While doing your skincare routine, does it ever cross your mind to make your own products? Like, formulating your own lotion, serum, or face creams for business purposes? If you do, that’s really a great idea. And it’s just timely as many people—men and women—are getting interested in body care. However, the big question is: how to make skincare products?
Good news! We’ve got scoops for you directly from cosmetic chemists on how to make a skin care product that is safe and effective.
“The very first thing that a chemist does is they’ll need a brief,” said Belinda Carli, the Director of the Institute of Personal Care Science. Before everything else, you need to have a clear goal about your product.
Like Stephen Alain Ko, a cosmetic formulator and a beauty influencer, ”I actually have dreams of creating a mask that just causes your acne to pop out of your face, leaving behind smooth perfect skin.”
As your concept, think of the following:
The answer to these questions will be your brief or guide when formulating your own product. While DIY skincare isn’t a bad idea, this step is much better guided by an expert so you can get a good idea of the type of cosmetic you want to create and if it’s something safe for use on the skin.
But here’s an important note. Before creating your formula, start with a development brief based on market research. This brief helps you define your product’s unique point of difference.
Now that your goals are set and you have the concept, it’s to create the formula. Ko shared his favorite ingredients to work with, “I really like working with fragrances, because they’re fun and provide an instant effect.”
This phase involves the following:
If you’re working with a chemist, depending on your specification, “They’ll be adding in some added extras to support your marketing claims or suit your target market specifically,” said Carli.
After creating the template formula, raw material sourcing begins. If you want a large-scale production, having a cosmetic manufacturer handle the manufacturing is the best move. Manufacturing companies can source materials from a variety of suppliers.
If you’re working with an expert formulator, you should provide them with the batch size so they can select the right selections of materials. This will make sure you’re going to get economies of scale out of your formula, and the manufacturers will be able to source materials for your batch size. Depending on the manufacturer, this can take around four to six weeks before work can begin in the lab.
The first lab sample is based on your product brief. Formulators test the sample and make adjustments. In fact, there can be several versions (usually three to six) created before sending for your approval. You will evaluate the first sample, and you provide feedback based on how it compares to your specifications.
“I think the biggest development I’m excited about is incorporating more client feedback into the product development process,” according to Ko.
Depending on your feedback, the chemist adjusts the formula. Several new samples are created and tested in the lab before sending new samples until your specification is achieved.
Carli stated, “They [chemists] usually send out third round of samples then for you to evaluate and once you’ve confirmed that you’re happy with that product, you’ve finished the development stage.”
Here’s a reminder though: throughout the process, you’ll only get very small samples from your chemist (usually around 50–100 grams). “The reason for this is we only make really small samples in our lab otherwise we just go through far too many raw materials and we need to get it right in a small sample first before we think about some of those larger batches or scale-up steps,” Carli added.
There’s still a lot of work after the development stage. Products must undergo testing to guarantee their safety and efficacy. The U.S. FDA mandates stability testing to ensure the long-term shelf life of a product.
But what other tests are required?
When all goes well, production may begin. The good thing about working with a cosmetic manufacturer is that the process will be continuous. As soon as the formula is set and the tests are passed, it will proceed to production right away.
Creating formulas isn’t just putting a few things in a bowl. A lot of preparation goes in before you come up with an ‘actual’ product. The process is more intricate than it seems, and it requires true expertise—particularly if you want to sell your products to the market.
If you don’t want to go through all the hassle, working with a private-label cosmetic manufacturer is the best decision ever. There’s a cosmetic chemist who helps you with the formulation and a manufacturing team to produce your products exactly as they should be.
Your Most Frequently Asked Questions About Developing Skincare
Private label offers professional formulations—tested for safety and effectiveness—while homemade products may lack consistency and stability. With private labels, you get high-quality ingredients, regulatory compliance, and scalability for business growth. It ensures reliability and market-ready products for long-term success.
The cost may vary depending on your products and how big your business is. You need to consider factors like product development, packaging, branding, and marketing. Expenses include ingredient sourcing, lab testing, certifications, and compliance with regulations.
To make your own, start by selecting organic ingredients like aloe vera, honey, coconut oil, and essential oils. Research each ingredient’s properties for specific skin needs. Combine them into simple recipes such as masks, scrubs, or moisturizers. Assure proper storage and patch-test before use.
While it’s not mandatory, working with a chemist offers significant advantages. A chemist guarantees safety, stability, and effectiveness by formulating with the right ingredients. They can help navigate regulatory requirements, and avoid harmful reactions.
