The Small Business Owner’s Guide to White Label Beauty Products
Purchasing white label beauty products is the fastest and most budget-friendly way to launch a professional cosmetics brand.
While this method offers major advantages, it’s also not without its downsides.
So, how do you know if white label is the right choice for your business?
Innacos is here to help!
Our in-depth guide below outlines the biggest pros and cons of white labeling (also known as private labeling) in detail. Plus, we reveal the top 8 factors you must consider before you choose a white label manufacturer.
What Are White Label Beauty Products?
White labeling (also known as private labeling) is a business strategy that involves adding your own customized packaging to a lab’s preformulated beauty products.
Your product range will hit the shelves looking distinct from everyone else’s, but many other brands may use the same formula.
This process allows you to create a professional beauty product line without having to develop formulas from scratch.
The Advantages of White Labeling
Cost Savings
White labeling is the most cost-effective method to launch a beauty business. This is crucial for small brands that are working on a limited budget for their first product range.
The cost savings are driven by efficiency. The R&D, ingredient selection, formula development, and testing are handled in advance by the manufacturer. Since these costs are already absorbed, labs can deliver the products at a more affordable price.
Time Savings
Starting a cosmetics business is exciting, but that initial buzz can quickly change to frustration as you wait for your R&D, formulations, and testing to take place. With white label, the hard part is already done for you.
Once you’ve selected your products, they head straight to the production line and could be ready to launch in as little as a month.
Tried And Tested Formula
The harsh reality of the cosmetics industry? Not every new formula launch is a hit. You can spend months perfecting a new product concept, only to see it flop when it hits the market.
White label helps to remove much of this risk. High-quality preformulated products are typically already proven, tested, and used by other brands, giving you confidence that they will sell well for your brand, too.
At Innacos, we offer over 60+ clean, vegan, cruelty-free, and sustainable skin care and color cosmetics formulas on a private/white label basis. Order samples on our website here or view our latest white label catalog here.
The Disadvantages of White Label
Harder To Stand Out
White labeling means you are choosing a proven formula. The downside is that you are not the only brand using it, so it’s not as easy for you to stand out.
To be successful, you need to take your branding and marketing a lot more seriously. Build a strong brand identity and focus on providing a unique customer experience to truly set your business apart from all the rest.
Prefer to create a highly customized product unlike any other on the market? Custom formulating is the manufacturing method for you. Learn more about custom formulating at Innacos here.
Ownership Rights
Under private/white label, you don’t own the formula - the manufacturer does. This means you are locked into working with the same lab if you want to continue manufacturing that same formula. You cannot take the recipe to another lab for contract manufacturing.
Looking for a semi-customized formula that you own, but without the custom formulating price tag? Try custom product creation!
This manufacturing method involves adding a limited number of ingredients to a manufacturer’s base formula. Learn more about custom product creation at Innacos here.
Finding A White Label Manufacturer
Now that you understand the pros and cons of white labeling and have decided it’s the right manufacturing method for your beauty brand, it’s time to find the perfect manufacturer.
A simple Google search for ‘white label manufacturer for beauty products’ returns 235,000,000 results alone.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with this many options, so how do you narrow down the list? Evaluate your options on this set of eight criteria to find the right fit:
1. Brand & Product Fit:
Does the manufacturer offer the exact type of products you want to sell? Focus on market research and map out your ideal product line before you even begin your search to help clarify your vision.
2. Formula Quality:
Just how good are the products? Take the time to test as many samples as possible.
Consider the following:
Do the formulas feel luxurious?
Do the skin care products deliver results over time?
Do the color cosmetics offer strong payoff and lasting power?
3. Ethical Considerations:
Are the formulas clean, cruelty-free, vegan, or sustainable? Even if these aren’t strict requirements for your brand, working with an ethically responsible lab can be a strong selling point for your customer base.
4. Customization Options:
Although white label formulas are pre-made, some manufacturers offer tweaks, like changing the fragrance or color.
Even small modifications can help you put a unique mark on a standardized product.
5. Minimum Order Quantities:
As a small business owner, budget matters. High minimum order quantities can be a major barrier to starting your brand.
Choose a white label manufacturer that offers lower minimum order quantities (MOQ) to avoid overstocking and to keep your costs down.
6. Price:
Although white label is the most affordable production method, high-quality formulas don’t come cheap.
You could find a seemingly perfect lab partner, but if their price is out of reach, they are not a realistic option for you at the early stages of business.
7. Turnaround Time & Scalability:
White labeling is fast, but some labs are quicker than others. Look for suppliers that combine quality with speed, while also offering scalability for when your business grows and demand increases.
8. Reputation and Reviews:
A manufacturer can seem perfect on paper, but what is it really like to work with them? Read reviews and testimonials to see what other brand owners have to say. Pay particular attention to feedback surrounding:
Customer service: Are they responsive and easy to work with?
Reliability: Are their estimated timelines realistic?
Overall experience: Do they recommend the white label manufacturer to other brand owners?
Narrow down your list to the manufacturers that pass the test for all of these eight criteria. If you are struggling to decide between 2 or 3 options, make your selection based on the best product samples.
At Innacos, we take pride in our ethical, high-quality, and top rated white label beauty products.
Client satisfaction is at the heart of everything we do, which is why we offer: low MOQs, flexible pricing, fast turnaround times, and exceptional customer service. Learn more about white labeling (also known as private label) at Innacos on our website here.
In sum, the process of sourcing white label beauty products involves the following key steps:
Understanding the definition of white label and the pros and cons of this manufacturing method relative to custom product creation and custom formulating
Looking for potential manufacturers to source your white label beauty products
Evaluate your options based on 8 key criteria:
Brand and product fit
Formula quality
Ethical considerations
Customization options
Minimum order quantities
Price
Turnaround time and scalability
Reputation and reviews
If you are struggling to narrow down your shortlist, use product sample quality as the deciding factor
Ready to launch a range of beauty products through white label? Innacos would love to work with your brand! Get in touch via email: customerservice@innacos.com or call: (812) 329-1105 to learn more.
