Cosmetic contract manufacturing: your formula, our laboratory

What a cosmetic contract manufacturer does

A contract manufacturer produces on behalf of another company: you look after the brand and the sales, we look after manufacturing. In our case we do not stop at filling. Our laboratory reviews the formula, production makes it, the warehouse stores it and, if you wish, ships it.

The difference from private label is the starting point. In contract manufacturing the formula is yours, or we develop it exclusively for you; in private label you start from one of our 300+ ready formulas. Many clients use both, depending on the product.

Cosmetic contract manufacturing in numbers

• Since 2015 making cosmetics for other brands
• 2,000 m² plant with laboratory, production, warehouse and logistics
• 40,000 units a day of production capacity
• 500 units per SKU as the minimum order
• 4–6 weeks from order confirmation to delivery

Small and large batches, same standard

We start at 500 units per SKU (one product in one format) and go up to 40,000 units a day. You can begin with a trial batch and grow with us as sales increase, without changing manufacturer and without repeating the formula trials.

Trial batches and ongoing production follow the same procedures and the same checks. To plan a small first order, read our page on small batch cosmetic manufacturing.

A laboratory, not just a filling line

Our plant has its own R&D laboratory. When you send us your formula, our technicians review it, prepare samples and check that it runs well on our machines and in the container you have chosen. If you do not have a formula yet, we can develop one from scratch based on your brief: texture, fragrance, hero ingredients, the claims you want on the label. Samples of a custom formula are ready in about two weeks.

Having the laboratory and production under one roof shortens the chain: the person who developed the formula also follows the first batch. More details on our custom formulation page.

Who we manufacture for

• Cosmetic brands: with their own formulas, looking for a reliable contract manufacturer in Italy
• Pharmacies and pharmacy chains: that want a dermocosmetic line under their own name
• Beauty salons, spas and barbershops: that want treatment-room and retail products
• Online sellers: who need a manufacturer able to grow with them, with shipping to Amazon fulfilment centres
• Distributors and importers: looking for an Italian-made OEM line for their market

Gels and creams: where we are strongest

We produce skin care, body care, intimate hygiene products and dermocosmetics for sensitive skin. The products we know best are gels and creams: textures from clear gel to rich cream, which call for careful control of stability, viscosity and filling.

Formats and packing

We fill and pack in the formats most used for gels and creams. Our strengths are cylindrical bottles, tubes and paper packaging: cartons, boxes and gift sets.

• Cylindrical bottles: with pump, cap or dispenser. Custom cosmetic bottles
• Tubes: printed with your brand. Custom cosmetic tubes
• Cartons and gift boxes: designed by our designers and followed through to print. Custom cosmetic boxes

You can supply your own packaging or let us choose from the certified suppliers we have worked with for years.

Your formula is safe with us

We sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before receiving your formula. The formula stays yours: we only use it to produce for you. If we develop it at your request, we can agree exclusivity.

What you send us, what we deliver

You provide the formula or the brief to develop it and, if you already have them, packaging and labels.

We take care of:

• Formula review: checking it and, if needed, adapting it to industrial production
• Raw materials: purchased from qualified suppliers
• Production and filling: in our plant
• Packing: labelling and cartoning
• Testing: every batch in our in-house lab and in external accredited labs, including heavy metals
• EU documents: PIF, safety assessment and CPNP notification, if you entrust them to us
• Logistics: storage and shipping on your behalf, to your customers, your stores or Amazon fulfilment centres

How we produce

We work according to GMP (ISO 22716), good manufacturing practice for cosmetics, with a quality management system certified ISO 9001:2015 by Dasa-Rägister. Every batch has a code that makes it traceable from raw materials to shipping.

Tests for functional claims, such as “moisturising” or “dermatologically tested”, are entrusted to external laboratories chosen according to the claim, for a neutral assessment.

Outsourcing cosmetics manufacturing from abroad

Producing in Italy for the EU market keeps things simple: goods travel within the single market without customs, and the CPNP notification is done by us. If your company is outside the EU, an EU Responsible Person is available through our partners. For Great Britain, the SCPN notification and a UK Responsible Person are available through partners; shipments to the UK go through customs, and we assess documents and costs case by case.

One point of contact

From the first call to delivery you deal with one dedicated project manager. They know your project, coordinate laboratory, production and logistics, and keep you updated at every stage, with meetings by video call. The full process is described in how we work.

Frequently asked questions