Whether you’re developing a new cosmetic line, skincare range or sunscreen product, outsourcing your manufacturing to a fit-for-purpose contract manufacturer is the easiest and fastest way to take your products from initial concept to shelf-ready.
However, a lot is involved in the product development, manufacturing and marketing process, which can make it difficult to know when is the best time to engage a manufacturer. Should you reach out while your product ideas are still a mere concept, or is it better to wait until your product is ready to hit the production line?
In this article, we provide some valuable insight into how contract manufacturing within the skincare and cosmetics industry works, along with some helpful tips about when and how to approach a contract manufacturer so you can navigate the process with confidence.
How contract cosmetics and skincare manufacturing works
If you’re new to skincare and cosmetics manufacturing, contract manufacturing involves engaging a third-party business to assume responsibility for part or all of your manufacturing processes.
While some contract manufacturers will focus exclusively on product manufacturing, others offer a turn-key service where they can also provide extra assistance with things such as product formulation/development, ingredient procurement, artwork development, packaging design and procurement, product testing and regulatory compliance. In this case, it’s entirely up to the client to decide what services they want to utilise.
When to engage a manufacturer
The ideal time to engage a contract manufacturer is during the product development phase, once you have a clear vision for your product and the production volumes you’re aiming for.
While some skincare and cosmetic companies prefer to self-manage the product development process independently and approach a manufacturer when they have a ready-to-make formulation, most don’t. The majority of skincare and beauty businesses require the assistance of their manufacturer to develop or refine their product formulations and create something that is market-ready.
Generally, it’s best to engage a contract manufacturer as soon as you have a clear idea of what you want to produce. By engaging a manufacturer early, you’ll be able to benefit from their professional advice and expertise about what is and isn’t achievable, and potentially avoid many of the mistakes and pitfalls that can occur during the product development process.
It’s also important to be aware that contract manufacturers are not all the same. Different manufacturers are geared towards either low-, mid- or high-volume production, and each manufacturer will have pre-established Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) thresholds which may or may not suit your requirements.
For this reason, it’s important to gain an understanding of your desired production volumes before you engage a manufacturer, so you can quickly assess whether a manufacturer has the necessary capabilities to meet your needs and goals.
Approaching a manufacturer
When approaching a manufacturer, ideally you want to reach out to them already prepared with the key information they’ll need to assist you.
One of the first things they will usually ask you to provide is a product brief. The product brief is an important document that will help the manufacturer understand what you want to produce (e.g. key ingredients, desired texture, fragrance, colour etc.), as well as your brand and objectives.
The more information you can provide about your product and what you want to achieve the better, as this will help to guide the manufacturer’s recommendations on the most suitable formulation.
Get things started with Wild Child
If you’re looking for a manufacturer to produce your skincare, cosmetic or sunscreen products, reach out to the team at Wild Child to get the ball rolling on your ideas.
We are an Australian manufacturer offering the full suite of services, from formulation development through to manufacturing and regulatory compliance and can help you transform your vision into a shelf-ready product.
Find out more about our product development and contract manufacturing services or contact us to discuss your product ideas.