The Beginner’s Guide To White Label Skin Products
White label skin products can be your ticket to an affordable, highly successful brand launch - or a fast track to complete failure.
This manufacturing process is favored for its speed and lower costs, but many new founders fall into common (and costly) traps.
So, how do you go about white labeling skincare the right way?
Innacos Labs is here to help!
Our in-depth guide below outlines everything you need to know about white label for skin products. We explain the definition, pros and cons, and alternatives to help you make the right decision for your business.
Plus, we explore how to find the best lab for your brand’s unique needs, and the three biggest white label mistakes you cannot afford to make.
What Is White Label/Private Label?
White labeling, also known as private labeling, is one of the most common manufacturing methods in the skincare industry.
This process involves adding your own customized branding to a lab’s preformulated product.
The Advantages Of White Label Skin Products
Accessible Entry Point
White label is often used as an entry point into the skincare world. When you’re brand new and have no idea where to start, it makes sense to partner with a trusted manufacturer who’s already done the heavy lifting for you.
You don’t need advanced skincare knowledge or formulation expertise - you just need a clear vision for your brand. Over time, white label can become a valuable learning process that prepares you to eventually create your own customized formulas.
Lower Financial Risk
In addition to making formulation more accessible, white label skin products are far more affordable than developing a fully custom range from scratch.
That’s another reason why it’s such a popular choice for emerging brands: it lowers your upfront financial investment and overall risk.
Lower MOQs
Plus, private label products typically come with lower minimum order quantities (MOQs) compared to customized manufacturing.
So if your market research wasn’t quite accurate, and your launch didn’t go as planned, you won’t be left with thousands of unsold units collecting dust in storage.
Faster Launch
White label also helps you get to market much faster than other manufacturing methods. When you’re in the prelaunch phase, it’s natural to feel impatient and eager to bring your vision to life.
White label allows you to start testing your skin products with real customers quickly by skipping the lengthy custom formulating timeline. All you need to do is choose your lab, select your formulas, and move straight into production.
At Innacos, we offer over 60+ different clean, cruelty-free, and sustainable skin care products on a private / white label basis. Learn more in our full white label catalog here.
The Disadvantages Of White Label Skincare
Lack of Exclusivity
The most obvious downside to using white label skin care products is that the formulas aren’t exclusive. Other brands can sell the exact same product under different branding.
This makes it harder to stand out, especially in a market where consumers are increasingly ingredient-savvy and expect originality as well as performance.
IP Rights
The second drawback is that you do not own the formula - the lab does. If you want to continue selling a particular white labeled product, you’ll need to stick with the lab that produced it.
This is why it’s so important to choose a manufacturer that’s reliable, professional, communicative, and aligned with your brand values from the beginning.
If you do decide to switch labs later, you won’t be able to take the same formula with you. You will either need to white label a different product or choose the custom formulation route.
A White Labeling ‘Stigma’?
Some brands also worry about customers discovering that their products are white label. The good news is it’s highly unlikely. Many labs offer NDAs that protect your brand’s privacy.
And truthfully, plenty of successful brands are known to use white label and are still growing year on year. Remember, customers buy into your brand, not the manufacturing process.
As long as the product quality is high, the lab is reputable, and your branding is strong, it’s not something to lose sleep over.
Alternatives To White/Private Label
Many founders use white label as a springboard, launching their brand quickly, building up a following, and then transitioning to custom formulas later on.
But if your brand is all about innovation, or you have a completely unique formula idea from day one, you may want to start with a different manufacturing process.
Custom Product Creation
Custom product creation involves adding a limited number of ingredients to a lab’s existing base formula.
It’s the happy medium between white label and custom formulating: semi-customized skincare that is not quite as unique as fully customized formulas, but without the lengthy manufacturing timeline or ultra-expensive cost.
At Innacos, our nominal custom product creation fee is $2000 per product, and you can get back up to 150% of that in manufacturing credit against your first two manufacturing runs. Learn more about our custom product creation process on our website here.
Custom Formulating
Custom formulating involves working with a team of specialized chemists to create brand-new custom skin care products from scratch.
It’s a lot slower and more expensive, but it gives you total creative control and allows you to create skincare unlike anything else on the market.
This option is only advisable when you’ve already validated your product concept, understand your target market, and can’t find anything comparable through private/white label options.
At Innacos, we specialize in novel chemical research, new-to-market concepts and formats, hybrid products, and clean skin care. Learn more about our full custom formulating process on our website here.
Searching For A White Label Supplier
Now that you understand what white labeling is and whether it’s the right fit for your brand, it’s time to move on to the hardest part of the process: finding the right supplier.
This is often the stage where white label can go wrong. Many founders rush into the process without a game plan and end up committing to a manufacturer that doesn’t align with their brand or offers formulas that just don’t fit.
That’s why you need a clear strategy, and it needs to follow the right order if you want to succeed at using white label to sell your skin care products.
Step 1: Know What You Want
Before you start searching for a white label lab, you need a solid strategy for your brand and a clear understanding of the types of skin care products you want to sell.
This step is crucial.
With so many options to choose from, being able to eliminate those that aren’t a good fit will save you time and help you avoid choosing the wrong manufacturer.
Spend time doing market research, identify your target market, and have a general idea of the product range you want to sell before you make your search.
Step 2: Vet Your Options
Once you've identified all the suppliers that offer the types of products you’re interested in, it’s time to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Start by evaluating product quality and ingredient lists:
How do the products feel on the skin?
Do they actually make a difference over time?
Are the ingredients high quality?
Then go a step beyond and consider each lab’s ethical standards. For example, if your brand is vegan, you’ll need to make sure your lab’s products are both vegan and cruelty-free.
While you can source internationally, location matters - especially when it comes to communication, lead times, shipping, and customs.
Where possible, give preference to manufacturers that are closer to home or located near your target market.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
There are three common mistakes brand owners make when searching for a white label manufacturer of skin care products:
1. Not Budgeting Correctly
It’s easy to fall for a high-quality lab that seems relatively affordable, but you need to consider more than just the price of the formula.
You need to calculate the total cost of goods, which includes packaging and shipping. Work out your budget before you begin the lab selection process, not after.
2. Not Testing Enough Samples
Shopping around and trialing different formula options is essential before choosing your private label lab.
One of the biggest mistakes founders make is committing to the first manufacturer they like without properly testing and comparing multiple suppliers’ samples.
Product quality and effectiveness can be the difference between a successful launch and a flop, so be as thorough as possible.
Request samples from all of your shortlisted labs and give them all a fair trial before making your final decision.
3. Assuming Too Much Is Included
Some brands assume white label includes everything from packaging to marketing support. In reality, white or private label generally includes just the product formula (with legal testing) and in-house filling.
Some labs will help you connect with the right packaging suppliers, or even offer free (like this blog) or paid consulting or marketing services, but these are not typically included in the base white label service.
Always clarify what’s included before you sign a contract.
At Innacos, we want to make the product launch process as easy as possible for you.
We can connect you with the right packaging suppliers for your business, and we also offer a full Build Your Own Business online course and consulting services. Learn more about our BYOB course on our website here.
In sum, launching successful skin care products using white label involves the following steps:
Understanding the definition of white label, the pros and cons, and your alternative manufacturing options
Doing market research to identify your target market and create a plan for the exact types of skincare you would like to sell
Searching for the right lab to source your white label skin products
Vetting and shortlisting all of your options based on product and ingredient quality, location, and ethical standards
Choosing the best lab for your needs, without making any of these common mistakes: not budgeting correctly, not testing enough labs’ samples, assuming too much is included in the white label process
Are you ready to white label skin care products for your business? Innacos would love to work with your brand! Get in touch via email: customerservice@innacos.com or call: (812) 329-1105 to learn more.
