Are you a salon owner interested in creating your own line of skincare products? If so, knowing the right questions to ask prospective skincare product manufacturers is vital. The best manufacturer will help you provide your clients with high-quality skincare that uses the latest cutting-edge technology in skincare science to deliver products that work and guarantee repetitive sales. Thus, consider this your guide to evaluating potential skincare manufacturers and choosing one you can trust as your business grows.
Before selecting a skincare product manufacturer to partner with, you should feel confident they know what they’re doing. A fundamental way to do this is to assess their experience and expertise in skincare manufacturing. The beauty industry is vast, so picking a manufacturer with historical evidence of success is essential to position your products advantageously. Moreover, a trustworthy manufacturer handles all the technical intricacies of product formulation, safety testing, quality assurance, and all regulatory compliance requirements. Additionally, ask prospective skincare product manufacturers what experience they have working with your brand’s niche or businesses similar to yours. If they’ve worked with companies like yours before, they are better prepared to fulfill your unique provisions.
Production capabilities will differ for every skincare manufacturer. Do they offer private-label, white-label, and/or custom formulation options? How do they source their ingredients? What are their minimum order requirements (MOQs) for the types of products you’re interested in? Custom formulations mean developing products from scratch. On the other hand, private-label and white-label options lean on pre-existing formulas that take less time to funnel through production. If you opt for custom formulation, you should understand what kinds of products the manufacturer specializes in, their lead chemists, and their professional expertise. In contrast, for white-label products, review the manufacturer’s catalog to ensure their capabilities align with your needs.
If your prospective product manufacturer offers all three, it’s important to understand what each option means and how they differ. Here’s a quick breakdown:
If your brand values sustainability (which it should), ask prospective skincare product manufacturers where their active ingredients are sourced and whether they can confirm that the ingredients are sustainably produced. Particularly in the health and wellness industry, the quality and origin of ingredients are of increasing concern. Consumers care about clean and ethical products, so you want to be sure whichever manufacturer you choose also leads with this in mind. Furthermore, inquire about skincare product manufacturers’ relationships with raw material vendors to understand whether they can provide the ingredients you want in your product formulations.
What quality control measures are in place during production? What documentation can they provide regarding testing results, such as stability, efficacy, and safety tests? Not only is this documentation required for compliance, but it also informs your approach to marketing your new skincare products. Ask your prospective product manufacturer what batch testing procedures they perform to ensure product consistency, safety, and stability.
On that note, you want to ensure the manufacturing facility you work with is GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) certified. GMP Certification indicates the facility is registered by the FDA and follows all required quality control standards. Compliance is one of the most critical aspects of choosing a skincare product manufacturer and should not be skipped. That said, ask for details on how the manufacturer meets safety and regulatory requirements. Also, inquire about their process for staying up-to-date with new regulatory compliance updates.
You should seriously consider a product manufacturer that can help you with packaging and labeling. So long as the critical requirements are met, a manufacturer that can handle packaging takes one more thing off your plate. Thus, you can focus on getting your new products onto the shelf quicker. If the manufacturer doesn’t handle packaging in-house, ask if they can connect you with a trusted vendor they endorse.
Depending on your production needs, each manufacturer will have minimum order requirements for each product you want to develop. Understanding these specifications is necessary for budgeting and inventory planning. Ask for a detailed pricing model that includes the cost of formulation, production, and packaging (if offered). This will give you a comprehensive view of your costs for each product request. In addition, ask them to list any additional fees for customization, testing, and other necessary product certifications.
Knowing when to expect your products gives you a timeline for executing product launches and other marketing efforts. Having this information also helps you strategize how you’ll manage inventory. Lead times depend on several factors, such as your formulation preferences, order volume, and packaging needs. On that note, ask about the manufacturer’s current production capacity. In turn, you’ll know whether or not they can scale if your demand increases for future orders. Production capacity is essential to secure a manufacturer that can stick with you as your business grows.
Lastly, to narrow your selection of skincare product manufacturers, ask what you can expect regarding support and communication throughout the product development process. Assess their responsiveness, how thoroughly they answer your questions, and how communicative they are regarding other important details. Before you sign a contract, identify your main point of contact and how you will be able to communicate with them going forward.
Selecting a manufacturer for your products is one of the most critical decisions to scale your business according to your objectives. Allure has a demonstrated history of success in product manufacturing for that can significantly impact your salon’s growth. As such, Allure has been a leading provider of skincare manufacturing for over three decades. Allure offers the best salon products that you can find in the United States and premium customer support from formulation to distribution.
When you partner with Allure, you can expect your product development needs to be exceeded. Let Allure take care of the hard work for you. Our staff works diligently to guarantee the highest standards are met every step of the way. Allure’s 65,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility is FDA-registered and GMP-certified. Among other skincare product manufacturers, Allure’s history of success is illustrated by some of the biggest brands sold in major health and beauty retailers today. Ready to learn more? Fill out a product request form on our website today to see if your goals align with our standards. Partner with Allure to elevate your product offerings and take your profit margins to new heights!
