t mix with air, so it doesn’t get dried out and the premium ingredients, particularly the anti-oxidants, don't get oxidised. The serum or cream inside remains stable and in top condition from the first pump to the last, so we need to use less preservatives, which is good for you and the product!

The downside of airless containers is that even a small bubble of air in the cream will stop the pump from working.  So even the best airless containers sometimes need priming. We prime ours when they are filled, but they still sometimes loose their prime in transit. The pump can settle, leaving a tiny gap between the dispenser and the products.  

The Airless Advantage

 Airless containers have many advantages; we really wouldn’t consider anything else. In fact, CameLife recommends that you look at the packaging when you buy cosmetics and treatments.  If the product isn’t packaged in quality airless containers, look for something else! Here's a few advantages

  • You can more evenly pump and dispense the same amount of product each time.
  • The product can be dispensed without need for the container to be sitting upright.
  • You get to use all of the cream. No need for poking down containers with skewers to scrape out the product and you never need to unclog a dispenser!
  • The cream or serum inside does not contact the with air, so it doesn’t get dried out. It remains stable throughout its life, so less preservative is required
Image of Marie Patane holding a CameLife Facial Cleansing Bar
Image of Marie Patane using CameLife Restorative Serum
Image of Marie Patane using CameLife treatment products