Ready formulas
More than 300 formulas already developed and tested in our laboratory. You receive samples straight away, choose, and adjust fragrance and colour where possible. It is the fastest route, with the lowest development costs.
Custom formulation
Custom cosmetic formulation: ready formulas or made to measure
Start from one of the 300+ ready formulas developed in our Italian laboratory, or let us develop a new custom formulation, exclusive to your brand if you wish. We sign an NDA before you share any information. Samples of ready formulas are available immediately; custom formulas take about two weeks.
Two routes to your cosmetic formula
The formula is the heart of the product. It decides how a cream spreads, how it feels on the skin and what you can say on the label. You can get there in two ways.
Custom formula
We start from what you need: skin type, texture, the ingredients you want to highlight, those you want to avoid, and the retail price you are aiming for. Our laboratory develops the formula and sends you samples in about two weeks.
| Ready formula | Custom formula | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | One of 300+ formulas | Your brief |
| Samples | Immediately | In about 2 weeks |
| Exclusivity | Assessed on request | Yes, if you ask for it |
| Minimum order | 500 units per SKU | 500 units per SKU |
Our R&D laboratory in Italy
The laboratory sits inside our plant in Pomezia, near Rome, right next to production. The people who develop your formula know how it will be manufactured, which avoids surprises when you move from a lab sample to a batch of 500 or several thousand units.
We work on skin care, body care, intimate hygiene and dermocosmetics for sensitive skin. Our strengths are gels and creams: texture, stability and skin feel. You will find every category on our private label skin care products page.
We do not develop formulas for make-up, hair products, nail polish or nail gels.
What we decide together
- Texture: gel, cream, fluid or foam. It changes the skin feel and the right container
- Ingredients: those to highlight on the label and those to leave out, for example for sensitive skin
- Fragrance: present, delicate or absent, depending on your customers
- Cost: the formula has to fit the price you want to sell at, and we keep that in mind from day one
- Packaging: the formula must work in the bottle or tube you choose, for example with a pump dispenser
Each choice affects the others. Your project manager and the laboratory help you find the right balance before samples are made.
Exclusive formulas and confidentiality
A product idea is only worth something while it stays yours. That is why:
- NDA first: we sign a non-disclosure agreement before receiving your information
- Exclusive formula: a formula developed for you can stay yours alone, and we do not sell it to other clients
- Exclusivity on ready formulas too: on request, we can agree exclusivity on a catalogue formula
- Territory or channel: for wholesalers, distributors and importers, exclusivity by country or sales channel can be agreed case by case
An exclusive formula matters most if you sell online, where a competitor can find an identical product in minutes. We cover this on our page for ecommerce and Amazon sellers.
How a custom formula is developed
- You tell us about the product: who it is for, how it should feel, the price you will sell it at.
- We sign the NDA and the laboratory works on the formula.
- You receive samples in about two weeks, shipped from Italy.
- You test them and tell us what to change. If needed, we prepare a new version.
- You approve the formula and we move on to packaging, artwork and documents.
Claims and testing: what you can say on the label
If you want to print “moisturising”, “dermatologically tested” or “nickel tested” on the pack, that claim must be substantiated, in the EU and in the UK alike. We entrust testing to external laboratories chosen according to the claim, for a neutral assessment. It pays to think about claims at the formulation stage: some are easier to support with certain ingredients. Find out more in our guide to cosmetic claims and testing.
Already have a formula?
If you own a formula, we can assess it and manufacture it in our plant. That is cosmetic contract manufacturing in the strict sense. If you are unsure which model suits you, read our guide to private label vs contract manufacturing.
Frequently asked questions
How long do samples of a custom formula take?
About two weeks. For ready formulas, we send samples straight away.
Does the formula developed for me stay mine?
If you ask, yes: the custom formula stays exclusive to your brand and we do not sell it to other clients. We agree exclusivity on the formula and sign an NDA before receiving your information.
Can I modify one of your ready formulas?
Yes, within limits: fragrance or colour, for example. If the changes are substantial, we treat it as a custom formula.
How much does custom formulation cost?
It depends on how complex the product is and how many rounds of samples are needed. We include it in your quote once we understand what you need.
What is the minimum order for an exclusive formula?
500 units per SKU, the same as for ready formulas. An SKU (stock keeping unit) is one product in one format.
Can you make organic or vegan formulas?
Tell us what you need. We assess ingredients and any possible certification case by case, before development begins.
Tell us about your product
Even if all you have is an idea or a reference product. We sign the NDA and reply within one hour.
Keep reading
- Private labelPrivate label skincare made in Italy: 300+ ready or exclusive formulas, packaging, artwork, samples and EU documents. From 500 units per product.
- ProductsPrivate label skin care products for face, body, intimate hygiene and sensitive skin: gels, creams, washes. 300+ ready formulas, from 500 units.
- Private label vs contract manufacturingPrivate label vs contract manufacturing for cosmetics: formula ownership, costs, timings and exclusivity. A table to help you choose, from 500 units.
- Claims and testingCosmetic claims in the EU and UK: the 6 common criteria of Regulation 655/2013, free-from claims, dermatologically tested and nickel tested.