There are many reasons to launch your own cosmetic/beauty brand. Maybe you're inspired by a problem with an existing product. You may be an influencer interested in expanding your brand with a range of cosmetic products. Or maybe you're an entrepreneur looking to tap into the $7500 billion beauty/cosmetics market.
The dizzying rise of new brands cannot be ignored. Whatever your motivation, it can be difficult to know where to start and how to get from an idea to a real brand.
That's why we've shared these 5 steps guid to help your makeup brand succeed.
1. Identify Profitable Cosmetic Products
The first step in launching a successful private label cosmetic line is to ensure that consumers are in high demand for the beauty products you want to sell. Use tools like Google Trends and pages on Amazon like Best Sellers listings and Movers and Shakers pages. When used together, these tools can give you a clear picture of whether people are searching for and buying the type of makeup you want to sell.
Google Trends: Google Trends shows you whether search volume for a particular keyword is increasing or decreasing, and how much general interest there is for that term.
Amazon Bestsellers List: Amazon's Bestsellers list can be narrowed down to any product category or subcategory so you can see the most popular cosmetics and understand the current competition.
Amazon Movers and Shakers: This list shows products that are experiencing sudden growth of popularity, which can help spot trends.
Visit boutiques or other cosmetics retailers: See what other retailers are featuring in-store, and even check the packaging for potential supplier ideas. Keep in mind that the most popular brick-and-mortar stores for women to buy cosmetics include drugstores, hypermarkets, and department stores, so it's a good idea to check out these places.
--Choose Your Niche
To find a niche in the cosmetics industry, first, you need to understand what types of makeup products are in high demand, or you can even start by asking yourself why you want to prioritize creating a certain makeup line. Are you passionate about anti-abuse? Have you been struggling to find a foundation that matches your unique skin tone? Many times, the reasons that drive you to want to start a cosmetic business are the same factors that other cosmetic enthusiasts are looking for. Having a cohesive product line will help build a strong brand and target a specific audience.
Popular cosmetic areas include:
- Organic cosmetics
- Vegan cosmetics
- Cannabidiol (CBD) cosmetics and skincare products
- Sustainable and eco-friendly cosmetics
- Cosmetics without preservatives
2. Research Private Label Cosmetic Suppliers
You can source products in two main ways: online or in-person at the beauty industry expo.
Before you start looking for a supplier, define exactly what line of private label cosmetics you want. For example, do you only want organic products? Do you need skincare, makeup or both? Are there specific ingredients that you want or don't want?
Important: Natural & Organic Beauty and Skincare products are the most popular, with an expected CAGR of nearly 13%. It’s important to consider these preferences.
Here are a few more questions to consider when researching private label cosmetic suppliers:
- Is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved?
- Do they print labels and packaging for you?
- What is the minimum order quantity?
- How much is the labeling and packaging fee?
- What is the turnaround time for new and reorders?
Find Cosmetics Suppliers Online
One of the easiest ways to start searching for a supplier is to Google "Chinese private label cosmetics." This search gives you a long list of Chinese cosmetics suppliers. Visit a few supplier sites and you'll find that most of them cover everything from customizable makeup routines to full skincare lines for private label makeup. Most suppliers offer a wide variety of products, so you can mix and match products to create a unique and complete line of beauty products.
Supplier websites can also give you insight into how their ordering process works. Many suppliers even list very low minimum order requirements. So depending on the product range you want to start with, you can launch your own beauty brand for just a few hundred dollars using private label makeup.
You can further refine your Google search by adding terms such as natural, organic, and cruelty-free to the search box to meet specific requirements on your must-have list. Include any terms you need to define your own unique beauty brand.
ShmilyBeauty.com is a popular cosmetics supplier from China that offers a variety of options including.
Serum, Toner, Cream, Foundation
Blush, eyeshadow, eyeliner
lip balm, lipstick
Lotion, soap, essential oil ETC...
There are two common types of cosmetic manufacturers: Private Label & White Label. Private label cosmetic lines are customized by manufacturers, allowing cosmetic businesses to sell their products under their brand names. With private label manufacturers, you can choose to customize your product, such as color, fragrance or packaging options.
White-label cosmetics manufacturers make cosmetics for multiple brands and then rebrand them under their name. While private label and white label manufacturing are similar and cost-effective, partnering with a private label manufacturer allows for more customization, which makes your product unique and difficult to find elsewhere.
Find Suppliers At The Expo
Cosmoprof North America is one of the most popular beauty trade shows. It's also great for small businesses, as they have suppliers of all types and sizes, including new brands and manufacturers. They also have a section dedicated to eco-friendly products and startups. In addition, there are many activities and networking opportunities.
The beauty industry Expo is a great way to meet many private label suppliers in one convenient location. At these shows, you can get hands-on experience with many products, and even bring along plenty of free and low-cost samples for review. Best of all, trade shows allow you to discuss your goals and build relationships with potential suppliers in person.
Other popular beauty industry expos includes:
Ensure Cosmetics Products Comply With All Regulations
When you are doing online research, you will undoubtedly find overseas suppliers, especially in China. While these suppliers always offer lower prices, Most imported cosmetics always meet U.S. purity requirements and other legal standards. Going this route will be a nice choice.
In the United States, cosmetic safety laws fall under the jurisdiction of the FDA. Cosmetics are regulated by the FDA, not FDA-approved - so while most cosmetic products and ingredients do not require special approval before being sold to consumers, there are other laws and regulations that keep consumers safe.
The FDA can and does inspect cosmetic manufacturing facilities. While manufacturers are not specifically required to register their cosmetic businesses or conduct specific formulation testing, they may choose to register with the FDA's Voluntary Cosmetic Registration Program, which helps increase the transparency of cosmetic ingredients.
Request Cosmetics Samples & Review
If you search online for private label cosmetic suppliers, you'll see that most offer low-cost sample packs or individual samples. In general, expect to pay between $40 and $100 per company to ship a sample to you. It costs money to go this route, but gives you the opportunity to inspect the product for yourself. If you can attend an industry trade show, you can pick up a large number of samples at once and test samples in the showroom.
No matter how you get your samples, once you get your samples, the next step is to thoroughly review each product to see if it meets your expectations and fits your beauty brand. Here, your opinion matters most, but it's also a good idea to get opinions from others.
If you have a beauty store, spa, or group of clients, you can involve them in trying different products to see what everyone likes. After all, they are your potential buyers. If you don't have existing customers to dig in, get some friends to try out the product and give feedback.
It may take a few rounds of reviews, and maybe even a few rounds of samples from different suppliers, but in the end, you'll find a collection that defines your brand. When you have a clear idea of the product line you want to sell, it's time to think about how to sell it.
3. How To Market Your Makeup Line
Before placing your initial order, you need to decide how to market and sell your private label cosmetic line. You can start with one sales channel, add products to an existing store, or set up multiple sales channels at once.
Popular cosmetic sales channels include:
- In-Store: Equivalent point-of-sale (POS) systems to sell cosmetics in salons, spas, specialty fashion boutiques, or natural food stores
- Online-store: such as WordPress, Shopify, etc.
- Sell Private Label Cosmetics on Amazon Amazon Marketplace
- Social Media: Via Facebook Shop, Instagram Account or TikTok, etc...
- Become a wholesaler/distributor: Because you are developing your own product line, you can wholesale these products to boutiques, spas & brick-and-mortar stores
Marketing Your Brand
If you only sell on Amazon and rely on Prime promotions to get sales, then you need to be creative about how potential customers find you. In terms of marketing, "pay to play" means that while there are many lead generation methods for marketing and promoting your cosmetic line, you need marketing and advertising to get traffic to your online store and attract customers.
Every brand is different, so you can pick and choose your marketing and promotions based on how often potential customers show up, where they visit, and where they find information. You can start a social advertising campaign using Facebook, Instagram or Twitter etc.
That's not to say you can't come up with more creative ways to monetize your brand. Blogging and other forms of SEO, rich content, and other beneficial marketing techniques are great ways to attract more visitors to your store.
Choosing Marketing Strategy
You need to consider how you will store your cosmetics and deliver them to your customers after they have placed an order so that they do not become damaged or deteriorate in quality. You need to make this decision in advance so that you can choose a supplier who can meet your specific needs and provide the correct delivery address.
If you plan to sell your own branded products, you don't need to make too many decisions, you need the products you have on hand. However, if you plan to sell mainly online, you will need to decide where to store your products and how they will be packaged and shipped.
Most cosmetics require specific temperature and environmental settings. So if you need to use a storage center or warehouse, for example, you will need to find an environment where you can control the climate.
Your warehouse layout also needs to be organized in a way that allows you to easily access the oldest stock - in other words, the products that are closest to their expiry date. You don't want obsolete stock sitting on the shelves for too long to be sold, so it's important to have systems in place to mitigate such losses.
There are four main options for order fulfillment, includes：
- Dropshipping: With dropshipping, all aspects of the order fulfillment process are handled directly by the supplier to your customers; private label suppliers that offer dropshipping can be hard to find, but this is a popular fulfillment strategy for emerging e-commerce brands.
- Internal order fulfillment: Internal order fulfillment is where businesses manage their own storage and shipping operations; this is best for brick-and-mortar stores and well-known brands.
- Outsourced fulfillment: Online sellers can outsource to third-party order fulfillment companies to handle the storage of products and the shipping of customer orders. This is a great option for businesses that don't have time to handle their own operations or are experiencing rapid growth or seasonal sales spikes.
- Hybrid order fulfillment: Businesses can also combine any of these order fulfillment methods to handle both online and offline sales.
As your private label business grows, you'll spend more and more time packing and shipping online orders. That's why it's a good idea to try outsourcing your fulfillment process so you can spend time running your salon or online store!
Design Your Brand, Logo and Packaging
Makeup collections appeal to customers because of the stories the brands tell and the way they feel. When it comes to selling a cosmetic line, it's important to create an emotional connection with your customers. If makeup lovers are more confident, aligned with their values, and pleasing to them, they are more likely to pay more for products than drugstore brands.
So, before you launch your makeup line, take the time to create a brand (including name, logo, website, and marketing) that will differentiate your makeup line from the competition. The more unique your brand is, the easier it will be to be recognized. Investing in your branded custom packaging is also a great way to keep your customers happy when they receive their order.
As you explore potential suppliers, you will find that most will handle the labeling and packaging process for you. You provide your logo design and they do the rest. This is the easiest way to label and package your own branded makeup. It produces a professional look and ensures your labels comply with ingredient lists and other packaging requirements.
If you sell your beauty product line online, you can use a few images to build your website or Amazon listing, which corresponds to the time and expense of photographing the products yourself or hiring a professional
Most private label cosmetic suppliers will charge you for label printing and packaging on top of the cost of the product, and most of them list these costs explicitly on their website. If you have any questions, please call their customer service line to clarify any packaging cost or process issues you have.
In order to use your logo on your products, most suppliers will require you to upload your logo with your order. Vendors provide logo specifications, including the number of colors allowed, size limits, and file types. If you don't have the design skills to create your own logo, you can do it on Fiverr. If you don't have a solid idea for a brand logo, head to Pinterest and search for private label cosmetic packaging for tons of inspiration.
4.Selling Private Label Cosmetics: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How Much Does It Cost to Start a Private Label Cosmetics Company?Private-label cosmetic samples cost between $40 and $100 per company, while developing a full product line costs between $1,000 and $5,000. Upfront costs vary widely, depending on whether you're starting a brand new business or adding a new product line to an existing business, and whether you're self-shipping or drop-shipping. If you start a new business and sell products in person or fulfill customer orders in-house, the start-up costs for sample products, website, logo and packaging design, initial wholesale order, and shipping will be several thousand dollars.
Do I Need a License to Sell Cosmetics?You need a resale license like any other retailer. However, you do not need any cosmetology license or education to sell cosmetics or skin care products. If you plan to apply makeup, provide makeup or skincare services to clients, or display skincare products to clients, you may need a cosmetologist or cosmetologist license, depending on your state.
What Differentiates Successful Brands From Other Brands?
- Quality
Many cosmetic buyers are willing to pay more if they know they are getting a high-quality product. Quality is an important factor when choosing your branded products over a convenient and affordable drugstore cosmetic business. Selling products made from high-quality ingredients, whether organic, allergy-free or vegan, appeals to a different type of audience.
Social Concerns and Values
Harness the power of a large social following to gain brand awareness. You can reach the type of customers you want by promoting your brand values, your expertise in makeup or sharing skills, viral content, and even referrals and loyalty programs. For example, we are a brand that focuses on using quality ingredients that are cruelty-free, paraben-free and 100% vegan.
Fast and affordable shipping
Sometimes the one thing that sets your brand apart from your competitors has less to do with the cosmetics you sell and more to do with the incredible customer experience you offer. One way to make your brand stand out is how quickly you can deliver products to your customers at affordable prices (or even better, free shipping). To keep customers coming back, you may want to consider shipping strategies that build customer loyalty.
5. 3 Tips Before Launching A Cosmetic Line
Before you launch your makeup collection, here are some tips to ensure you're on your product launch plan.
Test your product
You may want to test your product before you start selling. You can even offer samples and freebies to potential clients and ask for candid feedback in return. The feedback you get will be invaluable as it can help you improve your product before you start selling.
There are several ways to test your product and get feedback. You can create a focus group and watch how prospects apply it. You may learn that the packaging needs improvement (e.g. the applicator for the eyeshadow is difficult to remove) or not working as intended.
Know your product ingredients
To start a cosmetic line, you need to ship products to customers across the country and around the world, which means you need to know the rules and regulations that you can and can't ship. Need to know what ingredients are in your products and will help you reduce the risk of allergic reactions and prevent you from making false claims, and ensure you ship safely, comply with carrier regulations, and protect temperature-sensitive products (e.g. lipstick, concealer) or eyeliner) ) during storage or shipping.
Cooperate with logistics companies
At first, internal fulfillment logistics is a great way to get the ball rolling, but as you grow, you'll have to rethink your fulfillment strategy. If you want to grow fast and scale efficiently, you have to think about and can help you with related tasks and free you from the heavy lifting including inventory management, warehousing, crating and shipping.
This allows you to focus on customer relationships and launching new cosmetic products that customers love, rather than spending all of your time and energy on packaging and shipping boxes.
--------Bottom Line--------
The average consumer spends nearly $200 a year on cosmetics, and in the U.S. alone, the industry is worth $93.1 billion. Consumer spending is on the rise with the COVID-19 pandemic Learning how to sell private label cosmetics is an easy and inexpensive way to build your own beauty brand. With low entry costs and a wide variety, fashion boutiques, healthy living brands and active lifestyle businesses are all expanding into this high-demand market. Once you have selected suppliers and products for your initial product line, you will need to design your logo, place an order and plan your sales strategy.