Custom formulation
What to Expect from Our Custom Formulation Process
Custom skincare, hair, and bath products formulated exclusively for your hotel, spa, or salon help set your brand apart from other properties. In our Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) certified laboratory, Makes Scents Hospitality creates custom formulations for our hospitality partners to help them achieve brand distinction and customer loyalty.
Aside from the perks of our flexibility with minimum order requirements and extensive expertise, you’ll also enjoy a custom formulating process that delivers a five-star experience. We make it easy for you from start to finish!
Custom Formulation in Six Easy Steps
1. Discuss Your Products and Custom Scent
Collaboration — it’s at the core of our custom formulating M.O.
We discuss your ideas for the types of products you want to feature in your custom line and the scents you’re envisioning. If there are ingredients indigenous to your area, we explore how to incorporate them and what other ingredients will pair exceptionally well with them for an irresistible result.
You have a variety of custom ingredients to choose from. For scrubs, consider exfoliation ingredients that add a unique visual element — e.g., flowers, citrus peels, seeds, husks, and more.
2. Sign a Custom Formulation Agreement
After determining the products and scents, we need you to complete and sign our custom formulation agreement. Our custom formulation fee is $300 (based on an estimated two hours of work at $150 per hour). Complex product development may cost more. Samples will not be provided until the custom formulation agreement and the fee are received.
3. Produce Lab Samples and Determine Product Packaging Details
After we have received custom ingredients from our vendors, we produce samples of your custom formulations. Non-stock custom scents can take up to two weeks to arrive at our facility. After receiving ingredients, we can typically have your samples ready to ship within 3-5 business days. Highly specialized or complex product development may require a longer lead time.
We will also ask you to review the packaging options we offer. After you’ve narrowed down your choices, we will send you packaging samples.
We send lab and packaging samples in one shipment whenever possible for optimal efficiency. However, sometimes it’s necessary to complete these steps separately.
4. Obtain Your Feedback and Approval on Samples
After you receive your lab samples, we ask that you thoroughly evaluate the custom products to ensure that the consistency, scent, and application meet your standards. You will either approve the custom formulation or request reformulation and additional samples if the product doesn’t meet your expectations.
Continual requests for reformulation (beyond what we consider reasonable requests) may be subject to additional fees.
You will sign and return our Custom Formulation Approval Form to approve the product formulation. To approve your packaging selection, you will sign our Custom Packaging Approval Form.
5. Design, Approve, and Print Labels
Design
You are welcome to design your own labels, or our design team can create them for you (custom label design fees apply).
If you design your own label, send it to us electronically as a PDF file. Please note there are very specific print-ready file requirements, which we will share with you before you create your art.
We then send your design file to our printing partner, who reviews and confirms it’s suitable for printing on their equipment. The proofing process normally takes 2-5 business days, depending on the printing company’s production schedule.
If you ask us to design your label, we require all artwork, including logos, specific colors, fonts, etc., to be used in the design. We also need specific design directions from you before we begin work on your label design. Additional fees apply if special fonts must be purchased. We require Illustrator EPS files for all logos.
Approve
We will send you a sample of your label design on one product in one size so you can review and approve or request changes. Additional design fees may occur if initial design edits go beyond what we consider normal, reasonable requests.
After you approve the initial design, it will be implemented onto all other product packaging and sizes. We will email you PDF files of all product labels for proofreading and approval. Clients are responsible for carefully reviewing all labels for accuracy.
To approve the mock-ups, you will sign and return an approval form to confirm we have your permission to print your labels.
Your labels will go into production after you approve them, as described above. Typically, label orders will print within 5-7 business days (depending on the label finish).
6. Begin Production and Send Your Products to You
After we receive your labels or screen-printed bottles from the printer, we can begin your custom formulation product production!
Upon receiving a purchase order (PO) from you for your initial order, we will have your products ready within 2-3 weeks (10 – 15 business days).
Subsequent orders typically take 3-5 business days after receiving your PO.
Let’s Talk!
We would love to discuss how our custom formulating services can elevate your brand. Contact us via the online form on our website or send an email to info@mshospitality.co.
