Cosmetic Formulation & Product Architecture for Brands and Manufacturers

GlamSupply has experience across a broad range of cosmetic and personal care categories, with particular strength in performance-driven formulations and commercially scalable systems.

Our development experience includes:

Skincare

• Serums (hydrating, brightening, anti-aging, barrier repair)
• Creams and emulsions
• Toners and essences
• Cleansing systems
• Targeted treatment products

Base & Complexion

• Foundations and hybrid      
• skincare-makeup formats
• Functional primers
• Long-wear base systems

Functional Personal Care

• Cleansing products
• Scalp and hair-support systems
• Active body care formulations

New Product Development Process

Our product development process is designed to ensure clarity, efficiency, and collaboration throughout each stage. The typical workflow is outlined below:

1. Project Brief
   The client completes a product briefing form (provided by us), outlining the product concept, key requirements, and any anticipated claims.
    
2. Brief Review
   Our formulation team carefully reviews the submitted brief to assess feasibility and identify any initial considerations.
    
3. Project Scope Discussion
   A project scope call is scheduled where our team discusses the brief in detail, raises any questions or concerns, and ensures all parties are aligned on the product specifications and development objectives.
    
4. Quotation & Project Confirmation
   A formal project quotation is issued for review. Once the quotation is approved, an invoice will be generated to initiate the project.
    
5. Formulation Development
   Upon receipt of payment, our team begins developing the formulation and conducting initial lab trials.
   Provided there are no delays in sourcing ingredients that may not already be in stock, the first sample is typically delivered within 1–3 weeks after development begins.
    
6. Sample Review & Refinement
   After the client receives the sample, feedback can be provided. If required, formulation adjustments will be made.
   The development fee includes up to three iterations (v1–v3) to refine the product.
    
7. Final Documentation
   Once the formulation is approved, we will issue the full product documentation package, including:
    
   • Final formulation
      
   • Proposed manufacturing process
      
   • Product specifications
      
   • This documentation becomes the intellectual property of the client and can be used to obtain manufacturing quotations from the manufacturer of your choice.
      

Optional Testing

To further support product quality and stability, we can arrange additional testing services, including:

• Accelerated stability testing
   
• Packaging compatibility testing
   
• Preservative efficacy testing (PET)
   

While these tests are not legally required for cosmetic products in Australia, they are strongly recommended to ensure product stability, safety, and shelf-life performance.

  1. Independent Structural Thinking

We operate independently from manufacturing constraints.

This allows us to design formulations based on performance, positioning and long-term margin — not limited by a single factory’s raw material library or production habits.

You gain structural clarity before committing to execution.

2. Commercially Intelligent Formulation

We do not design formulas in isolation.

Every formulation is built with:

• Target COGS awareness

• Scalable ingredient pathways

• Margin protection logic

• Production compatibility considerations

Performance without commercial structure is fragile. We build both.

3. Stronger Negotiation Position with Manufacturers

When your formulation is structured and documented properly:

• You are not locked into one factory

• You understand cost drivers

• You reduce dependency risk

• You improve commercial leverage

Clarity strengthens your position.

4. Science-Backed Claims with Credibility

We translate formulation design into structured claim frameworks supported by data pathways.

This reduces marketing risk and strengthens consumer trust.

5. Faster Development, Lower Long-Term Risk

By aligning formulation, supply and production considerations early, we help reduce:

• Reformulation cycles

• Cost surprises

• Scale-up failure

• Inventory misalignment

Structured development reduces expensive corrections later.

6. Built for Scale — Not Just Launch

Many products are designed to launch. Few are designed to scale.

We architect formulations that can withstand growth, cost fluctuation and production expansion.

Benchmarks refer to existing reference products in the market that illustrate the various attributes that you wish to exist in your final formulated product. This may relate to the colour, texture, smell or performance of your product, and are strongly encouraged. 

Using benchmark product/s is helpful to clearly articulate the desired outcomes for your product without the challenge of interpretation. For example, one persons ‘runny’ might be another persons ‘sticky’ – where as a physical and tactile item for comparison leaves little room for interpretation. 

For cosmetic products, based on the assumption that they are formulated using approved ingredients (Industrial Chemicals Act 2019) then no testing is legally required prior to launch the product. The exception here would be to back up any label or product claims, such as ‘dermatologically tested’.

Despite this, we highly recommend undertaking both Preservative Efficacy Testing (PET) and Stability/Compatibility testing. These tests help ensure your product is safe, the preservatives are working well and also help substantiate your shelf life and PAO (period after opening)claims.

In addition, you should always engage a regulatory consultant to ensure you are meeting your compliance and labelling requirements.

For cosmetic products, based on the assumption that they are formulated using approved ingredients (Industrial Chemicals Act 2019) then no testing is legally required prior to launch the product. The exception here would be to back up any label or product claims, such as ‘dermatologically tested’.

Despite this, we highly recommend undertaking both Preservative Efficacy Testing (PET) and Stability/Compatibility testing. These tests help ensure your product is safe, the preservatives are working well and also help substantiate your shelf life and PAO (period after opening)claims.

In addition, you should always engage a regulatory consultant to ensure you are meeting your compliance and labelling requirements.

No – we enjoy working on other peoples brands so much that we have no desire to create our own! We believe that this is the best way to ensure we are not competing with our clients, and that there is no conflict of interest.

No, once a project is complete our clients receive the transfer of IP with their formulation documentation.

The terms of GlamSupply outline that following payment and completion of the project we irrevocably and unconditionally assigns all current and future rights to the client.

Absolutely not, cosmetic testing on animals is banned in Australia.

Where dermatological studies have been undertaken; these are performed on human subjects using standard test procedures such as Repeat Insult Patch Testing (RIPT) or Cumulative Irritancy Testing (CIT) on willing test subjects under the guidance of ethics committees.

However, it should be noted that many ingredients used in cosmetics have been tested on animals prior to the ban on 1 July 2020 where new ingredients used exclusively in cosmetics cannot use information from animal testing to prove safety.

Stability and Compatibility Testing

We conduct stability and compatibility testing to help estimate a product’s shelf life and Period After Opening (PAO).

In Australia, cosmetic products are not legally required to display a shelf life on packaging. However, this requirement does apply to therapeutic products, and it is also mandatory in some international markets. For this reason, stability testing is often recommended, particularly for brands planning to sell globally.

Stability testing involves periodic physicochemical assessments of the formulation to evaluate how the product performs over time. The objective is to ensure the product maintains the same quality, safety, and performance characteristics at the end of the testing period as it did at the beginning.

Typical stability assessments may include:

• Appearance
• Odour
• pH (acidity/alkalinity)
• Viscosity and rheology
• Freeze–thaw cycling
• In some cases, analysis of active ingredients

The duration and conditions of testing vary depending on the testing approach. For example:

• Real-time stability testing is conducted at room temperature for the full duration of the intended shelf life (e.g., 24 months for a two-year shelf life).
• Accelerated stability testing is conducted at elevated temperatures for a shorter period (typically around six months) to simulate longer-term storage conditions.

Testing is performed at defined intervals throughout the study period to monitor any changes in the product.

While accelerated testing provides faster results, elevated temperatures can sometimes trigger reactions or degradation that may not occur under normal storage conditions. As a result, these findings require interpretation. Real-time testing is generally more reliable, although it naturally takes longer to complete.

Compatibility testing is closely linked to stability testing and evaluates how the formulation interacts with its packaging. This ensures the packaging performs effectively throughout the product’s lifecycle.

Compatibility assessments may include:

• Leak testing
• Weight loss evaluation
• Pump priming performance
• Dispensing rate (where applicable）

At GlamSupply, compatibility testing is conducted alongside stability testing at no additional cost.

Preservative Efficacy Testing (PET)

Preservative Efficacy Testing (PET) evaluates how effective a product’s preservative system is in protecting the formulation from microbial contamination. Contamination can occur during manufacturing, filling, storage, or consumer use, so an effective preservative system is essential to maintain product safety and quality.

A well-designed preservative system helps prevent issues such as product spoilage, visible mould growth, unpleasant odours, and potential skin irritation or infection.

During PET, a sample of the product is intentionally inoculated with a controlled amount of specific microorganisms. The sample is then stored under controlled conditions and tested at scheduled intervals to monitor whether the preservative system effectively reduces or eliminates microbial growth.

The test follows established acceptance criteria with defined limits that determine whether the product passes or fails. In some cases, results may be interpreted with consideration of factors such as packaging format, product type, and expected consumer usage patterns.

Stability Testing Timelines

Real-time stability testing is the most comprehensive method for evaluating product stability, as it is conducted over the full duration of the intended shelf life. For example, a product with a proposed two-year shelf life would typically undergo 24 months of real-time testing.

Accelerated stability testing provides a faster method to estimate shelf life by storing products under elevated temperature conditions. For therapeutic products, accelerated stability testing generally takes 6–9 months to substantiate a three-year shelf life, or approximately 4–6 months to support a two-year shelf life.

For cosmetic products, accelerated testing is typically conducted over approximately four months, which can be used to support an estimated two- to three-year shelf life.

During the testing period, samples are assessed at defined intervals. In most cases, we review results at the 2–3 month checkpoint to evaluate any changes in the formulation. At this stage, findings are communicated to the client so they can determine whether the product presents a sufficiently low risk to proceed with production.

Stability testing is often conducted in parallel with Preservative Efficacy Testing (PET), although this is not mandatory and will depend on individual circumstances, such as project timelines or uncertainty around the preservative system.

Preservative Efficacy Testing (PET) typically takes 6–7 weeks in total, with the core microbial challenge test lasting approximately four weeks.

Absolutely! We offer troubleshooting services to help with problemtic products or formulas that are not performing as intended.

We also offer formulation robustness analysis (FRA) unique to skintererst, which you can learn more about here.

No, we intentionally operate independently from the manufacturing environment. This allows us to provide impartial formulation development and technical advice.

We are able to produce small-scale laboratory batches (up to approximately 5 kg) for purposes such as market research, internal testing, or sampling.

In addition, we can provide technical consulting and support during the scale-up and manufacturing stage of your product. Our team is also available to attend production runs if required, both in Australia and China, to assist with the manufacturing process.

If needed, we can also introduce and connect clients with suitable contract manufacturers to support commercial production.

Certainly. Our laboratory team has extensive experience working with contract manufacturers across both Australia and China, giving us a strong understanding of how manufacturing environments operate.

We offer consulting services on an hourly basis, providing support with manufacturing challenges, scale-up processes, and batch supervision where required. Our team can also attend production runs to help ensure a smooth transition from laboratory formulation to commercial manufacturing.

Please feel free to get in touch to discuss how we can assist with any manufacturing or production challenges you may be facing.

Because our work is fully bespoke and we do not offer off-the-shelf or white-label formulations, we require a clear understanding of your product concept before we can provide an accurate quotation.

Please feel free to contact us or book a complimentary consultation, where we can discuss your product idea, requirements, and development goals in more detail.

Your ideas and concepts will always remain strictly confidential within the GlamSupply team. However, if you would prefer to have a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) in place before our discussion, we are happy to provide a template for your use.

Payment Terms

Full prepayment is required before we begin the formulation development of your product.

Testing costs are not required to be paid prior to formulation work commencing. Once the formulation has been approved and finalised, we will issue an invoice for any applicable testing services. Payment for testing is required before the testing process begins. This approach allows clients to better manage and distribute development expenses throughout the project.

We currently accept bank transfer as the method of payment.

Our Product Formulation Process

The typical process for working with Glamsupply Solutions to develop your product is outlined below:

1. Project Brief
   You complete our product briefing document (or alternatively provide your own brief outlining the concept, requirements, and intended claims).
2. Technical Review
   Our technical team reviews the brief to confirm the project is feasible and identifies any items that may require further discussion.
3. Project Alignment Call
   We arrange a phone or video meeting to discuss the reviewed brief. This ensures both parties are aligned on the product concept, expectations, and development scope.
4. Brief Finalisation
   Based on the discussion, you may update or refine the brief before it is finalised.
5. Quotation & Project Confirmation
   We provide a project quotation. Once the quotation is approved, an invoice will be issued to commence the project.
6. Formulation Development
   After payment is received, our team begins drafting the formulation, sourcing required raw materials, and conducting laboratory trials to develop the product concept.
7. Sample Delivery
   A sample will then be provided for your evaluation. This typically occurs within 2–4 weeks, depending on whether any new ingredients need to be sourced.
8. Feedback & Optimisation
   You review the sample and provide feedback. If needed, we will refine and optimise the formulation to achieve the desired performance.
9. Final Documentation
   Once the formulation is approved, we provide the full technical documentation package, including:
   • Final formulation
   • Proposed manufacturing process
   • Product specifications 
   • This documentation becomes your intellectual property and can be used to obtain quotations from the contract manufacturer of your choice. If required, we can also recommend suitable manufacturing partners.

Optional Testing Services
If you would like to substantiate product shelf life, we can arrange accelerated stability testing and packaging compatibility testing. We also recommend Preservative Efficacy Testing (PET) to ensure the preservative system performs effectively.
 

For more information about the development process and tips to avoid common delays, you can also review our process overview and contact us to get our formulation checklist.

The development timeline for a cosmetic product can vary depending on the complexity of the formulation, testing requirements, and packaging development.

In general, the process may take between 3 to 9 months from concept to final production.

Factors that influence development timelines include formulation complexity, stability testing requirements, packaging sourcing, and manufacturing scheduling.

Minimum order quantities (MOQ) vary depending on the manufacturer, packaging type, and product format.

For many cosmetic products, typical MOQs may range from 1,000 to 5,000 units, although smaller runs may be possible for certain product types.

Working with experienced development partners can help identify manufacturers that match the scale of your project.

Cosmetics in Australia must comply with ingredient safety and regulatory requirements under the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS).

Brands must ensure that ingredients are permitted and that products are correctly labeled according to Australian cosmetic regulations.

While cosmetics do not require pre-market approval like pharmaceuticals, compliance with regulatory requirements is essential.