What brand names use your private label service?
We do not disclose our customer names. You will find many of our client's retail and spa products in stores national and regional stores, including Whole Foods, New Seasons, Made in Oregon, Market of Choice, Nordstrom's, Stroud's and Sephora. Customers regularly appear on HSN and QVC, and have competed on Shark Tank. Retail stores, spas and boutiques all over the US, Canada, Europe and Asia sell our customers' products. We also have many clients who sell at festivals and open-air markets.
Do you have stock formulations available for private labeling?
Yes! All of our wholesale products are available for us to fill for you. You can find a wide variety of products from lotions and creams to masks, serums, sprays and balms and more. We can also add or change the scent profile for you. Minimum order for filling is 25 gallons. You can also see if we have a Ready to Label solution for you, too.
Yes! All of our wholesale products are available for us to fill for you. You can find a wide variety of products from lotions and creams to masks, serums, sprays and balms and more. We can also add or change the scent profile for you. Minimum order for filling is 10 gallons. You can also see if we have a Ready to Label solution for you, too.
I have sourced all my raw ingredients. Can you just mix and fill my containers?
Unfortunately, no. Ingredient sourcing is a critical component of our commitment to sustainability, quality and safety. Occasionally a customer will want an ingredient we do not want to source, and we will ask a customer to provide it along with an Safety Data Sheet, Technical Specs and Certificate of Analysis for each ingredient.
Can we supply our own containers, caps, labels, silk screening, retail boxing, etc.?
Yes! EWL does not provide packaging or brand components. The options are almost infinite, and you should be free to select what best suits your brand. We are happy to help you find a provider for your containers, bottles, and labels. Learn more about packaging here.
Can you recreate products sold by a different company?
We will need benchmark of the product along with the ingredient deck. It will not necessarily be a true reverse formulation, meaning we cannot guarantee exact ingredient concentration, but we can do a method of figuring out the formula based on the sample and ingredient list. The fee will vary based on the actual formulation required.
I do not see a product that fit my needs. Can your Research and Development Lab make a product that I propose?
Yes! Our cosmetic formulators will work with you to create a custom formula just for your brand. Fees will vary based on the product you need created. A complete and true custom formulation can take six to nine months to finalize and often requires challenge stability testing.
Who owns the formula once a custom formula has been developed?
The formula will remain under Essential Lab’s ownership. For those interested in purchasing the formula we create for them, the cost of the formula is set when the product is approved, and the formula confirmed. The price will depend upon the complexity of the formula.
Will my custom formula be manufactured for someone else?
No. Once we complete the research and development of a custom formula, we will only manufacture the formula for the customer who commissioned and/or owns the formula.
Will you keep my product idea(s) confidential?
Absolutely. Every client's products and product ideas are kept confidential. Without explicit consent from our clients, any information given to us is treated as confidential and is not shared. We do not share lists with companies or disclose any information related to your business with us to anyone.
I have developed my own formulas, and I am searching for a manufacturer to produce it. Where do I start?
You’ll first complete an intake form so that we understand your complete needs. Then we’ll ask to see a benchmark and your formula. Our formulators will then talk with you and address any issues you or our formulators see and give you an estimate. From there you can choose to go into our lab for us to create prototypes and get your approval.
How soon can you provide samples?
All formulas are a little different; however, we typically can provide samples in six to eight weeks from payment if it is a semi-custom formulation or a formula that you have already created, tested and tried. If we need to order a special ingredient for your prototype, it could take more time. If the formulation is completely custom, meaning neither Essential Wholesale & Labs nor you have ever tried this before, the samples may require six to nine months of intense development and challenge testing. You'll want to discuss this with your Account Manager to get more specific details.
How much does it cost to have a formulation and prototype created?
R&D fees vary based on the project and begin at:
- $2100 for custom formulation or for scaling and stabilizing customer-provided formulas for commercialization (up to five rounds of prototypes for your approval)
- $495 for semi-customizing our stock formulas (up to three rounds of prototypes for your approval)
- $199 Scenting our stock products (Three samples – light, medium and heavy)
Can the minimum units be broken down to different scents and colors?
No, the minimum is per SKU. Your Account Manager can assist you in figuring out what will work for you.
What is your standard lead-time for manufacturing and to complete an order?
On average, production lead times are six weeks for bulk delivery and eight to 10 weeks on private label if we are filling your bottles. Some formulations may take longer. Production will begin when we have all of the components (bottles, tops, boxes, labels, seals, contract, etc.) required for your project on site in our facility and the deposit is paid.
Can you provide an estimate of what my product will cost before I start the custom product formulation process?
Sometimes. We can provide an estimate on stock bases that are being filled into your packaging or some semi-custom formulas. When it comes to custom formulas, we cannot always provide estimates before we create the formula, although we will work with you to determine your price point requirements prior to developing your formula. You will receive a firm price for your approval once packaging and product has been approved.
What are your return policies?
On Private Label & Custom orders, we do not accept returns unless Essential Wholesale & Labs did not deliver previously agreed upon items.
Do you ship to my country?
We ship to certain countries, but request that you do your due diligence into the country for their dossier, custom and commerce requirements. This is your responsibility as the importer.
The countries we ship to include:
USA, Canada, Finland, Japan, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Singapore, New Zealand, Netherlands & Iceland
Can I tour your facility?
While you can come and visit our administration offices, for both safety and customer confidentiality reasons we do not give tours of our manufacturing facility.