Private Label Skin Care Lines For Estheticians [Step-By-Step Guide]
Branded skin care lines are a lucrative business strategy for professional estheticians.
At Genie Supply, we recognize that most estheticians are too busy juggling in-clinic treatments to spend hours and hours researching the ins and outs of creating a new skin care range.
That’s why we’ve created this quick and easy-to-read guide - providing a full overview of the best method to create skin care lines for estheticians from start to finish.
We explain the private labeling process in detail and outline some alternative manufacturing methods to help you identify the best product creation process for your skin care brand.
How Estheticians Benefit From Launching Skin Care Lines
Starting a skin care line is a bold strategic move that can level up your esthetician business.
Expanding to a product range helps retain your existing customers and can also attract a new client base to your business:
Existing clients will appreciate the option to use the exact same products from their in-clinic treatments at home.
Growing your business is a chance to reach new markets. Attract new clients who learn about your in-clinic services after trying your products first.
Does the idea of launching a skin care line appeal to you, but you don’t know where to start?
Collaborate with a professional client-focused beauty lab that understands the difficulties of creating your first skin care line. A great supplier will explain how the various product development processes work and recommend the best method for your brand.
At Genie Supply, we specialize in working with home-to-lab brands and new entrants to the skin care market like small in-clinic estheticians. Our commitment to high-quality clean ingredients makes us the perfect supplier for any esthetician’s skin care line.
We offer five different manufacturing processes to suit a range of different businesses: bulk, private label, custom product creation, custom formulating, and contract manufacturing. Find the best manufacturing process for your needs by taking our quiz.
The Best Production Process For Estheticians: Private Labeling
If you are not overly familiar with the skin care development process, you may think custom formulating (collaborating with a lab to create a brand new formula from scratch) is your only option.
Thankfully, that’s not actually the case. Although custom formulating is a great way to stand out in a crowded market, it is not beginner-friendly and is much more costly and time-consuming than alternatives.
Private label is a quicker and more cost-effective method of sourcing skin care. Perfect for busy estheticians who lack the time to create brand-new skin care lines from scratch! This process involves using a beauty lab’s existing preformulated formula as your own.
For convenience, some suppliers provide total turnkey private label production including customized packaging services.
Learn more about Genie Supply’s private label skin care services here.
Selecting Your Private Label Products
Remember - all products are preformulated - you cannot make any adjustments to a private label formula. Ensure you are happy with all of the ingredients and the results on the skin first. Take as long as you need to thoroughly test samples before you approve any products for your skin care line.
Approach the product selection process with your brand strategy in mind. What treatments does your clinic provide right now, and do you have any additional treatments in the pipeline? Ideally, your product choices should complement your in-clinic services.
Let’s say you specialize in anti-aging treatments. Your clients would expect your product range to tackle the signs of aging. A skin care line designed to treat acne would not align with your brand in this case - unless you plan to expand into acne-fighting treatments in the near future.
At Genie Supply, we have plenty of products to choose from - with over 60 skin care products in our private label range. Learn more about our private label products and order samples here.
Buying In Bulk (For Filling and/or Backbar) Vs. Private Label As an Esthetician
Estheticians typically buy skin care in bulk (known as backbar size) for in-clinic treatments. But did you know that manufacturers sometimes offer the exact same formulas in bulk and on a private label basis? Using the same formula in-clinic as in your skin care line is important to foster a cohesive brand strategy.
If you already order skin care in bulk for your in-clinic treatments, it’s worthwhile asking your supplier if they provide the same formula on a private label basis. If not, look for a beauty lab that offers the same skin care for both processes.
At Genie Supply, all of our private label formulas are also available in bulk. We make ordering in bulk/backbar size as easy as possible on our website. Simply:
Select your desired product, quantity, and size from our range
Click ‘add to cart’
Checkout as normal - similar to any other online shipping platform
Buying in bulk is the best of both worlds - you can fill your own units for your skin care line and use the rest of the bulk for backbar.
Compare this with the private label route - you will have approximately 500 pcs, but won’t have any backbar to use during your sessions with clients.
To sell effectively, you need skin care for both your skin care line and your professional sessions. Bulk is a great option to fulfill both thanks to its low barriers to entry and low introductory cost.
When you buy in bulk, you’re not required source packaging and filling.
Learn more about our pricing for bulk and private label in our latest product catalog.
Alternatives To Private Label
Custom Formulating
Custom formulating is the most well-known alternative to private labeling. Although it’s expensive and requires patience, the end result is highly customized, new-to-market skin care that your clients won’t find anywhere else.
Genie Supply’s unique custom formulating services focus on novel chemical research, new-to-market concepts, clean skin care, and new hybrid products. Learn more about our custom formulating services here.
Custom Product Creation
If you can’t find private label formulas that live up to expectations, there are other customization options available that don't require the lengthy and costly custom formulating process.
Try custom product creation instead! This involves adding a limited number of customizations on top of the manufacturer’s base formula to create a semi-customized skin care line.
At Genie Supply, we have hundreds of bases to choose from and offer two different custom product creation services to suit different budgets. Learn more about our custom product creation services here.
Contract Manufacturing
If you already own the legal rights to a formula, the next step is contract manufacturing.
We always aim to recreate formulas as close as feasibly possible to the original. Learn more about our contract manufacturing services here.
A Step-By-Step Guide To The Private Label Process
Although every lab’s private label process differs slightly, generally it involves the same six steps.
We understand the value of transparency and clear communication at Genie Supply - especially for estheticians who are not yet familiar with all of the manufacturing stages and estimated timelines. We outline our entire private label process step-by-step for your convenience:
Stage 1: Sampling + Ordering [1 week+]
Product and packaging sample testing
Select your desired formulas and packaging SKUs
Invoices
Stage 2: Onboarding + Design Work [1-3 weeks]
Sign all the required paperwork (including an NDA if needed)
Make payments
Work with your designer to create your customized packaging (at Genie Supply we provide the die lines)
Approve the design mockups to complete the packaging process
Step 3: Batching [1-3 weeks]
Formulation process (all of the formulas will correspond exactly with the samples)
Note: Timelines will vary depending on the complexity of the project, the packaging, and printing and shipping timelines.
Step 4: Testing [Up to 1 week+]
Contamination checks
USP 61 & 62 testing
Any other required testing (CBD etc.)
Note: Times can vary for this process - speed will depend on the tests required.
Step 5: Filling / Assembly [2-3 weeks]
Products move along the assembly line
Note: Timelines will vary depending on the current queue, seasonality, order size, and complexity.
Step 6: Payment + Shipping
Invoice will be issued
Following payment, your order will be shipped the next day
Note: Shipping times vary from up to one week for orders from the USA and up to 2 weeks for international orders outside the US.
In sum, the key takeaways for estheticians hoping to start skin care lines:
Approach the product selection process with your existing in-clinic treatment strategy in mind
Private label is a speedier, more budget-friendly method to launch a skin care range
Custom formulating is ideal if you require unique skin care formulas from scratch
Custom product creation is a less expensive, time-effective method to semi-customize skin care lines for estheticians
Are you an esthetician looking to start your own skin care line? Genie Supply would love to work with you! Don’t hesitate to get in touch via email: customerservice@geniesupply.com or call: (812) 329-1105
