Manufacturing IntelligenceGlossary of beauty manufacturing terms

Manufacturing and commercial terms

Artwork

The print-ready files for labels, cartons and pack decoration. Label content and size are checked against the pack and the destination market before printing. Packaging decoration options →

Batch

The quantity made in one production run from the same materials and process. A batch number lets every unit be traced back to its run.

Bulk

The finished formula before it is filled into packs, usually held in a vessel or drum until filling.

Contract manufacturing

Producing goods for another company under an agreed specification. The brand owns the product name and market; the manufacturer makes it. Contract manufacturing service →

Filling

Dispensing bulk product into its primary packs, followed by closing, labelling and packing. Viscosity and pack type decide the filling method.

Free-issue components

Packaging or other parts bought and supplied by the brand to the manufacturer for filling, instead of being sourced by the manufacturer.

Lead time

The time from approval to dispatch. It depends on material availability, component supply, decoration and the production schedule, so it is confirmed per project.

MOQ (minimum order quantity)

The smallest number of units a manufacturer will produce for one product in one order. It reflects batch size, filling set-up and component minimums. Our ready formulas have minimum quantities confirmed on enquiry. What a minimum-order MOQ means →

ODM (original design manufacturer)

The manufacturer develops the formula to the brand's brief and then produces it. The brand typically agrees ownership and exclusivity terms in writing before development starts. Custom formulation route →

OEM (original equipment manufacturer)

The brand supplies the formula and specification, and the manufacturer produces it. In cosmetics, often called contract manufacturing. Contract manufacturing route →

Pre-production sample

A sample made before the main run, used to confirm appearance, pack and finish are right before production proceeds.

Private label

A product made by a manufacturer and sold under another company's brand. The umbrella term for white label, OEM and ODM work. Private label vs OEM vs ODM →

Specification (spec sheet)

A document that describes a product: type, pack, fill size and key properties. Our public spec sheets are for ready formulas and packs and do not expose confidential formulas.

Technical transfer

Moving an existing formula and its process from one manufacturing site to another, with trial batches to check the product matches the reference.

White label

A ready-made formula, usually in a stock pack, that a brand labels and sells as its own. No formula development is involved. White label route →

Formulation terms

Chelating agent

An ingredient that binds trace metal ions in a formula so they are less likely to affect colour, odour or stability.

Emollient

An ingredient that softens and smooths by filling gaps or forming a light film on the skin. It strongly shapes how rich a product feels.

Emulsifier

An ingredient that allows oil and water to mix and stay mixed in an emulsion.

Emulsion

A mixture of oil and water held together by an emulsifier. Lotions, creams and many serums are emulsions. Gel cream vs emulsion →

Fragrance loading

The amount of fragrance included in a formula. It affects scent strength and can affect clarity, colour and stability. Fragrance in body lotion →

Humectant

An ingredient that attracts and holds water in a formula or on the skin surface. Glycerin is a common example.

Oil-in-water (O/W)

An emulsion with oil droplets spread through a water phase. It feels lighter and washes off more easily than a water-in-oil emulsion.

pH

A scale of how acidic or alkaline a product is. It is set in formulation and affects stability, feel and how some ingredients behave.

Preservative system

The ingredients that protect a water-containing product from microbial growth. How the pack is used changes the exposure the system faces. Preservative systems and packaging →

Sensory profile

How a product looks, feels and smells in use: spread, absorption, tack, slip and finish. Sampling is mainly a sensory check.

Solubiliser

An ingredient that helps oils, such as fragrance, stay dispersed in a mostly water-based product so it remains clear.

Surfactant

A cleansing or foaming ingredient used in washes and shampoos. The choice affects foam, mildness, viscosity and how fragrance behaves. Body wash manufacturing →

Viscosity

How thick a product is, or its resistance to flow. It decides which pumps, droppers and tubes will dispense a formula properly. Why pumps fail →

Packaging terms

Airless pump

A dispenser that pushes product up from below as it is used, designed to limit air entering the pack. It does not by itself prove a longer shelf life. Airless bottles guide →

Closure

The cap, pump or dispenser fitted to the neck of a pack. Its liner, seal and fit decide leakage behaviour.

Decoration

How a pack is branded: labels, screen printing, hot stamping, colour coating. Each has its own set-up and suits different materials. Packaging decoration options →

Dropper

A pipette and bulb fitted to a bottle for applying a few drops at a time. Suits thin serums and oils. Airless pump vs dropper →

Fill weight / fill volume

The amount of product put in each pack. It is set per product and checked during filling.

Headspace

The air gap between the product and the closure in a filled pack. It affects how the pack behaves in transport and use.

Lotion pump

A pump with a dip tube that draws product from the bottom of a bottle. Suits many washes, lotions and light creams. Body lotion packaging →

Neck finish

The thread and neck specification of a bottle or jar. A closure only fits and seals if its finish matches the container.

PET, HDPE and PP

Common plastics for cosmetic packs. PET is clear and glossy, HDPE is soft and opaque, and PP suits caps, jars and pump parts. Each interacts differently with formulas. Packaging materials guide →

Primary packaging

The pack in direct contact with the product, such as a bottle, jar, tube or pump. Choosing cosmetic packaging →

Secondary packaging

Packaging outside the primary pack, such as a carton or gift box.

Tottle

A squeeze tube that stands upside down on its cap so product sits near the opening.

Testing and documents

Challenge test

A laboratory test of how well a product's preservative system copes when deliberately exposed to microorganisms.

COA (certificate of analysis)

A document showing the test results of a specific batch of a material or product against its specification.

Compatibility testing

Checking that a formula and its pack components do not harm each other: leaks, swelling, discolouration, dispensing and material reaction. Packaging compatibility testing →

Cosmetic claim

A statement on a pack or website about what a product does. Claims must be supportable and fit the rules of the market where the product is sold.

CPSR (cosmetic product safety report)

A safety assessment of a finished cosmetic product required in some markets, such as the EU and UK, before sale.

INCI

The International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients: the standard names used in ingredient lists on labels.

PIF (product information file)

The file of product information that some markets, such as the EU and UK, expect to be kept for each cosmetic product. Confirm requirements with your importer or regulatory adviser. EU and UK compliance for brand owners →

SDS (safety data sheet)

A supplier document with safe handling, storage and hazard information for a material.

Sensory evaluation

Structured review of texture, scent, absorption and finish by people using or handling the product.

Stability testing

Assessing a finished product in its final pack over time for changes in appearance, odour, pH, viscosity and separation, and for interaction with the pack. Stability testing explained →

TDS (technical data sheet)

A supplier document describing a material's properties, typical use and handling.

Transport testing

Checking a filled, packed product for leaks, damage and performance under realistic shipping and storage conditions.

Export and market terms

Certificate of origin

A document stating the country where goods were made, sometimes required for customs or trade agreements.

Commercial invoice and packing list

The core shipping documents: the invoice states what is sold and its value, and the packing list states what is in each carton.

HS code

A standard customs classification number for traded goods, used on export and import documents.

Importer of record

The party legally responsible for bringing goods into a country and clearing them through customs.

Incoterms

Standard trade terms, such as FOB or CIF, that set who arranges and pays for each stage of a shipment and where risk passes.

Label language and content

Rules on language, ingredient lists, contact details and warnings that differ by country. Share your destination market before artwork is finalised. Export market pages →

Responsible person

In some markets, such as the EU and UK, the legal entity responsible for a cosmetic product placed on the market. It is usually the brand owner or importer, not the manufacturer. EU and UK compliance →

Missing a term? Ask your question and an advisor will answer it, and we add common questions here.