Have you ever thought of creating your own skincare line? I sure do! I’ve been thinking of my next business venture, and possibly a skincare line is on the list. Whilst thinking and researching about it, I found myself asking the same question that probably land you here “how to start a skincare line?” What do we actually really need to go through before we can launch a successful skincare brand.
During my research, there were plenty of “how to start a skincare line” information out there in the internet, but it was too general. Nothing was specific enough for me to understand what exactly do I need to look for and invest in to build my own skincare brand.
Luckily, for a reason only the Universe knows, I received an email that put me in an opportunity where I can interview a US-based skincare manufacturer (cue angels singing in the background). I was thrilled! I couldn’t believe this opportunity falls on my lap! I lined up 10 questions for this article, and I hope it would be beneficial for anyone who wants to create their own line.
If you decide to create your own brand from this article, all I ask of you is to tag me on instagram or even email me during your early phases (preparation, pre launch etc). I’d love to see you grow and show my support in your venture. Enjoy and I hope this is helpful for you to start your own brand.
Interview with Dynamic Blending
Questions for this interviews are asked by Jilly Ijoe and answered by Jordan Erskine, President of Dynamic Blending and Victoria Vergara, marketing director for Dynamic Blending
1. Can you tell me a little bit about Dynamic Blending & what sets Dynamic Blending apart from other skincare manufacturers?
Dynamic Blending Specialists is a full-service turnkey contract manufacturer of cosmetics, personal care, skincare, dietary supplements, nutraceuticals and much more. Our team consists of industry experts with an extensive background in cosmetic chemistry (R&D), formulations, manufacturing, packaging, shipping, and quality. Every member of our team has one goal: to be 100% focused on the needs of our clients. We never forget that we are here to help your business thrive.
One of our biggest advantages? We offer low minimum order quantities.
This means you won’t have to be turned away anymore from the other guys for the smaller quantities you need. We also partner with our clients and do everything from product formulation and packaging to design and drop-shipping. So no more having to call 12 different people for the cosmetic supply chain process.
2. As I understand it, Dynamic Blending is almost a one-stop-shop in creating our very own skincare line. It provides not only the formulation but also packaging and even fulfillment. For a business that’s just starting out, obviously the initial investment is an important factor. How much of an initial investment should one expect when starting out?
All of our projects are quoted on a case-by-case basis because of the unique nature of R&D and custom manufacturing. We may not be able to provide a concrete number because of the huge margin for variance project-to-project, but a whole project start to finish may cost anywhere between $25-50K (this includes the R&D and manufacturing process).
3. Can you tell me more about Project Ignite?
Typical contract manufacturers don’t care once your product leaves their facility. We do. We understand at the deepest level that if you grow, we grow with you. Project Ignite is a comprehensive tool to help our clients achieve success. We’re excited to share these key resources to “ignite” your brand in a competitive industry. The services we provide range anywhere from graphic design and web design services all the way to our JV (joint-venture) program. Joint venturing with us provides our partners with indirect financial benefits by discounting R&D and manufacturing to help free up working capital to tackle other facets of business development. We’ve easily saved our partners hundreds of thousands of dollars through this program.
4. For someone who’s interested in starting a business in skincare, what would be the right approach to start a skincare line, especially if s/he has no idea about formulation and ingredients?
Starting any business requires a lot of research and support. Here at Dynamic Blending, we try to simplify starting “the next big thing” as much as possible — that’s why we’ve built the team that we have here today! You don’t need to be a veteran chemical engineer to start a line with us. Our 1-on-1 consultative approach makes talking about creating a product easy. Oftentimes we may ask a prospective client to bring in predicate products that they’d like to improve, or maybe even work backward by providing us with a list of features and benefits. Our highly trained and experienced R&D guys can then take that feedback and tailor a plan to formulate a fantastic product that will not only meet the client’s expectations but provide something new in the industry that can be marketed on its merits!
When it comes to ingredients, our team can guide anyone in the right direction. We source ingredients from over 40 countries and take pride in our many certifications! This means if you want to have a vegan or a cruelty-free or any other type of cert, our team can help you get that for your products.
5. How long does it usually take to develop a skincare product?
It depends on a number of things, but one of the most important factors is the feedback we get during the R&D process. We started Dynamic Blending because we wanted to create a way for people’s ideas and dreams to be fulfilled with no opposition. The team of chemists in our on-site lab can create a tangible product from scratch based on your idea and then revise it to the point where it’s exactly what you imagined in your head. Each product’s development time is catered to each individual that works with us because we take everyone person’s business seriously.
6. How/who do you test the newly made skincare products?
Our R&D facility is cruelty-free, meaning none of our products are tested on animals. We like to formulate on the greener side of the spectrum, which is why we got our facility USDA & NSF certified. Our skincare products are made by a team with over 50 years of combined experience, so we know what’s good for the body and what’s not, that’s why we’re so confident in sending our samples straight to our client once the revision process is done. This means our clients usually prefer to test the R&D samples themselves and provide feedback as necessary.
7. With a current trend of “safe and clean” skincare products, what exactly is considered as “safe/clean & natural/organic”? Are natural ingredients actually as “safe” as they claimed to be?
Typically “natural” products are grown and harvested from the earth with next to no processing. A lot of non-natural ingredients are made with many processes that can include chemicals to refine the ingredient, making it more consistent and less susceptible to microbial growths. The biggest misconception with natural and organic ingredients is that they’re ALWAYS intrinsically better for you. Because natural ingredients go through so little processing, there’s always a higher chance that the product the ingredient goes into will have a shorter shelf-life. Natural products themselves have very short shelf lives and can grow unwanted microbes if the product comes in contact with any contaminants (like fingers in a jar).
8. As we know, CBD infused skincare and makeup products are slowly making its way to the current market. Do you think that CBD ingredients actually makes any difference to our skin?
CBD is definitely teetering on that hot-button topic of reality vs. a snake oil craze. Our R&D team has done a lot of research into the benefits of CBD and what it can do and we’ve found that it can really make a positive impact on your daily personal care regimen. CBD has been known to have great skincare benefits making it an ideal hero ingredient to sensitive, puffy skin. R&D is all about making a product that will work, and the efficacy of CBD as an ingredient has been lauded in many products out in the market place today. Aside from the large financial opportunity that entrepreneurs have by entering the CBD market place, we believe CBD personal care has a fair stake in the households of hardcore skincare advocates.
At the end of the day, we work with a lot of entrepreneurs that want to make a difference in the marketplace. If you’re looking to make an impact in personal care, CBD’s booming value is a great place to start, especially because the CBD market is expected to hit 20 billion in sales by 2024.
9. What is the shelf life for most skincare products?
Typically, we strive to shoot for anywhere between a 12 to 18-month shelf-life for the products made in-house. Dynamic Blending strays away from using very harsh preservatives that can be harmful to the body like parabens, which can extend the shelf-life of a product quite a bit.
10. Are there any skincare ingredient myths that you’d like to debunk?
A big myth that our director of R&D would like to dispense with is that organic is always better. Organic products and ingredients absolutely do have their upsides of course, but many organic ingredients lack the performance of certain synthetic compounds. For example, silicone works really well for dry skin and smoothing hair in hair products. Synthetic compounds are also often made without harming any animals and have a much lighter effect on the environment when created, unlike certain harmful harvesting methods of plant and animal-based ingredients. Additionally, not all preservatives are bad. They save lives, make your products last longer, and even help your body. In acne products, for example, the preservatives reduce bacteria count on your skin, making the formula more effective.
Disclaimer: I received no compensation in any form whatsoever for writing this article. This is something that I want to write and share with you because I felt there there was not enough information on articles that are titled “how to start a skincare line”. However, with starting your own business, brands, products and skincare line, you should do your own research and your own due diligence. The information is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind. Kirei Makeup and Jilly Ijoe do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained on this website.
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