Complete Cosmetic Formulas Have 6 Things

Introduction
BPI Labs’ formulas contain 6 elements that assure product perfectiveness each time we manufacture your personal care product. Does your formula have these? If not, then you probably don’t have a production-ready formula. If you want to know how we transition incomplete formulas into production-ready formulas, click here.
Sign Up For Our Newsletter!
The Six Things Your Formula Needs
To manufacture your personal care products accurately and consistently your formula needs the following six things. These essential elements can be found in the formulation template we’re providing: Click here to download our formulation template.
1. FORMULA NUMBER
A formula number is your product’s name-tag at BPI Labs; it is what we use to identify your product. The formula number helps us gather the correct ingredients and materials when we manufacture your product. We will also use it to differentiate between new and old versions of your formula. You will also use your product’s formula number when submitting a purchase order.
2. DENSITY MEASUREMENTS
We will create your formula using mass measurements instead of volume measurements to create consistent batches of your product. Mass measurements include anything indicating weight (pounds, ounces, grams), and volume indicates anything that fills a space (fluid ounces, gallons, liters, tablespoons). Volume measurements create opportunities for error when manufacturing cosmetic product because temperatures vary, which causes materials to expand or contract.
3. WEIGHT-ON-WEIGHT PERCENTAGES OF INGREDIENTS
Knowing each ingredient’s weight as a percentage of the whole formula assures manufacturing accuracy. Once we are aware of the weight-on-weight percentage of each ingredient, we can determine the amount of each ingredient needed, down to the gram, to create a perfect batch of your product.
4. SUPPLIER OF INGREDIENTS
Not every supplier makes an ingredient the same way. For example, one supplier may make the ingredient glycerine with 98% glycerine and 2% water, while another supplier’s glycerine may contain 90% glycerine and 10% water. Knowing the supplier for each ingredient of your formula and the supplier’s trade name for that ingredient guarantees we make your formula exactly the same every time.
5. PROCESSING INSTRUCTIONS
These instructions will include the instruments essential to mixing your product and when to add, mix, chill, or heat your product’s ingredients and to what degree. Processing instructions are another element needed to create a consistent product every time.
6. SPECIFICATIONS SHEET
This sheet describes the qualities of your product regarding look, color, viscosity, feel, etc. It allows us to compare your product to what we manufacture to certify your product is manufactured as desired.
Click here to discover how a formula is different from a recipe.
Conclusion
BPI Labs guarantees consistent manufacturing results with these 6 essentials. Every formula at BPI Labs has these essentials in addition to a record of production, which includes any troubleshooting we did to bring your product within specifications. We always review these historical records before production to verify we’re ready to manufacture your personal care product the right way every time.
Keep Learning
Here are some related guides and posts that you might enjoy next.

The Cosmetic Formulation Process at BPI Labs
A post discussing formulation development, fees, and ownership.
Read More
Every Cosmetic Formula Needs Specific Gravity
A great formulation easily converts volume to mass with specific gravity. Download: Formula Template
Read More
Turning Recipes into Cosmetic Formulas
Read why recipes must become formulas before we can consistently manufacture product.
Read More