How To Launch A Private Label Moisturizer [Full Guide]
Private label moisturizer may seem like the perfect product to launch for skincare brands - but there’s a catch.
Moisturizers are typically low in cost, high in demand, and easy to launch for brands. However, this is also one of the most competitive categories in skincare.
So how can you launch a private label moisturizer that actually stands out and sells well?
Innacos is here to help!
Our in-depth guide below reveals everything a beginner needs to know about launching a private label moisturizer.
We discuss the market for moisturizer in 2025 and beyond, the pros and cons of private label in contrast with custom product creation and custom formulation, and the key criteria you need to use to evaluate your manufacturer options.
The Moisturizer Market in 2025 & Beyond
According to Fortune Business Insights, the global market for moisturizers is projected to reach $16.71 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 5.52%.
There’s no doubt about demand: moisturizers are one of the most used skin care products, popular across all age groups from tweens to those with mature skin.
Data from YouGov reports that approximately 46% of women use moisturizer at least once a day. For brands that can cultivate strong consumer loyalty, this category has huge repeat purchase potential.
However, the downside to the moisturizer category is over-saturation.
Because there are so many options at every price point, standing out (especially when you manufacture via private label) requires a lengthy market research process.
Invest time researching current customer demand for particular types of moisturizer formulas, and then search for manufacturers that can meet those specific demands.
For example, according to Mintel, 42% of consumers look for multi-benefit skin care, while 24% seek out facial skincare products that are free from potentially harmful ingredients.
To satisfy this demand, look for moisturizers with clean ingredients that offer more than one skincare benefit.
At Innacos, our Sleeping Beauty Night Cream is vegan, cruelty-free, clean, and provides both anti-inflammatory and anti-redness benefits while deeply hydrating the skin. Learn more and order samples of our Sleeping Beauty Night Cream here.
Private Label Manufacturing: Pros & Cons
Private label involves adding your own customized branding to a lab’s preexisting product.
Some manufacturers also offer preformulated product in ‘bulk’ (typically supplied in large unbranded drums). The key difference is that private label includes filling your packaging with the lab.
Private label is especially common in the skincare industry. According to Data Bridge Market Research, the skin care segment accounts for 41.6% market share of the private label cosmetics market in 2025.
Skin care brands like private label because it’s the most inexpensive and quickest path to market. All of the R&D is done in advance, the formula is fully tested and compliant, and is ready to scale with your brand’s growth.
However, the downside is that no customization is possible through private label. No alterations to the formula are possible beyond small tweaks like changes to the color or the scent.
Because other brands can use the exact same formula, it’s much harder to stand out in an already crowded market.
Plus, you won’t own any of the intellectual property (IP) rights to the formula. That means you can only manufacture the formula with your private label lab - you cannot take the recipe and formulate it elsewhere.
At Innacos, we offer over 60 clean and cruelty-free skincare formulations on a private label basis, including 9 different moisturizers. Check out our latest private label catalog on our website here.
Customization Options: Semi Customized & Fully Customized
If the downsides of private label outweigh the benefits for your brand, consider customization methods instead. There are two main customized manufacturing processes:
Custom Product Creation
Custom product creation involves adding a limited number of ingredients to a lab’s existing base formula. Think of it as the middle ground between private label and full customization.
Although it’s not quite as affordable or fast to market as private label, when the added ingredients are chosen strategically, it can offer just enough differentiation to help your products stand out on the shelf.
At Innacos, our Custom Product Creation process carries a nominal fee of $2,500, plus you can receive up to 150% of that back as manufacturing credits against your first two manufacturing runs. Learn more about our custom product creation process on our website here.
Custom Formulating
If you have a truly unique idea for a moisturizer, custom formulating is the best manufacturing method for you. This process involves working with a team of highly trained chemists to create brand new custom skincare from scratch.
Due to the extensive R&D required, it is the most expensive and time-consuming manufacturing method. However, the end result is a truly unique formula, giving your brand a genuine market advantage in addition to exclusive IP rights.
At Innacos, we specialize in novel chemical research, new-to-market concepts and product formats, hybrid products, and turning formulas clean. Plus, we offer up to 200% of our formulation fees back in the form of manufacturing credits. Learn more about our full custom manufacturing process on our website here.
Although custom formulating may be your brand’s long-term goal, many founders start with private label. Choosing preformulated skincare first helps validate market demand, getting early feedback from your target audience - all at an affordable price point.
Once you have identified your most promising customer segments and their specific needs, you can expand into customized manufacturing with confidence.
How To Find The Right Private Label Moisturizer Manufacturer
Now that you understand the differences between the main manufacturing methods and have decided that private label is the right path, it’s time to look for the best private label moisturizer manufacturer for your brand.
Use the following four criteria to narrow down your shortlist:
Evaluate The Ingredients
Request the full INCI ingredients list and make sure the formula aligns with your brand’s values and has the ingredients to be an effective moisturizer.
For example, if you’re a vegan or cruelty-free brand, confirm there are no animal-derived ingredients and ask about their ingredient sourcing process.
If your brand prioritizes clean formulas, cross-reference the full ingredients list against a tool like INCI Decoder or the EWG database to identify any ingredients that could be linked to potential health concerns. This is particularly important if your brand explicitly positions itself as clean or as designed for sensitive skin types.
At Innacos, we are experts at formulating clean and effective skincare, including 9 different private label moisturizers. Review the ingredient lists and order samples of our moisturizers on our website here.
Check Claims & Certifications
Ask what claims you can legally make about the moisturizer (eg, organic, natural, dermatologist-approved) and whether the formula meets the criteria for any certifications, for example:
Leaping Bunny
EWG certified
PETA approved
At Innacos, we can formulate to virtually any certification requirements, and many of our private label moisturizers already meet the criteria for specific certifications. Learn more about certifications at Innacos here.
Possibility For Light Customizations
Do they offer multiple fragrances and color options? These micro adjustments can help to set your moisturizer apart from other brands that use the same formula.
At Innacos, we have over 50 fragrance options (including essential oils, extracts, and fragrance oils) to choose from, plus we offer plant extract natural colorants for both water-based and oil-based formulas. Learn more about light customizations to our private label products on our website here.
MOQs & Pricing
What is the cost per unit? Do they offer tiered discounts for larger orders? What’s the minimum order quantity (MOQ)?
Getting this clarity upfront is important to prevent costly mistakes and wasting your time on labs that are entirely out of your budget, especially if you’re new to the entire process and still refining your brand’s market fit.
At Innacos, our pricing starts at just 1k pc, and we offer tiered discounts for purchasing in larger quantities.
Plus, we have four different private label tiers from diffusion to super luxury, carefully designed to suit different budgets. Learn more about our MOQs and pricing in our private label catalog here.
Once you have shortlisted all of the labs that tick each of these four boxes, base your ultimate decision on the quality of the lab’s product samples.
In sum, finding the best private label moisturizer for your brand involves the following steps:
Conducting market research into the demand for moisturizer in 2025 and beyond
Understanding the pros and cons of private label in contrast to custom product creation and custom formulating
Searching for potential private label manufacturers
Shortlisting your options based on ingredient quality, aligned values, certification potential, and MOQs/pricing
Choosing the best shortlisted manufacturer based on the quality of their product samples
Ready to create your own private label moisturizer? Innacos would love to work with your brand! Learn more about the private label process and our 9 preformulated moisturizer formulas by calling: (812) 329-1105 or emailing: customerservice@innacos.com
