Cosmetic Startup Guide: Targeted Formula Planning for Successful OEM/ODM

Want to succeed in cosmetic OEM/ODM? The key lies in formula design tailored to your target customer.

Hello, this is Nutricare!đź’•
The global beauty market is rapidly evolving toward personalized, science-based, and sustainability-driven products. Today’s consumers don’t just look for basic functionality—they carefully examine ingredients, expected efficacy, usage purpose, and whether the formula suits their unique skin needs.
To meet these expectations, brands must prioritize a deep understanding of their target audience and build a formula strategy from the early product planning stage. As a global OEM/ODM expert, Nutricare specializes in developing customized cosmetics that resonate with diverse consumer needs and market trends.

In this post, we’ll explore essential formula design strategies for new cosmetic brands, along with how Nutricare delivers differentiated, tailor-made solutions.


Cosmetic Startup Guide: Targeted Formula Planning for Successful OEM/ODM

▪️Why Is a ‘Targeted Formula’ So Important?

: From Product-Centric to Consumer-Centric
Gone are the days when one product could satisfy all skin types. The market has shifted. Consumers are now segmented by generation (Gen Z, Millennials, Seniors), gender, skin sensitivity, and values (vegan, clean beauty, etc.). Each segment requires a formula optimized for their specific concerns and lifestyle.
âś… Common Traits of Successful Brands:
· A clearly defined target audience
· Functional ingredient blends that reflect their specific needs
· Emotional appeal through texture, scent, and overall user experience

TIP:
Understanding your target customer and creating a formula that aligns with their needs is crucial to your brand’s success.


Cosmetic Startup Guide: Targeted Formula Planning for Successful OEM/ODM

▪️Key Formula Strategies by Target Audience
â‘  Women in Their 20s & 30s
· Main Concerns: Brightening, hydration, texture refinement, low irritation
· Recommended Ingredients:
– Niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, ceramide, PHA – Lightweight gel textures, low pH formulations, subtle or no fragrance
② Men
· Main Concerns: Sebum control, pore care, simplicity
· Recommended Ingredients:
– Tea tree extract, salicylic acid, allantoin
– Wash-off types, all-in-one formats, cooling effect formulas
③ Seniors
· Main Concerns: Wrinkle reduction, elasticity, deep moisture
· Recommended Ingredients: -Peptides, adenosine, collagen, elastin
-Rich cream textures, skin barrier support
④ Sensitive Skin & Clean Beauty Consumers
· Main Concerns: Safety, natural ingredients, ethical standards
· Recommended Ingredients: -Centella asiatica, panthenol, madecassoside
-EWG Green Grade only, non-irritation tested, vegan-certified options


Cosmetic Startup Guide: Targeted Formula Planning for Successful OEM/ODM

▪️Nutricare’s Customized Formula Development System

1. Tailored Planning Consultation
We begin with an in-depth consultation, analyzing your brand philosophy, customer persona, market strategy, and distribution channels to guide formula direction.

2. Ingredient Data-Driven Formulation
· A wide library of domestic and global functional ingredients
· Trend-forward options: vegan, microbiome, blue light protection, etc.
· Meets global standards: EWG, COSMOS, ECOCERT

3. User-Centered Texture Testing
· Sensory testing by skin type and consumer preference (texture, scent, absorption, stickiness)
· Optional application of advanced delivery tech like liposomes for performance enhancement

4. Functional Certification & Stability Tests
· Development of functional cosmetics compliant with KFDA
· Connected to human trials, irritation tests, efficacy evaluations


Cosmetic Startup Guide: Targeted Formula Planning for Successful OEM/ODM

▪️Formula Strategy: What Startups Need to Consider
Creating the right formula may seem complex at first, but answering a few core questions helps clarify the direction:

Q. What are your customers’ top skincare concerns?
→ Set core functionality (e.g., whitening, anti-aging)
Q. What kind of texture or feel do they prefer?
→ Guide formulation type (gel, cream, essence, etc.)
Q. Is clean or vegan beauty important to your brand?
→ Establish ingredient exclusions and certification paths
Q. Which channels will you sell through?
→ Define pricing, ingredient range, and marketing strategy

Nutricare partners with brands from these early planning stages to build products that truly match their target market and customer expectations.


Cosmetic Startup Guide: Targeted Formula Planning for Successful OEM/ODM

▪️Nutricare Cosmetics: The One and Only Formula for Your Brand

In cosmetics, details win. Every brand’s success lies in how well it understands its consumers’ skin concerns, habits, and sensory preferences.

At Nutricare, we’re more than just a manufacturer—we’re a strategic partner that supports you from planning to development, certification, and even marketing insights. Let’s create the one and only formula that truly represents your brand—with Nutricare.

đź’š Contact Nutricare Cosmetics: beauty3@nutricare.co.kr