Cosmetic Entrepreneurs: The Pros and Cons of From-Scratch Formulations Versus Bulk Bases

Let’s face it. Bulk bases are just plain comfortable. There is no agonizing over your choice of ingredients; little concern about whether the product is adequately preserved; the freedom to buy as much or as little as you wish or can afford, all with a plethora of often testimonial-verified choices from which to select your winning potions. Bulk bases give budding cosmetic entrepreneurs an exciting, yet simultaneously safe and contained experience.

Why then, would anyone who did not have a degree in organic chemistry, or chemical engineering, even bother learning how to make shampoo, for example, from scratch? What could the pluses of that possibly be?

Below I will discuss the main advantages by addressing three of the topmost concerns of any cosmetics entrepreneur: ease, cost and creative control.

Ease

Formulating your own from-scratch products is easier than you realize. While there are relatively few books and resources that share these coveted formulas, a careful search will reveal that they do exist - ranging from US $2050.00 on the high end, to about $20 on the low end for a range of basic formulas. The best value I have found thus far, however, has got to be on the MakingCosmetics.com site where they share 130 formulas for free. These are proven and tested formulas. All you have to do is measure quantities and follow directions. There are no complicated steps nor is any crazy equipment or difficult to source ingredient required. It is easier than baking a cake.

Cost

The cost of making your own formulations is surprisingly low: As little as $100.00 could get you started making several gallons of most products. After you buy your initial ingredients and make your first batch of products, it will become immediately apparent that you can double, triple or even quadruple your previous bulk base profit margin, overnight. You will be able to make the same amount of base for just a fraction of the cost, and by passing that savings on to both your wholesalers and retailers, you may also reach a whole new customer demographic that was previously priced out of your market..

Control

As exciting as perusing a menu of more than one hundred bases may be, there is almost always something that we wish we could change about someone else’s formulation. Whether it is the scent, textural feel, efficacy of the product, or just a preference for the omission or inclusion of certain chemical ingredients – most crafter’s have something they would like to change about someone else’s formula.

When you formulate from scratch, you get the final say of what goes in and what stays out. You have the freedom to add more biologically active ingredients, natural ingredients and or performance enhancing synthetic derivatives. The ball is in your court. When you are done playing, the final product is something creatively and uniquely your own. This is not just satisfying, but is also something that can be sold or marketed for profit.

For help with tweaking formulas, companies are available for consulting by the hour. You can also always contract out mass manufacturing should you be savvy enough to land a huge commercial account, as well as have that same facility perform all the stability testing necessary to ensure the quality and safety of the final product.

Here’s a slide show of how easy it actually is to make lotion.

Maybe now you are ready for the next step in your career in cosmetics.