Our Services

 

Initial Planning

We offer a free initial consult call to discuss the general details of your project. The END goal being… to develop a long term business relationship and to foster the growth of your line. This would not work if we produce a product and it sits on the shelf and never sells.

Product Design

Once the initial brief has been done and we have given some indication of what needs to be done to get to the next step we have the Product Design stage, at this point the Client will be much more informed, realistic and better prepared to make their first foray into the Cosmetic market.

• Begin to create a “vision” of what the product will be
• Market Research will guide us re potential competitors – test competitor products, how could you improve on them…
• What is YOUR products USP (Unique Selling proposition) – What does your product deliver to the Customer that the other products do not? Why will a Customer select my product instead of product X?
• Final VISION will have been established

Cosmetic Formulation

• Discussions will take place to establish which raw materials (if any) the client would prefer to have in the product/products
• We shall update the client on the latest active raw materials entering the market and their efficacy within the proposed product
• After this we shall arrange for a formulation to be designed, samples to be made up and the final prototype.
• Prototypes will be developed and sent to the Client. Using their feedback, the product will be refined and a final prototype will be developed.

A major benefit to working with a Cosmetic Consultant when developing your brand/product is that the formula/s (intellectual property) remains yours, whereas, IF you make use of a Contract Manufacturer the formula often remains THEIR intellectual property. This proves problematic when/if you ever consider moving to alternative manufacturers at a later stage.

Planning and Referrals

Whilst the Research & Development process of the actual product is underway there are other areas that will need to be focused on:

• Packaging – sourced and procured
• Labels and graphics will need to be designed
• Regulatory issues identified and resolved
• Marketing sources should be contacted.

We as Cosmetic Consultants will be able to steer you to the proper resources and referrals.

Production Sourcing

The experience that we have gained within the South African Manufacturing market over the past years will help to identify the best fit for the manufacturing of your products. Manufacturers will have been vetted and qualified.

We have found that our local Cosmetic manufacturers are ethical and effective, however, there are certain benchmarks that should be used to determine a qualified manufacturer.

• Do they have Quality Assurance programs in effect?
• What certifications have they achieved?
• Do they have the credit that is needed to deal effectively with the suppliers?

Why do I need a “network” of Manufacturers? Simply, not every Manufacturer is suited to every product. The majority of manufacturers will not run smaller batches of products. In many cases the Cosmetic Entrepreneur needs a smaller run than an established line. If your product is “Natural” or “Organic” (as many of my Clients projects are), you may need a manufacturer who has been registered and certified in these Natural standards.

For clients who are still at the stage of thinking about their vision and a possible brief, or who are still doing their market research, we can offer a basic costing service where I look into the cost of development, packaging, manufacturing and raw materials, so you can tell from the start if your idea is viable.

Compliance Certification

We can assist you in achieving the necessary Compliance Certification that your product may require in order for you to sell product to distributors within the following areas:

• European Union
• United States of America
• Asia
• Africa
• Australia
• Middle East.

Certification There are two main natural/organic cosmetic certification bodies in Europe at the moment: Cosmos Standard and Natrue. A cosmetic ISO standard for naturals is under development.