Have you ever thought about starting your cosmetic line? The truth is, it’s easier than you might think to create your beauty products and sell them to the public. All you need are the right supplies and some time, and you can have an amazing collection of cosmetics that will impress customers all over the world! The following guide will walk you through all of the steps involved in making your cosmetic line, from choosing your supplies to packaging your products to marketing your brand. Soon enough, you’ll be making money selling makeup products like never before!
Table of Contents
Business plan
First and foremost, think about how much money you’re willing to put up for production. A cosmetics line will require a considerable investment; expect start-up costs of $20,000 or more. You’ll also need professional packaging and labels, as well as good manufacturing practices certification (GMP) from your manufacturer.
Plans
At a minimum, these items will add another $5,000 to your startup costs. Will your business be large enough to support that kind of outlay? If not, are there other areas where you can pinch pennies so that you can afford the package design without breaking your bank account? For example, could an established printer cut down on initial expenses by leasing equipment instead of buying it outright?
Productivity planner
One of the most important keys to success in business is getting organized and staying that way. It might sound cliché, but it’s true. When you create a system and schedule around tasks, you make things easier on yourself—and also increase your chances of actually seeing them through. As they say: If a thing’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing! To get started with a productivity planner: Write down every single task or responsibility you have that must be completed during your work week (at least for now). Next, list when each task is due. Then estimate how long each task will take (it’s okay if you don’t know offhand—just make sure you make a note of your estimate). Here’s an example
Ingredients list
Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. Typically, you’ll want your carrier oil and essential oils in your recipe above all else. For example, if you’re making a hand cream and have five ingredients, most likely what will be heaviest is shea butter or some other carrier oil that goes into many homemade lotions. The essential oils should come next—you’ll get different scents from each of them, but they’re all essential. Then you might use some water-soluble ingredients like aloe vera gel or honey last.
Packaging design
Packaging design
When you’re making a cosmetics line, it’s important to consider packaging early on. If you can, start researching and designing packaging before you create your products. If that’s not possible, at least have a good idea of what style and design of package you’d like your product in so that all future decisions about your products are made with those containers in mind. Having said that, even if you already have products ready for launch, don’t leave packaging until last. As soon as your basic formulations are set—say after 6-12 months of testing—you’ll need somewhere to sell them (unless they’re just for personal use). And who will want to buy a container if there isn’t something great inside?
Market research
To make your cosmetics line, first, you need to figure out if there is a market for it. Try searching online for products similar to yours and seeing what people are saying about them. Do they like or dislike certain aspects of that product? Is that something you think you can improve upon? What else do they say they want in a similar product, which would sway their purchase decision? Are they willing to pay more or less than competing products? Why or why not? Keep all of these questions in mind as you create your own cosmetics line. Writing an outline of what consumers want before creating a final product will help ensure it’s successful.
Finding suppliers
You can find suppliers in a variety of ways: search on websites like Alibaba or SeekandFind or reach out to niche marketplaces where some might already have their products set up. An example would be Pepperfry, which not only allows you to sell your products through them but also allows you to buy wholesale goods as well. Another option is social media; share your idea with others who may already be doing it and ask for recommendations. Facebook groups are particularly great for finding your target audience and entrepreneurs.
The initial production run ideas
Depending on your goals, a good first run of products might include 20-25 different types of makeup. Don’t worry about offering every type of cosmetic there is—just focus on what you think customers will like best. You can always add new items later if demand is high enough, but don’t try to create a wide range of items from day one. Here are some ideas for your initial production run
