Cosmetic Development for Private Label
much more than contract manufacturing
Our Method
We have a unique tailoring approach in our sector based on pragmatic principles:
Respect and enhancement of the uniqueness of our client's brand.
Creation of exclusive and innovative products for every project.
Optimization of investments.
Containment of investments and risks.
We follow our clients through all project phases: from conception to commercialization, and we are able to support every production request:
- prototyping
- micro-productions for market testing
- production of small batches to launch new business lines or large, low-cost productions.
We can support clients as consultants in the evaluation and planning phases of a new project.
Dr. Portinaro is personally involved in academic and university research projects.
1 - STRATEGIC CONCEPT
The goal of this process is the identification of the lines in the new catalog and the individual product types that will compose the offer.
2 - COSMETIC PRODUCT FORMULATION
- • Indigenous to the client’s brand territory.
- • Already used by the brand for other purposes (olive oil, milk, wine, etc.).
- • Aligned with the brand’s values and the tastes of its consumers.
Thanks to continuous research activity, we create new products by formulating recipes with innovative and high-performance textures and active ingredients.
Our formulas are always based on naturally derived ingredients, and we can develop products with organic or vegan certification.
Under no circumstances do we use parabens, paraffins, petroleum derivatives, SLES, or phenoxyethanol.
All developed formulas are subjected to stability tests, microbiological controls, patch tests, and challenge tests.
We directly handle the drafting of the Product Information File (PIF): the mandatory documents that contain all information regarding products to be placed on the market (EC Regulation no. 1223/2009).
3 - GRAPHIC DESIGN AND PACKAGING
In choosing primary and secondary packaging, we evaluate with the brand:
- • The technical characteristics and quality of the containers.
- • The image and consistency with the creative project dedicated to the label.
- • The price, also in relation to the size of the planned production batches.
We design the labels for individual products and their respective secondary packaging.
We take care of the printing, choosing the ideal materials in relation to the packaging, the chemical/physical characteristics of the cosmetic product, and the aesthetic result.
4 - PRODUCTION
The peculiarity of our production method is great flexibility: we size the production batches according to the commercial needs and investment capacity of each client, ensuring our support from micro to large-scale production.
We oversee all production activities and deliver the finished product to the client, packaged and labeled.
We are based in Italy: all our products are “Made In Italy”.
The person responsible for production, who by law must be declared on the back label and in the European Cosmetic Product Notification Portal (CPNP), can be the client or our company, depending on the needs and project setup.
Contract manufacturing or product development?
Companies looking for a cosmetics contract manufacturer usually arrive with a brief that is already defined and ask us to produce it. We work one step earlier: we start from the concept, we define positioning, ingredients consistent with the brand’s values, packaging and communication together, and only then do we produce. The outcome is the same — a cosmetic line under your own brand, made in Italy and compliant with Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 — but the product comes out of the strategy, not out of a catalogue of ready-made formulas. If you already have formula and packaging defined, we take care of it all the same: the only thing that changes is the point at which we join the project.
The questions we are asked most often
How long does it take to get to the finished product?
Around three months from the start of the project to production, depending on the number of references and the packaging chosen. A repeat order takes a fraction of that time.
What is the minimum order quantity (MOQ)?
There is no fixed minimum. We start with a prototype and micro-production for market tests, then small batches to launch the line, then larger volumes: every batch is sized around the brand’s commercial needs.
What is the minimum budget?
There is no entry threshold: the solution is built around the investment available. The one condition is that the project makes sustainable commercial sense, because we are looking for long-term partnerships.
Read all the frequently asked questions about private label development →