Body Care Manufacturing: How Small Brands Can Stand Out
Body care manufacturing is booming, but the competition is fierce.
In a crowded market, how can a small brand like yours manufacture body care that actually stands out - without breaking the bank?
Innacos is here to help!
Our in-depth guide below outlines everything you need to know about body care in 2025 and beyond.
You’ll learn where the body care market is heading, how to carve out your own niche for your brand, and which manufacturing method makes the most sense for your goals.
The Body Care Market in 2025
Body care represents a huge market opportunity for beauty brands, but with that comes higher expectations and stiffer competition.
According to Focus Reports, the U.S. body care market was valued at $16.18 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $20.11 billion by 2030 - a CAGR of 3.68%.
One of the biggest drivers behind the growth of the body care industry is the rise of fragrance as self care.
Data from Circana reported by Cosmetic Design show that fragrances, makeup with added skincare benefits, and products designed to give a ‘glow up’ have become the new ‘lipstick effect’: small luxury purchases consumers reach for in times of economic uncertainty as a form of self-soothing reward.
As Paula Floyd, founder of retail agency Headkount, told Glossy: “Body is now like color. There are really long legs to fragrances, body scrubs, hair scrubs. There are all kinds of things to play into.”
Fragrance is leading this trend, but in 2025, it’s no longer enough for body care to simply smell good.
Today’s winning products must be what Cosmetic Business calls ‘scented and skinified’ - a true combination of appealing fragrance and effective skin care benefits.
The success of Sol de Janeiro illustrates this well. By combining signature scents with effective skin care benefits, the brand experienced rapid growth.
According to L’Occitaine’s annual financial report, Sol de Janeiro grew from $267 million in 2023 to $686.1 million in 2024 - a growth rate of approximately 157% in just one year.
And the momentum shows no sign of slowing. To expand further, Sol de Janeiro is focusing new releases on narrow niche segments.
For example, Cosmetic Design reports that their new Body Badalada lotion is aimed at Gen Z consumers, promising a glow, vitamin benefits, and a beautiful scent.
Naturally, other brands are trying to replicate Sol de Janeiro’s success. But without a clear strategy, and a true understanding of the market’s body care needs and wants, many of these attempts are falling flat.
To stand out, you shouldn’t blindly copy what other brands are doing. Consider what other brands are doing well, then think about how you can innovate to make your body care even better.
How To Stand Out In The Body Care Market
As competition in body care grows each year, you’ll need to offer more than just a nice-smelling cream to win over your target market.
Thankfully, there are multiple different fronts you can compete on to create body care that truly resonates.
Clean Body Care
The focus on clean skin care (and body care) has been one of the biggest shifts in the beauty market this past decade.
It’s particularly relevant for leave-on body care products that are typically not washed off the skin (think body lotions), which remain on the skin for hours (unlike scrubs or body wash products).
Look for (or create) formulas that are free from potentially harmful ingredients like petroleum, phthalates, parabens, and drying alcohols.
Keep in mind, going fully clean can complicate the testing phase, since formulating without traditional preservatives is trickier.
Your formula could also influence your packaging options, as some cleaner formulas will need airless pumps to reduce contamination risks.
That’s why it’s so important to partner with a high-quality clean manufacturer to create formulas that are free from these potentially harmful ingredients without compromising the stability of your formula.
At Innacos, we are proud to be experts at formulating clean, cruelty-free, and sustainable skin care and body care. Learn more about our clean standards on our website here.
Overall Sensory Experience
Fragrance isn’t everything, but as discussed above, a beautiful scent will almost always sell better than a less palatable one.
If you’re building a clean brand, be extra careful with fragrance. Many conventional fragrance blends contain phthalates, so ask your manufacturer if they offer clean fragrance options.
Plus, scent is just one part of the entire sensory experience. Think about how your product looks and feels: the color of the formula, the texture on the skin, and the finish it leaves behind.
Nailing these aspects elevates your body care from just another basic maintenance product to a luxury self-care experience.
At Innacos, we offer natural plant colorants and a range of fragrance options - including essential oils, fruit and plant extracts, and blends of synthetic and natural fragrances.
Plus, we offer custom luxury fragrance and essential oil blends that you won’t find anywhere else. Learn more about our product extras on our website here.
Packaging
Don’t forget packaging. Sourcing should happen in parallel with your formula manufacturing process so that your chosen formats (jar, pump, tube, etc) and fill sizes align from the start.
Remember - packaging isn’t just functional - it can make or break your market positioning.
Before you make your selection, ask yourself: does this packaging convey luxury or everyday basics?
A frosted glass jar with a foiled label signals something very different from a plastic container with a black-ink sticker. While the latter can work well for a budget range, it would be a complete mismatch for a luxury brand’s positioning.
At Innacos, we offer a packaging sourcing service to help you find the perfect fit much quicker. Learn more about this service on our website here.
Unique Formulas
Most body lotions promise hydration - far fewer address anti-aging, body firming, sun protection, keratosis pilaris, or body acne. Adding unique skin care benefits to body care can immediately set your brand apart.
Start by doing competitor research to see what benefits are already being offered, and then compare those to customer demand.
Your brand should aim to fill this gap between what’s available and what customers actually want.
However, remember that unique benefits typically require custom formulation. Preformulated formulas are identical across different brands.
At Innacos, we believe in providing as many options as possible for our clients.
That’s why we offer three main manufacturing pathways - preformulated (bulk and private label), customized (custom product creation and custom formulating), and contract manufacturing. Learn more about all of our manufacturing options on our website here.
Manufacturing
When it comes to producing your body care line, there are three main manufacturing methods to choose from.
Contract Manufacturing
If you already have a recipe you own and love, and you’re ready to scale up production safely and compliantly, contract manufacturing is your next step.
In this process, your manufacturer will aim to recreate your recipe as closely as possible to your recipe and instructions. That said, certain adjustments may be made to keep your formula legal and compliant, ready for scale.
At Innacos, our contract manufacturing service starts at just 2k for our consulting clients. Learn more about contract manufacturing at Innacos here.
Preformulated Manufacturing
Are you on a tight budget and looking to launch your body care range ASAP? Preformulated manufacturing is for you.
This process involves ordering a lab’s pre-created formula either in bulk (in large unbranded drums) or through private label (adding your own customized branding to the product).
Preformulated is the least expensive and quickest manufacturing method; however, none of your formulas will be unique, and you won’t own the Intellectual Property (IP) to the formula recipe.
At Innacos, we offer over 60+ skin and body care formulas on a private label or bulk basis. Order samples directly from our website here. Learn more about private label at Innacos on our website here.
Customized Methods
If you want to differentiate your body care formula from all the rest on the market, customization is the way to go.
Custom Formulating
Do you have an idea for a truly unique body care product? Custom formulating is the only manufacturing method for you. This process involves working with a team of highly specialized chemists to create brand-new body care from scratch.
Although it’s the most expensive and time-intensive process, if your idea is genuinely unique and meets consumer demand, the costs can pay off.
At Innacos, we are experts at novel chemical research, new-to-market concepts and formats, clean formulas, and hybrid products. Learn more about our custom formulating process on our website here.
Custom Product Creation
If you don’t have the budget to invest in a fully customized formula, but still want to add a couple of ‘hero’ ingredients that will make your formula stand out, try custom product creation.
This process involves adding a limited number of additional ingredients to a lab’s base formula. You won’t have full control over the ingredients, but you can make small adjustments that give your base formula a unique edge.
For example, make a standard body lotion into a body firming lotion by adding caffeine and peptides.
At Innacos, the nominal fee for CPC is $2,500, and we offer up to 150% of that back in the form of manufacturing credits. Learn more about custom product creation at Innacos on our website here.
Once you identify the right manufacturing method for your brand, it’s time to find the best body care manufacturer for your needs. Learn more about finding and selecting the best cosmetics manufacturer in our full blog post here.
In sum, body care manufacturing involves the following key steps:
Researching the body care market in 2025 and beyond to find gaps in the market for your brand to fill
Brainstorming how your brand can stand out in the market: through packaging, clean and ethical values, providing a sensory experience, or offering a unique formula
Choosing the right manufacturing method for your brand: bulk, private label, custom product creation, custom formulating, or contract manufacturing
Finding the right lab to provide the exact type of body care you want to provide for your customers using your preferred manufacturing method
Looking for a lab to provide body care manufacturing for your brand? Innacos would love to work with you! Get in touch via email: customerservice@innacos.com or by calling: (812) 329-1105 to learn more
