The topic is short and compact
A technical briefing with measurable target values is the prerequisite to ensure that laboratory work does not end up in discussions about taste.
Kitchen recipes do not withstand the shear forces, temperature cycles, and downtime of a production plant and must be reformulated in the laboratory.
Stability and preservation testing are legally required and cannot be compressed in terms of time; they must therefore be included early in the schedule.
In the beginning, there is rarely a lack of ideas, but rather a lack of precision. A briefing that describes a product as high-quality, lightweight, and effective is not workable for a laboratory. Only measurable target values turn an idea into a development task.
Orientation towards reference products is useful. Anyone who names a comparison product and describes which properties should be adopted and which should be deliberately different shortens the coordination process considerably, because sensory profile thus becomes comparable instead of merely describable.
Performance targets: wear time, smudge resistance, behavior during oxidation.
Texture parameters: viscosity, spreadability, skin feel, emulsion type.
Nuances: pigmentation, undertones, and texture across a range.
Packaging: The formulation must match the dispensing technology, not vice versa.
Whether a concept is even feasible can be checked before any laboratory work begins. The procedure for this is described in Testing trends for feasibility.
From concept to technical briefing
In the beginning, there is rarely a lack of ideas, but rather a lack of precision. A briefing that describes a product as high-quality, lightweight, and effective is not workable for a laboratory. Only measurable target values turn an idea into a development task.
Orientation towards reference products is useful. Anyone who names a comparison product and describes which properties should be adopted and which should be deliberately different shortens the coordination process considerably, because sensory profile thus becomes comparable instead of merely describable.
Performance targets: wear time, smudge resistance, behavior during oxidation.
Texture parameters: viscosity, spreadability, skin feel, emulsion type.
Nuances: pigmentation, undertones, and texture across a range.
Packaging: The formulation must match the dispensing technology, not vice versa.
Whether a concept is even feasible can be checked before any laboratory work begins. The procedure for this is described in Testing trends for feasibility.
Why Kitchen Recipes Don't Scale
Many brands start with a self-stirred sample. This is valuable for brainstorming, but worthless for production. The stirring pot is not subject to the shear forces of an industrial homogenizer, nor to the slow cooling curves of a 500-liter vessel. Yet, it is precisely these factors that determine whether an emulsion remains stable.
In the laboratory, the formulation is therefore not copied, but rebuilt from scratch: with standardized, industrial-grade raw materials, documented origin, and reproducible weights. Only this makes later batches comparable.
Rheology: How the product flows under pressure, and if this fits the filling process.
Phase stability: Separation, creaming, or sedimentation under temperature stress.
Preservation: Does the system remain effective over the entire shelf life.
There are typically several scale-up steps between laboratory sample and series production. The development timeline shows how long the individual phases realistically take.
The prototyping phase: the idea becomes something tangible
The sampling phase is the first point at which assumptions can be verified. A texture that is convincing on paper may feel sticky on the skin, feel too heavy, or absorb too quickly. With color cosmetics, there is also the fact that a shade looks different in the jar than when applied.
It makes sense to keep a tight schedule and bundle feedback during this phase. Uncoordinated individual comments from multiple departments create loops that cost time and budget without making the product any better.
sensory profile: skin feel, absorption behavior, spreadability, afterfeel.
Shades: even color release and texture across the entire range.
Initial stability: short stress tests reveal separations early on.
Packaging compatibility: Does the formulation behave as expected in the intended dispenser.
Why this assessment belongs before the budget release is explained in Samples before budget release; the overall process is described in Having cosmetics manufactured.
Technical Evaluation: Stability and Preservation
A formulation may only be placed on the market if it remains physically, chemically and microbiologically stable throughout its shelf life. These tests are non-negotiable and take as long as they take. Anyone who pushes them to the end of the project postpones the market entry.
The combination of formulation and packaging is always tested. Changing the container after the start of the test resets the test to zero because interactions between material and formulation must be re-evaluated.
Accelerated stability: storage at elevated temperature for twelve weeks with monitoring of pH, viscosity and sensory profile.
Temperature changes: freeze and heat cycles simulate the stress of transport and storage.
Preservation challenge test according to ISO 11930: targeted inoculation tests whether the preservation system holds up.
What happens in detail in these tests can be found in Stability and safety testing.
Consider manufacturability early on
A formulation that is convincing in a 200-milliliter beaker can fail in a 500-liter vessel. Flow, heat transfer, and shear stress do not behave linearly during scale-up. Color cosmetics and wax-containing systems are particularly sensitive.
That is why the question of the production line does not belong at the end, but in formulation development. Anyone who knows which line will be used for filling later on develops from the outset within the limits that apply there.
Filling temperature: The product must remain flowable without collapsing upon cooling.
Shear stress: Excessive shear can destroy polymer networks and thin the texture.
Cooling curves: Slow cooling in large vessels alters the crystallization of waxes.
Why projects fail at precisely these points is shown in why cosmetics projects fail.
Regulations: Safety assessment, file and notification
Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 applies to the European market. Three modules are mandatory, and all three require results from the laboratory phase. No safety assessment can be prepared without stability and preservation data.
Safety assessment: signed by a qualified person, supported by physicochemical data from the testing phase.
Product information file: bundles raw material data, proofs of manufacture, skin compatibility and preservation results, and must be kept for years.
Notification in the European portal: takes place before placing on the market and requires information on the formulation framework, category and labeling.
For the trade, this documentation is not an end in itself, but a prerequisite for the retail listing. What additional requirements apply there is described in Listungsanforderungen im Handel.
The final step transfers the approved formulation to the production plant. This is where it is decided whether the preparatory work will bear fruit. Typical problems include air entrapment, uneven pigment distribution, and viscosity drift between the start and end of the batch.
Procurement runs in parallel. Raw materials and packaging materials have their own minimum quantities and lead times, which rarely match up. A small initial run limits risk, but demands an honest calculation of the unit price and an early decision regarding the second batch.
Ensure even color release across the entire batch.
Manage shear energy and cooling so that the texture remains reproducible.
Introduce temperature-sensitive active ingredients only late and gently.
Establish the replenishment lead time of the subsequent batch before launch.
As a B2B developer and manufacturer, Labtree accompanies this journey from feasibility through the formulation in its own laboratory to series production. To see what small starting series actually look like, see Having cosmetics manufactured from 1,000 units.
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FAQ
How long does it take to develop a custom cosmetic formulation?
Three to six months is realistic. This includes several sampling rounds, the coordination of texture and shade, as well as the testing phase. The fixed block in terms of time is the accelerated stability test over twelve weeks, which cannot be shortened.
Why can't I use a formulation developed myself in the kitchen?
Because it does not reflect the conditions of a production facility. Shear forces, heating and cooling curves, as well as holding times fundamentally change emulsions. In addition, there is a lack of standardized raw materials, documented weights, and a certified preservation system, without which neither a safety assessment nor series production is possible.
What is the difference between the Product Information File and the safety assessment?
The product information file is the complete technical documentation of a product and must be kept for years. The safety assessment is a part of it: it summarizes the safety-relevant data and is signed by a qualified person.
Which tests are mandatory before market entry?
Accelerated stability testing, skin compatibility of formulation and packaging, as well as a preservative efficacy test according to ISO 11930. Additionally, the safety assessment and notification in the European portal prior to placing on the market.
How is the transition from laboratory prototype to series production achieved?
Via a structured scale-up process, during which the formulation is adapted to the shear forces, heating, and cooling rates of the production facility. If manufacturability is already evaluated during the sampling phase, the formulation will also behave predictably later on in large batches.
What starting quantity should a new brand begin with?
An initial series starting from around 1,000 units per variant limits the tied-up capital and allows demand to be tested. It should be noted that packaging materials often have higher minimum quantities than the formulation itself, which determines the actual capital requirement.
