Skincare Formulation: The Basics

At Genie Supply we are experts in skincare formulation, specifically clean skincare. The world of skincare formulation can be difficult to navigate, but we can help you better understand it (even if you don’t formulate with us).

Generally, skincare formulation is the process of creating skincare products, including moisturizers, cleansers, toners, serums, and more. Depending on exactly what product you are looking to formulate, it involves selecting and combining various ingredients at particular concentrations to create a product that is effective, stable, and safe for use on the skin. In this blog, we will dive into the world of skincare formulation, covering the basics and the different types of ingredients that are commonly used.

Step 1: Decide What Type of Product to Formulate:

When getting started in skincare formulation, choosing the type of product to formulate is the first step. Skincare products are developed to address particular needs of the skin. A cleanser, for example, should be formulated to cleanse the skin without stripping the skin of essential nutrients.

The most basic forms of skincare include:

• moisturizers

• serums

• toners

• cleansers

First identify which type of skincare product you would like to create and what area of the skin it will be applied to. Different areas of the skin have different needs. Lip care products, for example, should include different ingredients than a general facial moisturizer, and the same is true for body care when compared to facial care.

Step 2: Decide what main concern the product should Address:

In addition to knowing what type of product you want to create through skincare formulation, it is important to determine what main concern a skincare formulation should address. Different skincare products are formulated to address specific skin concerns or needs. Different ingredients in skincare are better suited to address different needs. For example, all cleansers are formulated to cleanse the skin of excess dirt and oil, however when formulating a cleanser for more sensitive skin (alpha-hydroxy acids) AHA’s and salicylic acid are best avoided due to the irritation that they can cause sensitive skin.

Step 3: Research Active Ingredients for The Product:

There are two main types of ingredients that are used in skincare formulation: active ingredients and inactive ingredients. Active ingredients are ones that have a specific, targeted effect on the skin. Returning to the previous example of cleansers for sensitive skin, although AHA’s and salicylic acids are not best for sensitive skin, you will still need a cleansing agent in the product. When researching active cleansing ingredients for sensitive skin, you may find the ceramides can be a better choice for sensitive skin.

When formulating skincare, it can be difficult to determine exactly which active and inactive ingredients will be best for your product and it can be even more difficult to determine which ingredients can be combined safely to create an effective product. Connecting with an experienced cosmetic chemist will make skincare formulation a much and less timely task.

Cosmetic chemists, like the ones on staff at Genie Supply, can help to determine what ingredients are best for you product and target effect. When first discussing your skincare formulation, we suggest having step 1 and 2 in this blog completed, but cosmetic chemists are a great resource for completing the process of skincare formulation.

Other Ingredient Considerations:

• PH of the formulation

• Environmental impact

• Fragrance

• Stability

• Color

• FDA or other regulatory agency compliance

These are all important factors to consider in skincare formulation, and a cosmetic chemist can help to identify the best active and inactive ingredients for your skincare formulation.

Step 4: Formulate with a Cosmetic Chemist

While creating your own cosmetic formulation can be an empowering process, and we always encourage you to begin the process, formulating skincare with a cosmetic chemist will help ensure your product is safe for the market and consistent between batches.

Consumers love consistency, and formulating skincare with a cosmetic chemist will ensure your product is consistent. The process of skincare formulation heavily involves chemistry including determining effective emulsion processes and how much evaporation each batch should have to ensure consistency.

Cosmetic chemists can also help to determine how much of each active ingredient is safe and most effective for the skin and make it much easier to pass your formulation off to a contract manufacturer when the time comes to produce your product at larger volumes.

Once you have completed the skincare formulation, it is time to bring your new amazing product to market!

Skincare Formulation at Genie Supply:

If you are interested in skincare formulation, consider working with Genie Supply. Unlike other skincare formulation services, when you formulate with Genie Supply, you ALWAYS own the formula, meaning you are free to take your formulation to another lab or manufacturer for production. Although we hope you manufacture with us, there is no commitment to do so). With over 5 years of experience, and multiple cosmetic chemists on staff, we can work with you to create your ideal product with multiple sample rounds and consults.

Whether or not you choose to formulate with Genie Supply, connecting with an experienced cosmetic chemist is always beneficial to ensure you have a safe, effective, and stable skincare formulation.

Check our custom formulation services here and even schedule a consult.

If you aren’t ready to formulate a whole new product, check out private label skincare for less costly way to launch your skincare brand.

In the meantime learn more about Genie Supply. All we do is clean!

Extra questions? Email us at customerservice@geniesupply.com or give us a call at 812-329-1105.