Dreaming of starting your own cosmetics line but not sure where to begin?
At FLPL, that’s what we specialize in. Our business is all about helping people to launch their own labels. From strengthening your initial brand vision to formulating your cosmetic products to taking care of manufacturing, packaging, and shipping, we’re here to ensure that what can sometimes be a turbulent journey is nothing but smooth sailing for you and your new brand.
Let’s take a closer look at the various steps involved in creating a new cosmetics label:
Step 1: Decide Which Cosmetic Products You Want to Sell
Cosmetic products come in so many different shapes and forms. From cleansers and serums to male grooming products, this is a massive market, which is why your first step should always be to narrow down your numerous options.
How are you meant to decide?
Well, hopefully, you already have some sort of idea as to who your target market is. Whether you want to focus on mature women who are trying to combat the appearance of aging or teenagers dealing with the skin ramifications of hormonal fluctuations, pinpointing your target market will steer you in the right direction when it comes to choosing product types.
Once you’ve honed in on your chosen niche, it’s time to do some market research. This will help you to learn more about what your audience needs and wants. If you find that the mature women that you want to sell to have been gravitating toward instant topical wrinkle treatments, then that should be your primary focus. Likewise, if your teenage market is obsessed with unique face masks, then you definitely want some of those in your product lineup.
Step 2: Choose a Private Label Partner
Now that you know what you want to sell, it’s time to find a private label partner that can help you to create your chosen product types.
Of course, going down the private labeling route isn’t essential, but it sure does make life so much easier! Unless you have in-depth experience when it comes to formulating and manufacturing cosmetic products, along with all of the rules and regulations that you need to abide by, then you definitely want someone with the right knowledge on your side.
And that’s where FLPL comes in. We have an extensive catalog of cosmetic products for you to choose from. From skincare to hair care to beauty accessories, chances are that we can help you to produce what you want to sell.
Of course, when choosing a private label partner, it’s important to take a look at the brands that they’ve worked with in the past. At FLPL, our brands range from accessible and budget-friendly to exclusive and high-end. No matter where you want your brand to sit on that scale, we can help you to establish a solid presence in the market.
Step 3: Research and Development
After teaming up with us and giving us an idea of the type of products you want to sell, we then move on to the research and development phase. This is often where new cosmetic labels fail when they don’t have the backing of a good private label partner. R&D takes a fair bit of know-how!
While we can take full control over this stage of the process for you if that’s what you would prefer, most of our clients choose to get involved. We have a huge ingredient catalog that you can choose from. This will enable you to thoroughly customize your cosmetic products to align with your brand image.
Step 4: Choose Your Packaging & Labels
When it comes to cosmetic products, packaging is a lot more important than many people realize.
Firstly, you have to consider the components that hold your actual product, ie. jars, bottles, etc. Not only do these serve the functional purpose of containing your product, but they also need to protect your product from damage. Some ingredients, such as vitamin C, are known for quickly oxidizing when they come into contact with air or light. So, you’ll need to take your active ingredients into account when choosing your components.
Let’s not forget that whatever you choose needs to be compatible with the product itself for ease of use. For example, a super-rich serum would probably be better with a pump dispenser rather than a dropper. Likewise, a thick body butter will likely work better in a jar than in a bottle.
After guiding you through component choices, we’ll then help you to decide on external packaging. Again, this serves a few purposes. Not only does it keep your product safe from damage while in transit, but it’s also a great way to showcase your brand image and aesthetics. For example, if you’re trying to promote how your cosmetic products are eco-friendly, then this needs to apply to the packaging that you use as well.
Finally, we have product label design. This is usually the very first thing that people look at when considering a new cosmetic product. This means that yours needs to be good. Our art and marketing team will be on hand to help you design the perfect labels for your cosmetic products. We’ll ensure that every label is engaging and informative enough to persuade potential customers to choose your brand instead of the competition.
Step 5: Create a Marketing Strategy
Marketing is what makes future customers aware of your business. Even if your cosmetic products are among the best in the world, a lack of marketing will mean a lack of sales.
If you have plenty of marketing experience and want to take care of this aspect yourself, then now would be the time to start cementing those ideas. However, if you’re not yet fully confident in your marketing skills, FLPL’s marketing department can help you out.
Together, we’ll put together a marketing strategy that will help to ensure that your label sees success. From designing your website to be as SEO-friendly as possible to setting up and running social media channels for your brand, we’ll pick the perfect marketing avenues for your business to explore.
Step 6: Approve the Prototypes
By this stage, your prototypes should be ready for your approval. This is always an exciting time as you’ll finally be able to see all of your dreams and visions brought to life!
You’ll be able to test out your cosmetic products, assessing both the formulas themselves as well as their packaging. We often get things right the first time but, if there’s anything that you’d like to change, then now is when we would do that.
Once you’re happy that your cosmetic products are perfect, the prototypes can then be approved for production.
Step 7: Choose a Manufacturer
Manufacturing is another area that often intimidates new skincare label owners. With so many different factories out there, each one with its own services, prices, and minimum order requirements, choosing the right one can seem like a minefield.
However, again, this is why it’s so useful to work with a private label company that’s familiar with the industry. For example, FLPL already works with different manufacturers. As a result, we have a good network in place to hook you up with the right factory for what you need.
We work with factories in the USA as well as in Asia. Both come with their advantages and disadvantages, which we can talk you through in detail at the time. While overseas manufacturing tends to be the lower-cost option, it does come with longer lead times. We’re also finding that many consumers of cosmetic products are now favoring labels that produce their products in the USA.
Whichever you go with, the manufacturing process will be a breeze when you have FLPL by your side. We have strict quality control measures in place, so you’re guaranteed nothing but the best.
Step 8: Delivery to a Warehouse
Once your cosmetic products have been manufactured, it’s time for them to be shipped. Most startup skincare labels don’t have their own warehouse space, which can make accepting shipments and storing stock a hassle.
However, when you work with FLPL, your cosmetic products will be delivered to our warehouse in California. We will then safely store your products until you’re ready for them to move on.
Step 9: Start Raking in Those Sales!
Now that your products have been delivered and your marketing strategy is in place, it’s time to start making some sales! Business can often be initially slow for new labels, which is why the marketing plan that we came up with earlier is so essential.
When it comes to actually selling your products, pretty much every brand out there sells online. In this day and age, it’s expected. However, running an e-commerce store isn’t as easy as it looks. If this is an area that you aren’t familiar with, FLPL can take care of it for you.
Many new skincare labels can only be bought online, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, selling your cosmetic products at physical locations too can really help to expand your reach and spread the word about your brand.
Step 10: Brand and Product Development
Even once things are running smoothly and your sales are steadily rising, constant brand and product development is a must. Competition is fierce in the cosmetics industry, so you need to make sure that your label is always pushing the boundaries of your niche.
This could mean tweaking some of your formulas to keep up with new trends. Or perhaps a little rebranding is in order to widen your appeal. Either way, FLPL will help to ensure that your brand stays relevant in an ever-changing market.
Summary
There are so many different aspects to consider when starting a new cosmetics label, making it hardly surprising that so many people feel too intimidated to bring their vision to life. However, that’s where having a good private label partner, like FLPL, can be a game-changer. While you will still have full control over the creation of your brand and its products, you’ll also have our expertise and industry knowledge on-hand to guide you through the various processes involved in starting a new label, meaning that your dreams could become reality much sooner than you had imagined.
