Cosmetics Formulating is one thing. Manufacturing cosmetics in a professional manner is another.
Producing cosmetics for sale in the United States is a very intentional and detailed process.
At this time, it is permissible in the U.S. to manufacture cosmetics in both a commercial & non-commercial production spaces. You can even create a brand of beauty products and work from home.
Even though that is the case, Good Manufacturing Practices guide the safe & stable production of cosmetics in all processes & procedures.
Here are a few of the cosmetics manufacturing must-haves to consider as you establish & continually improve your production operations:
ADEQUATE FACILITIES
Facilities used in the manufacture or storage of cosmetics must be of suitable size, design, and construction to permit unobstructed placement of equipment, orderly storage of materials, sanitary operation, and proper cleaning & maintenance.
When you're considering and deciding on the skincare and makeup products you intend to make & sell in the United States, your manufacturing facility is a parameter that must be considered.
If you are starting up in a smaller non-commercial space, it is advantageous to produce a smaller number of SKUs and even products that have small package volumes. For example, instead of producing a luxury 16 ounce bath & body oil, consider manufacturing a 10 ml aromatherapy oil to start. You'll require a smaller footprint to store raw materials & packaging and you'll facilitate the safe and stable manufacture of your cosmetics.
And when you begin with 1 or maybe 2 scents, you will further increase the probability of success in producing high quality high design outcomes.
PROPER STORAGE
Containers of materials must be closed, and bagged or boxed materials are stored off the floor.
Here is another intentional parameter of professional cosmetics manufacturing. The storage of every component of your manufacturing process has to be conducted in a manner that protects the integrity of the component & resulting cosmetic.
Production area shelving, warehouse racks, raw materials storage, packaging rotation, and full goods inventory stocking require documented & validated standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure components are handled according to Good Manufacturing Practices.
SAFE & STABLE PRODUCTION PRACTICES
Manufacturing processes must be established and written instructions, ie formulations, processing, transfer and filling instructions, in-process control methods etc., must maintained.
Standard Operating Procedures are essential for every process and for every product in your collection of skincare & makeup
Validated & written process steps are needed for training, purchasing, inventory control, packaging sanitation, equipment sanitation, microbiology, manufacturing, testing, quality assurance, quality control, filling, packing, labeling, warehousing, shipping, tracking, and more.
PROFESSIONAL STAFF
The personnel supervising or performing the manufacture or control of cosmetics must the education, training and/or experience to perform the assigned functions.
The chemists, scientists, formulators, and production technicians must be dedicated to the safe & sanitary manufacture of professional cosmetics.
The reality is is that it is not absolutely necessary for a brand owner & manufacturer to have a science degree to produce amazing cosmetics. However, it is necessary that the product owner be trained in the manufacture of safe & stable cosmetics. When a individual or company decides to manufacture & sell cosmetics in the United States, it is advantageous to the producer and to the consumer that the manufacturing company have demonstrated knowledge & experience to complete the processes with a sound foundation of science-based training and understanding.
It is also important to the future of innovation that cosmetic producers continue to seek & secure college degrees & advanced degrees in chemistry, cosmetics chemistry, plastics engineering, manufacturing engineering, environmental engineering, industrial engineering, and more to increase the development & use of efficacious cosmetics that are kind & gentle to the planet.
METICULOUS RECORDKEEPING
Manufacturing of batches, documenting the kinds, lots, and quantities of materials used, processing, handling, transferring, holding, filling, sampling, controlling, adjusting, reworking, code marks of batches and finished products is required.
Documentation of each and every process is absolutely necessary.
We have pre-printed ready-to-write recordkeeping manufacturing logbooks available in our Amazon bookstore.
You can also use electronic spreadsheets & other digital solutions to document your processes. Use a combination of both paperback & electronic methods to streamline your operations.
PROPER INDUSTRY EQUIPMENT
Equipment and utensils used in processing, holding, transferring and filling must be of appropriate design, material and workmanship to prevent corrosion, buildup of material, or adulteration with lubricants, dirt or sanitizing agent.
It is true that your startup manufacturing Lab does not have to have a lot of expensive equipment to be adequate. However, there is equipment that is more advantageous & beneficial for the safe, stable, and efficient production of professionally manufactured cosmetics.
Here are just a few of our favorite startup equipment recommendations:
Stainless Steel Lab Spoons
Startup manufacturing labs include activities such as transferring ingredients to various vessels. Stainless steel lab spoons is an eco-friendly way to weigh, measure, and stir ingredients & formulas while maintaining the integrity of the components.
A Lab Coat
A dedicated lab coat is an effective measure to maintain the integrity of the manufacturing environment. It's a mental reminder & a physical barrier to keep only what's required for sanitary manufacturing inside of the cosmetic production space.
Heat Safe Glass Volumetric Measuring Cups of various sizes
Heat safe glass measuring cups have a convenient pouring spout and a 'cooler' handle. Some of the larger measures, 4-quart for example, come with fitted lids that can be helpful.
These types of heat-safe measuring cups lets you safely add some gentle heat when needed. They have volumetric markings so you can double check your measurements too.
The main thing is they clean really well. You can sanitize them with both heat & chemical reagents.
A Basic Label maker
A label maker in your startup Lab will help you to neatly label your cleaning chemicals & various inventory.
Glass Beakers for weighing Pigments
Having 2 or 3 dozen glass beakers in various sizes is effective for weighing pigments for makeup products & they wash very clean. They also evacuate all the pigment into your product formulas.
We have an Amazon Store for all kinds of startup lab equipment & supplies.
Cosmetics manufacturing is a lucrative & rewarding career. You get to work 'behind the scenes' in the beauty industry and still be involved with innovation & chemistry. Cosmetics manufacturing produces beautiful results and people love to express themselves with rich pigments of all kinds. You can experience the benefits of producing an amazing beauty brand when you include the training, systems, and processes needed to manufacture safe & stable cosmetics.
For complete instructions on how to manufacture Lip Glosses, Mineral Foundation, and Mineral Highlighters, get our book SMALL SCALE MAKEUP MANUFACTURING on Amazon
Start smaller with NAIL POLISH PRO and learn everything you need to know about creating a collection of nail lacquers using a pre-made base that you buy in a fraction of the time for faster profits. Get the E-book on our website and the paperback is on Amazon [sometimes Amazon has special pricing on popular paperback books]. With proper ventilation, creating nail polish collections can be a profitable work-from-home venture that requires just a small amount of [properly ventilated] space.
Our book MAKE MONEY MAKING SUGAR SCRUB, is designed to be an easier way to create extra income working from home. It's affordable and will have you making spa-quality body polishes in just a few weeks. Get it in paperback on Amazon and/or from our webstore available as an instant download ebook.
Samantha Dickey [@ LinkedIn] is a Cosmetic Scientist, STEM Advocate, and an expert in small-scale Color Cosmetics Manufacturing & Graphics Technology.
Her early career days included AutoCAD drafting, around-the-clock manufacturing in production quantities of multi-millions per year, and Lab Science testing & corporate Leadership.
Her professional skills & talent includes meticulously drafting detailed workflows for organizational excellence and high quality high design products & experiences.
She continues to make strides in STEM by empowering teens & lab-scale producers in cosmetics manufacturing technology.
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