How To Formulate A Batana Oil Hair Care Line
What’s the best way to formulate a batana oil hair care line?
If you are looking for the optimal manufacturing strategy, or the right lab to bring your batana oil hair care vision to life, Genie Supply is here to help.
Our in-depth guide below explains why custom formulating and custom product creation are the best manufacturing methods to create your batana oil hair care range.
Plus, we take a critical look at the benefits of this natural oil. Is there real concrete evidence to back up its supposed hair care benefits, or is it just another overhyped Tiktok trend?
What Is Batana Oil?
Batana oil (also called caiaué oil or ojon oil) is a pale yellow oil derived from the American palm tree, Elaeis oleifera, found predominantly in South America.
A holy grail hair and skin treatment in South America for generations, batana oil has been increasingly favored as a hair treatment in the West, largely due to its natural and ethical origins.
According to The European Tropical Forest Research Network, the indigenous ‘Miskitu’ (Tawira) community plays a large role in the extraction of batana oil:
Fruit from the American palm tree is sun-dried, and cooked, and the pulp is then separated from the seed
The white endocarp around the seed (known as kisuma batana) is then converted into batana oil
What Are The Hair Care Benefits Of Batana Oil?
Speaking to Prevention, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Shokeen claims batana oil has moisturizing and nourishing properties that enhance hair strength and elasticity, while also reducing frizz, improving scalp health, and enhancing shine. However, she notes that there’s no scientific support for this ingredient's purported hair growth benefits.
The evidence isn’t just lacking in the hair growth department - all of the potential batana oil hair care benefits are under-researched.
While there are no published studies (to date) directly linking batana oil to better hair outcomes, there is strong evidence to support the hair-enhancing properties of the component elements of this oil.
What’s In Batana Oil? The Composition Of Batana Oil
According to Carmona and colleagues, Elaeis oleifera (the tree from which batana oil is extracted) contains:
Carotenoids - especially a-carotenes and b-carotenes, along with lycopene and phytoene
Saturated acids - estearic acid and palmitic acid
Monounsaturated fatty acids - palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, and cis-vaccenic acid
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) - linolenic acid (omega 3) and linoleic acid (omega 6)
Research from 2017 showed that Elaeis oleifera also contains far more vitamin E (tocotrienols, tocopherols, and α-tocomonoenol) than other palm tree variations
All of these molecules in batana oil listed above are linked to potential hair care benefits:
Enhanced Shine and Improved Scalp Health
Everts’ 2011 research connected carotenoids found within batana oil to improved scalp health and stronger and shinier hair.
Emollient Properties To Treat Dry Hair
According to COSDNA, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, linolenic acid, and linoleic acid are emollients.
As outlined in a 2017 study, emollients form a special coating over the hair shaft, which helps seal the hair cuticle and prevents moisture loss. Thanks to this moisture retention mechanism, these components of batana oil are especially effective on dry hair.
Possible Link To Hair Growth/Preventing Hair Loss
DHT is strongly linked to baldness in both sexes. Researchers in 1992 connected many of the unsaturated acids found in batana oil (linoleic acid, oleic acid, and linolenic acid) to the inhibition of a key enzyme that creates DHT: 5 alpha-reductase.
Batana oil also contains tocotrienol (a form of vitamin E) which was clinically proven by a 2010 study to increase hair count by 34.5% in just 8 months.
Based on this evidence, it’s plausible that batana oil helps prevent hair loss or stimulates growth. However, much more thorough research is needed to make a definitive link.
Formulating A Batana Oil Hair Care Line
Now that you are up to speed on the potential benefits of batana oil, let’s talk strategy.
What is the best manufacturing method to create a batana oil hair care range?
There are two main options when formulating with a specific ingredient like batana oil: custom formulating or custom product creation.
The best method for your business depends on your budget, deadline pressures, and the complexity and flexibility of your product vision.
Custom Formulating: Build A Batana Hair Care Line From Scratch
Do you want to create a totally original, never-seen-before batana oil hair range? For example:
Targeting the dry hair market with a unique blend of hydrating and moisturizing batana oil, quinoa extract, and hyaluronic acid
Building a completely vegan, cruelty-free, and clean hybrid hair care range combining the benefits of batana with rosemary oil
Custom formulating can turn almost any batana product vision into a reality.
What Is Custom Formulating?
This manufacturing process involves working with a cosmetic lab’s chemist team to create brand-new hair care from scratch.
Custom formulating is pricier and lengthier than other manufacturing methods as it requires R&D before the formulation process. The upside is a completely unique and exciting batana-based product that stands out from competitors on the shelves.
At Genie Supply, we specialize in new-to-market product concepts, hybrid products, clean beauty, and novel chemical research. To learn more about creating a completely custom batana oil range from scratch with Genie Supply, please schedule an intro consultation.
Custom Formulating At Genie Supply
At Genie Supply, we believe transparency for our clients is key. We outline our entire manufacturing timeline from start to finish so you know exactly what to expect.
Our custom formulating process is split into 4 stages and spans 3 - 12 months in total:
Step 1: Submission Review [1 - 3 weeks]
Fill out the onboarding document for consideration and a quote
Review of your proposal and submission of all relevant paperwork takes place at this stage
Step 2: Onboarding + Formulating [4 weeks - 6 months]
Calls with the chemist and team take place at this stage
The formulating process begins with samples sent approximately every 2 weeks (pending your feedback)
Step 3: Testing [2 months +]
In-house stability testing (3 - 12 weeks) and PET for formulas with water (6 weeks)
Additional testing is available however this will extend the timeline
Step 4: Contract Manufacturing (Optional) [3 - 4 Months]
This is the manufacturing stage once formulation is complete. Turnkey manufacturing includes packaging, screen printing, labeling, and filling
Learn more about the full stages in the custom formulating process at Genie Supply here.
How Much Does Custom Formulating Cost?
The cost of custom formulating at Genie Supply ranges from $3,500 - $15,000. This includes:
R&D
Three rounds of custom formulating (with samples)
Tests
The ownership rights to the formula
Manufacturing costs are not included. Costs vary depending on the complexity of the project and the testing required. More complex projects are billed on an open retainer. Further pricing guidelines are available in our product catalog.
Custom Product Creation: A Budget-Friendly Alternative
Do you have your heart set on a batana oil hair care line, but you just don’t have the budget to custom-create every product from scratch?
Custom product creation is the next step for your business.
What Is Custom Product Creation?
This process involves adding a limited number of customizations on top of a manufacturer’s base formula. In your case, this could be as simple as adding batana oil to a supplier’s existing hair oil, shampoo, or hair mask.
Custom product creation provides the best of both worlds: more affordable semi-customized products with a quicker turnaround time than full custom formulating.
The downside is that your customization options are much more limited compared to custom formulating. That’s why it’s absolutely essential to choose a lab with high-quality base formulas.
Pay close attention to the ingredients list and test multiple samples to gauge the ingredient quality, product feel, and effectiveness in advance. Some suppliers sell preformulated products that are similar to their base formulas directly on their website.
At Genie Supply, we have over 100 clean and cruelty-free cosmetic base formulas to choose from. Additionally, we offer more than 60 preformulated products on a private label or bulk basis. This includes our vegan, clean, and cruelty-free hair care range featuring a shampoo base, conditioner base, dry scalp serum, and hair/body oil. Order preformulated hair care samples directly from our website here.
The Custom Product Creation Process From Start To Finish
At Genie Supply, we’ve made the custom product creation journey for your batana oil range as easy as possible. The process involves three simple stages:
Stage One: Submission
Stage Two: Onboarding
Stage Three: Sampling And Testing
On average the total formulating process takes just 4 - 6 weeks. Learn more about our full custom product creation process here.
We understand that flexibility and choice are important to our customers. That’s why we offer 100s of base formulas as part of our custom product creation service, and we created two separate custom product creation packages to suit different budgets:
Option A: Budget-Friendly Custom Product Creation
This package includes:
Emails with a dedicated project manager
Two batana oil product samples for your feedback and revision
Stability testing if required
Unique manufacturing rights to the formula at Genie Supply
Total Cost For Formulation (Option A): $1,000 (excluding the cost of manufacturing)
Please note that option A is only available for limited projects that require only minor changes to the base formula. Please confirm with our team to find out if your batana oil product idea is compatible with option A.
Option B: Premium Guided Support And Assistance
Level up with option B for everything included in option A but with additional support and guidance. This includes:
A 30 minute onboarding Zoom call with your project manager and chemist
Subsequent email exchanges for project management
One additional 30 minute Zoom call - available as needed with your team
Total Cost For Formulation (Option B): $2,000 (excluding the cost of manufacturing)
Ready to get started with creating your batana oil products using custom product creation? Submit your concept ideas here. Not sure which manufacturing method is best for your business? Learn more about your options at Genie Supply in our full manufacturing process guide.
In sum, here’s what you need to know to formulate a batana oil hair care range:
Batana oil is derived from a South American palm oil tree called Elaeis oleifera. It’s favored due to its natural origins and more ethical production process involving indigenous communities.
Batana oil contains components that are proven to add shine to the hair, improve scalp health, prevent moisture loss, and even potentially stimulate hair growth.
Custom formulating involves creating a brand new batana oil product from scratch. It’s more expensive and the timelines are longer, however, the result is a completely unique product that the market has not seen before.
Custom product creation involves adding batana oil to a manufacturer’s existing base formula(s). This option is more budget-friendly and speedier however the customization options are much more limited.
Are you ready to formulate your batana hair care range via custom formulating or custom product creation? Genie Supply would love to work with you! Get in touch via email: customerservice@geniesupply.com or call: (812) 329-1105 to learn more.