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A cosmetic formulation service is worth using before you order, not after. If you place an order with a contract manufacturer and the formula turns out to include an ingredient that is prohibited, restricted or used above its limit in the EU, the fix means redoing work that has already been paid for.
What you receive
A formula proposal for the product you ask for: the ingredient list with the percentage and the function of each ingredient. You take it to your manufacturer, in the EU or in a third country. Before delivery, every ingredient is checked against current EU rules: the annexes of Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 for cosmetics, or the rules on additives, vitamin and mineral forms and novel foods for food supplements.
Who it is for
Brands and importers developing their own product with a contract manufacturer, and businesses that want to start the conversation with the manufacturer from a defined formula. It fits with our product compliance review.
How it works
You tell us the type of product, its use, its presentation and the characteristics you need. We send a quote; once it is accepted and invoiced, we prepare the formula. It is built from the function each ingredient must perform in your product and delivered with the percentages.
What is not included
The formula only. Labelling, claims and the cosmetic product safety report (CPSR) are separate services; a cosmetic cannot be placed on the EU market without the report. A formula built on permitted ingredients is not by itself a safe product. Stability, packaging compatibility and challenge testing remain with you and your manufacturer.
Supplement formulas with botanicals or with vitamin and mineral levels need an additional review before they can be closed.
Price per formula
Food supplement: €350-500. Standard cosmetic: €500-700. Complex cosmetic (multi-phase, UV filters or an elaborate fragrance): €700-950. VAT not included. We quote and invoice before we start.
Cosmetic formulation service: what is checked and why
A cosmetic formulation service starts from the product type, because the same ingredient can be permitted in a shampoo, restricted in a cream and not allowed in an eye product. Each formula is therefore designed for its category. Ingredient by ingredient, it is checked that the substance is not on the list of prohibited substances (Annex II) and that it respects the restrictions and limits of Annex III. Colourants, preservatives and UV filters are chosen from those admitted in Annexes IV, V and VI.
Food supplements
For a supplement, we check that each additive is permitted for this category of food, that vitamins and minerals are supplied in authorised forms, that the formula contains no prohibited or restricted substance from Annex III of Regulation 1925/2006, and that any novel ingredient is authorised as a novel food and used within its conditions. Botanicals are also subject to national rules that differ between countries.
Where the formula fits in the route to market
For a cosmetic, besides the formula, the product needs a Responsible Person in the EU, notification in the European portal (CPNP), labelling in line with the Regulation and the safety report. A supplement placed on the Spanish market needs the market notification and the applicable labelling. The formula is the first step because everything else depends on it.
Working with your manufacturer
When you hand the formula to your manufacturer, ask them to confirm that they can source every raw material in the grade you need, that the INCI names of their raw materials match those in the formula, and that their process can produce the texture and stability you expect. Any substitution they propose should come back to us before it goes into production, because a change of ingredient can change what the regulation allows.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a manufacturer before I ask for a formula?
No. The formula is independent of where it is made. Your manufacturer should review it before you place the order, because they confirm whether they can produce it with their equipment.
Is the safety report included?
No. In cosmetics, the product needs its safety report before it is placed on the EU market, and it is prepared with the final formula. We quote it separately.
Can I change an ingredient later?
Any change in composition is handled as a new proposal: we tell you what it involves and what it costs before we do it.
Can you formulate for a specific claim?
Claims are outside this service. We design the formula for the product type and the characteristics you list; what you may say about the product is a separate question.
Do you formulate for markets outside the EU?
The service is for the EU market. Other markets have their own lists of permitted ingredients, which we would have to check separately.
→ Tell us what product you have in mind and we will send you a quote. Spanish version: fórmula a medida.