Custom development is for brands that need something the market does not already have: a specific active level, an unusual texture, a claim that has to be defensible, or simply a formula that belongs to them alone. You bring the brief. Our lab builds it.
What a brief should contain
- Category and format — serum, cream, gel, foam, stick, patch, mist
- Efficacy target and the actives you want, or the outcome you want us to formulate towards
- Texture and sensory direction: lightweight or rich, matte or dewy, fast-absorbing or occlusive
- Fragrance direction, or fragrance-free
- Target market, because allowed actives, SPF claims and labelling differ by region
- Retail price ceiling, which sets the cost-of-goods budget
- Estimated first-year volume
A brief that covers these seven points saves a full development round. If some are open, we will propose a direction rather than waiting.
Development sequence
Round one — direction. Within 10–14 days we present two or three bench prototypes with different technical approaches, each with a cost estimate. You receive physical samples, not photographs.
Round two — refinement. You tell us what to adjust: viscosity, slip, absorption, scent strength, colour, pH. We iterate. Most projects settle in two rounds; complex emulsions or SPF systems can take three or four.
Round three — validation. Once the formula is locked, it goes through accelerated stability (typically 3 months at 40°C / 75% RH, with freeze-thaw cycles), microbiological challenge testing, and compatibility testing against your chosen packaging. Only then does it move to pilot batch.
Exclusivity and ownership
Formulas developed for you are exclusive to you by default and recorded as such in the supply agreement. We do not sell them to another client. If you want to own the formula outright — to manufacture elsewhere or to hold it as an asset — that is available as a buy-out, priced against the development work already invested.
What it costs and how long
Development fees depend on complexity: a simple gel or lotion sits at the low end, an SPF emulsion or a colour cosmetic with shade matching at the high end. The fee is usually credited against your first production order above a volume threshold. Realistic timeline from signed brief to production-ready formula is 6–10 weeks, with testing on the critical path rather than the bench work.
If you already have a formula and only need production, that is contract manufacturing. If you want to match an existing product, start with sample matching instead — it is faster and cheaper than developing from scratch.