Partnering with a private label cosmetics manufacturer is the ideal way to get a unique custom product. Handing over control can feel daunting, but with the right company, it becomes a collaborative process. That means finding a partner that embraces your beauty brand’s vision and has the capacity to execute it.
That’s achieved by creating a custom cosmetic formulation. Before choosing a manufacturer and embarking on that process, it’s best to know what lies ahead. This article examines how you go from an idea to a product that’s ready to sell. Keep reading to discover the stages of the process, how long it takes, and what to expect at each step.
What Are Custom Cosmetic Formulation Services
First, it’s essential to know how the service works. The two partners in this equation are the beauty brand and the cosmetics manufacturer. As the beauty brand, you’ll have a brief, an identity, a marketing plan, and ideas about how the packaging will look.
The manufacturer is there to listen to your vision and help bring it to life. They’ll provide you guidance on what’s practical in terms of ingredients, packaging, costs, and timeframe, working with you to define a feasible process and achieve results aligned with your goals.
Crucially, the manufacturer sources and makes the product. The cosmetic formulation services that private labels offer typically involve customization of the product. That means coming up with a formula that meets your brief in terms of the product claims, ingredients, texture, scent, and cost.
How the Formulation Process Works
So what is it exactly that cosmetic formulation companies do? They work with beauty brands through the entire formulation process. That means starting with the idea, refining the brief, formulating and developing the product, and moving through a sampling phase to make adjustments until the finished product is signed off.
The formulation varies depending on the product. You can explore our cosmetic product range to get a better idea. However, there are some similar elements, including gaining input from the client regarding the texture, colour, scent, and packaging. Testing also occurs to see how the product performs under different conditions and environments. Only once it has passed testing will manufacturing scale up to produce it in bulk and distribute it to the market.
Benefits of Custom Formulations for Brands
There are several benefits to choosing custom formulations for cosmetics. They include:
- You can create a unique product
- You can easily enhance or reformulate the product
- You’re in control of formulation and design
- You can tailor to different functions
- You can customize the shades and scents
- You own the formulation
Timeline and Development Phases
The timeline for custom cosmetic formulation, from concept to finished product, varies depending on the complexity of the project and the requirements involved. Developing a formula from scratch — including stability and compatibility testing — typically takes around six months, including packaging and label customization, while more comprehensive projects may take 12–18 months when accounting for manufacturing and packaging lead times, branding, promotional activities, and product launch preparation.
The phases cover concept and formulation, which can include market research, consolidating the brief, ingredient selection, further research and development, and prototype formulation. You can discover our R&D capabilities to get more details about this phase. After that, tests, including safety and compliance tests, will occur, which can last several months. From there, a pilot batch will be produced to test the scale.
Choosing the Right Formulation Partner
It’s a lengthy process, so it’s important that you go through it with the right partner. What that looks like will differ depending on your needs. There are some key factors to consider for custom cosmetic formulation.
When choosing your partner, look at their expertise and experience. Find out what their minimum order quantities are, how they source ingredients, what certifications they have, and how they handle quality control. While experience matters, you might also want to focus on a partner that uses cutting-edge technology.