Most successful launches start by studying what already sells. Sample matching lets you enter a proven category with a product that performs like the reference, at your price point, under your brand.
What we analyse
- Texture, viscosity, yield value and spreadability
- pH and, where relevant, conductivity and emulsion type
- Sensory profile: pick-up, slip, absorption rate, after-feel, residue
- Fragrance profile — family, intensity, top/heart/base balance
- Colour and, for make-up, shade and coverage characteristics
- Indicative ingredient architecture from the INCI declaration
What we send back
Within 7–10 working days you receive matched samples — usually two versions, one closer on texture and one adjusted for cost — plus a written comparison report showing where each version differs from the reference and why. You are not asked to judge blind: the report tells you what to look for.
The limits, stated honestly
We can match performance and sensory experience closely. We cannot and will not reproduce a patented formula, and we will tell you when a reference product relies on a protected technology or an ingredient you cannot legally use in your market. In those cases we propose a legal alternative that delivers the same consumer experience through a different mechanism.
We also cannot match what we cannot measure: if a claim depends on a clinical study the original brand commissioned, we can formulate to the same active level but the claim itself will need your own testing.
From match to production
Once you approve a matched sample, the formula is documented, stability tested against your packaging, and moved to pilot batch. Approved matches can be made exclusive to you, which is the usual route for brands building a defensible range rather than testing a market.
If you want the formula to be genuinely new rather than a close match, custom formula development is the right next step. If you simply want a proven formula with your label, private label is faster and cheaper than either.