Conclusion: Design the Five Stages as a Single Thread
With cosmetic OEM, deciding the formulation alone or the container alone will always produce a mismatch somewhere. The viscosity of the fill and the discharge volume of the container, the container's neck diameter and the position of the label, the lead time for the carton and the filling schedule — all of these are linked.
The work can be organised into the following five stages.
| # | Stage | What is decided here | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Formulation development (the fill) | Dosage form, active ingredients, fragrance, colour, viscosity | Formulation sheet, prototype samples |
| 2 | Container and pump | Capacity, neck diameter, discharge volume, material, cap | Finalised container and components |
| 3 | Outer packaging (carton, label) | Material, printing method, statutory labelling items | Plates, artwork data, finalised labels |
| 4 | Inspection (QC) | Inspection items, sample size, pass/fail criteria | Inspection standard, inspection report |
| 5 | Shipping and customs | Transport mode, chargeable weight, documents | Packing list, invoice |
What matters is not completing stages 1 through 5 in sequence, but running stages 2 and 3 in parallel with stage 1. Without a finalised container, filling trials cannot be run; without finalised carton plates, mass production cannot start.
Stage 1: Formulation Development (the Fill)
The minimum lot is set in kilograms, not in units
Cosmetic manufacturing starts from the minimum batch volume of the emulsifying and mixing equipment. In the industry, around 50 kg of fill is the common indicative starting point. Below 50 kg, mixing does not become uniform and quality between lots tends to be unstable.
How many units 50 kg actually represents depends on the fill volume per unit.
| Fill volume per unit | Theoretical unit count | Indicative count allowing for filling loss (3–5%) |
|---|---|---|
| 30 g | Approx. 1,670 units | Approx. 1,580–1,620 units |
| 50 g | Approx. 1,000 units | Approx. 950–970 units |
| 100 g | Approx. 500 units | Approx. 475–485 units |
| 150 g | Approx. 330 units | Approx. 315–325 units |
| 200 g | Approx. 250 units | Approx. 235–245 units |
Note: the figures above are indicative calculations. The actual minimum lot varies with the formulation, the equipment and the container, so please confirm on a case-by-case quotation.
What to verify at the prototype stage
- Reproducibility of the dosage form: whether two batches made to the same formulation match in viscosity and appearance
- Reproducibility of the fragrance: whether lot-to-lot variation in the fragrance stays within an acceptable range
- Change over time: separation, discolouration and viscosity change after a period at high temperature, low temperature and room temperature
- Compatibility with the container: the effect of the fill on the container material (degradation, colour migration, odour migration)
Stage 2: Container and Pump
Decide the container at the same time as the fill
The container is chosen not for its appearance but for the physical properties of the fill and usability. Combining a high-viscosity fill with a pump with a narrow nozzle means it cannot be drawn up to the end. Conversely, a low-viscosity fill comes out forcefully and is hard to use.
| Check item | Condition on the fill side | Condition on the container side |
|---|---|---|
| Discharge volume | Amount used per application | Volume discharged per pump stroke |
| Draw-up | Viscosity and flowability | Shape and length of the tube tip |
| Sealing | Presence of volatile components | Structure of the cap and gasket |
| Material compatibility | pH and oil-based components | Resistance of the resin or glass |
| Labelling | Required statutory labelling items | Printable area and curvature |
Stock containers versus dedicated tooling
Using stock containers removes both the mould cost and the time to make it. A dedicated shape allows differentiation, but the mould cost and a separate minimum lot arise, and the container's minimum lot frequently exceeds the fill's minimum lot.
Container selection in practice is covered in detail in Cosmetic Packaging Sourcing: Bottles, Pumps and Print.
Stage 3: Outer Packaging (Carton, Label) and Statutory Labelling
Responsibility for labelling rests with the Japanese side
When cosmetics are sold in Japan, responsibility for labelling under the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Act (Yakkiho) rests with the Japanese selling entity. The Chinese factory is in the position of printing the specified content accurately. Labelling content must therefore be finalised on the Japanese side before artwork is submitted.
Plates and artwork data
| Item | What is decided |
|---|---|
| Printing method | Offset / gravure / silk screen / digital |
| Colour specification | Pantone or DIC numbers (screen colour cannot be matched) |
| Plates | New plate-making, or reuse of existing plates |
| Artwork data | Full production-ready data, or a provisional layout |
| Minimum lot | Plate-making and printing lots are separate from the fill |
How to organise a carton brief is set out in Custom Packaging Brief Guide: Materials, Structure & Prepress Proofing.
Stage 4: Inspection (QC)
Agree the inspection items and pass/fail criteria first
Inspection is judged not on whether the goods "look acceptable" but on whether they meet criteria agreed in advance. Without criteria agreed first, negotiation becomes protracted once a defect is found.
Examples of inspection items: appearance (scratches, flash, foreign matter), piece count, SKU, colour tone, printing accuracy, labelling, fill volume, leakage, lot number stamping.
Example of pass/fail criteria for sampling inspection
Below is one example of criteria for a "glass bottle with printed decoration".
- Inspection unit: 50 units drawn at random per master carton (500 units per carton)
- Critical defects: 1 or more units fails the lot (breakage, cracks, significant deformation, incorrect statutory labelling, and so on)
- Major defects: 3 or more units fails the lot (print peeling, positional misalignment, faded characters, uneven coating, and so on)
- Minor defects: 5 or more units fails the lot (fine scuff marks that do not impede use, and so on)
A lot that reaches the threshold is rejected and not accepted, and the factory is required to take the goods back or rework the entire quantity. Actual inspection quantities and pass/fail criteria are set individually for each product category. For details, see China Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI) Guide: AQL & Defect Remediation.
Stage 5: Shipping and Customs
Cosmetics shipping is assessed case by case
Cosmetics may contain liquids and may be handled as sensitive cargo. The standard freight rate table and delivery estimates for ordinary goods do not apply to such shipments. Acceptance, available transport channels, expected transit time and freight charges depend on the formulation, packaging, quantity, weight and destination, and are discussed case by case after carrier review.
Before dispatch, a testing agency must be engaged to issue an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet). Any additional documents, such as a transport conditions appraisal, should be confirmed against the requirements of the actual shipping channel. Testing and MSDS issuance costs are quoted separately on a case-by-case basis. An MSDS alone does not guarantee carrier acceptance; the final shipping arrangement and charges are subject to carrier review and a formal quotation.
Three Controls That Link the Stages
So that the five stages do not become fragmented, the following three are set up as mechanisms from the outset.
- Approved master sample (golden sample): the finally agreed physical item is kept by both parties and used as the comparison baseline during mass production
- Revision history: revision number, update date and changes are recorded, and the version the factory is referencing is kept synchronised
- Per-order records: confirmed specifications, progress, inspection photographs and shipping information are managed in one place for each order
Five Interfaces Where Rework Tends to Occur
| Interface | What happens | Preventive measure |
|---|---|---|
| Formulation → container | Does not suit the viscosity and cannot be dispensed to the end | Run filling trials before finalising the container |
| Container → label | Does not fit the curved surface and the labelling items do not fit | Confirm the display area on a development drawing first |
| Outer packaging → mass production | Plate finalisation is delayed and production cannot start | Put the artwork finalisation date into the schedule |
| Inspection → shipment | Criteria are vague and pass/fail is disputed | Agree the inspection standard before ordering |
| Shipping → delivery | Unconfirmed acceptance conditions for liquids or sensitive cargo affect dispatch | Prepare the MSDS and other required documents early, and confirm the channel, transit time and quote case by case |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. When developing from the formulation, what is the minimum lot? A. The minimum production lot of the fill is the starting point, and around 50 kg is the common indicative figure in the industry. The unit count changes with the fill volume (for 50 kg, around 1,670 units at 30 g and around 500 units at 100 g as an indicative figure). Actual conditions vary with the formulation and the equipment, so we quote on a case-by-case basis.
Q. Can we commission only the container or the carton? A. Yes. We also handle projects that use an existing finished fill and make only the container, carton and label original.
Q. If we already have our own supplier factory, can we commission only part of the process? A. Chinese-language negotiation and order placement, progress management, pre-shipment inspection, export packing and international freight arrangements can all be commissioned individually, for the stages you need.
Q. What should be checked at the sample stage? A. In addition to sensory evaluation of colour, fragrance and viscosity, container compatibility (discharge volume, leakage) and change over time are important. The evaluation items are set out in What to Check at the Cosmetic Sample Stage.
Q. Does the development support fee arise again on repeat orders? A. It does not arise again for repeat orders or minor changes to the same product. The basic sourcing agency fee is 12% of the product value (a flat ¥7,200 for orders under ¥14,400) and is charged on the product value separately from this development support fee. See Pricing and Payment for details.
Summary
- Cosmetic OEM is designed as a single thread running through five stages: formulation, container, outer packaging, inspection and shipping
- Stages 2 and 3 run in parallel with stage 1. Running them in series extends the timeline
- Fixing a "finalisation date" and a "deliverable" for each stage sharply reduces rework
About the author
itsushou — China OEM & Product Development, GAMU Involved in product development, OEM production and factory coordination in China, publishing information on China OEM based on hands-on experience.
Related reading
- OEM & Product Development Support
- How We Work (Transaction Process)
- How Many Units Is the Minimum Lot for Cosmetic OEM?
- What to Check at the Cosmetic Sample Stage
- Cosmetic Packaging Sourcing: Bottles, Pumps and Print
- How to Write an OEM RFQ from Product Images
- Pricing & Payment
Let's get started
From a reference image, an application and an expected volume, we can advise which of the five stages to begin with. Enquire & get a quote