There are always new companies breaking through in the cosmetics industry. Every season you hear about new products and companies offering something different and unique. Don’t let that fool you, there are still a lot of obstacles in your way if you’re looking to start a company in cosmetics.
It’s about being realistic with your aims and expectations. You probably won’t be turning a profit to begin with, but if you keep working at it and offer something new to the marketplace, you will break through eventually. Here are some of the things you need to think about before you start your cosmetics business.
Startup Costs
When you’re thinking about creating a cosmetics company, you need to think about what is involved in the process and how much it will all cost. You’re probably going to be spending a lot of money just to get started.
Producing the products will cost you in lab fees, and the research that goes into developing a new product can also be costly. On top of that you have the cost of plastic containers and packaging design to think about.
Finding a Unique Product
You’re never going to break into the cosmetics market if you’re doing something that is already being done by much bigger and better companies. There is no point trying to compete directly with the big players because there will only be one winner.
Find something that is unique or add your own twist on an existing product. Test it out on your friends to see if it’s something that would appeal to people, ask them to be honest though!
Producing the Cosmetics
You can either go down the route of using an established lab to produce your cosmetics, or you can start out by producing them in your own home. If you are working from home, you’ll have to buy the equipment, which will be even more costly than using a lab but doesn’t give you more independence. You’ll need a poly mixing tank and somewhere safe to store the product after it’s been made.
You’ll then need to think about your packaging. This can be done from home quite easily with modern technology. If you’re creative, design the logo and packaging on your computer and then have the design printed onto stickers of the correct size.
Be Aware of FDA Guidelines
As well as food safety, the FDA regulates the cosmetics industry so you’ll have to follow their guidelines if you want to sell cosmetics products. They will demand that your products are labelled properly, including everything that went into making them. There will be certain materials that can’t be used too. Visit the website for further details.
Where to Sell Your Products
If you feel like your product is ready to be unleashed onto the market, you need to think about where is the best place to start selling it. There are lots of options, but you will probably have to start small.
Selling to friends and family is the very first place to start and from there you can look into setting up stalls at relevant events. Once the word starts to spread, you’ll be able to set up an online shop and sell from there.
