Launching a new product, or an entire new brand, involves navigating many moving parts. There will be at least a few unexpected challenges to overcome. Finding the right turnkey supplier partner helps ensure the entire process runs smoothly, while shortening the time-to-market. 

Contract manufacturers are a valuable resource in the beauty industry. Turnkey suppliers often specialize in everything from formulation to filling and packaging—while also managing the development and production processes. Brands of all sizes benefit, from established global companies to indies launching their first product. Turnkey services are especially helpful for indie beauty founders managing multiple tasks with a small team.

If you are in need of a turnkey supplier partner, read on.

We spoke to some of the most experienced contract manufacturers in the beauty industry about their services. Here, we highlight these beauty packaging suppliers. Take a look at the turnkey packaging and services that are available—and in high demand from beauty brands.

Cosmopak’s Turnkey Solutions for Indie Brands

Cosmopak specializes in turnkey color cosmetics. The supplier also offers a turnkey line of solid fragrances. The company’s streamlined product ranges pair well with its extensive packaging options.

Cosmopack offers many services, excluding filling. “We focus on ensuring the product and packaging are compatible and will perform in a way that exceeds a brand’s expectations,” says Walter Dwyer, CEO at Cosmopak. “We have recently worked with Kulfi, Vieve, Herbitual, and Jeffree Star,” he says. 

Cosmopak’s development team has already conducted extensive testing on its turnkey packaging. This will significantly reduce time-to-market. “For an indie brand, our services lighten the workload. We’re also able to lower our MOQs on our turnkey offerings,” says Dwyer.

When indie brand Herbitual brought its “made in a kitchen” Chinese herbal eczema cream to Cosmopak for help, the team at Cosmopak turned it into a product that could be commercially produced. “We scaled it into an OTC-certified formula and package,” Dwyer says. 

Peter White, founder of Herbitual, says that the team at Cosmopak has been a valuable resource. “A typical lab would have laughed me out of their offices, had I attempted to convince them to invest the time and energy required to develop our formula,” says White. Herbitual’s hero formula is a proprietary blend of nine traditional Chinese herbs, requiring a labor-intensive and time-intensive process to extract each ingredient’s active properties. “And this was just the first step,” says White. “Cosmopak understood the importance of preserving our traditional process to ensure the efficacy and authenticity of our formula. They took on the task of finding the right partners to deliver our vision,” he says.

Cosmopak coordinated the entire process from formula development to component sourcing to sampling. “After a lot of trial and error and patience, we not only ended up with a formula that delivered on the brief, but one that surpassed it,” says White.

From ‘Concept to Completion’ at GPI Beauty

GPI Beauty specializes in turnkey manufacturing solutions for beauty and personal care brands. The supplier says it aims to deliver innovative formulas in design-driven, sustainable packaging. “What sets us apart is our ability to bridge creativity and capability seamlessly,” says Megan Gunn, Senior Director, Strategic Marketing at GPI Beauty. “We offer true turnkey services, from concept to completion,” she adds.

GPI Beauty provided two formulas for Jeffree Star’s recent coffee-themed collection—Coffee Grounded Face Scrub and Daily Drip Coffee Cleansing Oil. The supplier also provided the packaging for the brand’s face scrub. “We’re a strategic partner focused on speed to market, quality, and brand-first thinking. Whether you’re launching a new product or scaling an existing line, we provide the expertise, agility, and end-to-end support to bring your vision to life,” Gunn says. 

Related: Cutting Through Hurdles with Turnkey Packaging

Asquan Has a New Division, Asquan Labs

Asquan has a new dedicated turnkey division, Asquan Labs. The supplier says it offers brands “a seamless path from concept to finished product.” The Asquan Labs division is promoting its liner program, which includes brow liner, lip liner, and eyeliner products. Plans to expand to other product categories are in the works.

“Liners are best offered as turnkey products because most smaller brands prefer to test them filled,” explains Michelle Wong, Executive Director of Design & Innovation at Asquan. “And for liquid eyeliners, there are only a handful of specialized fillers,” she says. 

Asquan’s team collaborated with top global formulators to develop its Turnkey Liquid Liners. They combine high-performance formulations with precision-engineered packaging. The liners are made from raw materials sourced in Japan, and are produced in France. A steel ball in the tank helps deliver consistent ink flow to deliver a smoother application with enhanced precision. The liners come with either felt tips or brush tips. 

Natural Brow Flick, included in Asquan’s Turnkey Liner Collection, is a precision felt-tip brow pen. The quick-dry, smudge-resistant formula mimics hair-like strokes.

Perfect Lines and Classic Colors, two ranges of high-pigment eyeliners, are also in the collection. Available in neutral browns, blacks, and a variety of vivid colors, the liner smoothly glides to deliver a controlled payoff. Waterproof and smudge-proof finishes are available, and formulas to meet clean, vegan, and long-wear claims. 

Asquan says its team ensures each turnkey project leverages the expertise of its contract manufacturing partners. This ensures efficient coordination and consistent quality, from formula to finished product. “We manage every stage of product creation with the precision, speed, and innovation that the beauty market demands,” Wong says. 

Lady Burd Has In-House Sourcing & Design Teams

Lady Burd, a three-generation family-owned company, specializes in turnkey solutions and contract manufacturing. The supplier provides custom formulations and private label services. “We excel in creating color cosmetic and skincare formulas for brands of all sizes,” says Samantha Burd, co-owner of Lady Burd Cosmetics. The company debuted three new Fall/Winter colors for its Lip Butter collection at MakeUp in NewYork.  

Lady Burd’s in-house sourcing team delivers primary and secondary packaging. The supplier’s in-house design team creates graphics for logos, cartons, and more. “Printing labels, boxes, or sourcing packaging on your own is tempting, but we’ve seen lots of first-time founders make costly mistakes. Having an experienced contract manufacturer to guide you makes a huge difference, especially when you don’t have the staff or knowledge to get from A to Z,” Burd says. 

Access to HCT by kdc/one’s Innovations

HCT by kdc/one says it excels at transforming ideas into finished beauty products with speed, precision, and creativity. A global leader in formulation and packaging innovation, the supplier provides full turnkey solutions.

HCT by kdc/one’s offerings include a wide range of stock and custom packaging options in plastic, metal, and paperboard. Services include filling, formulations, and decorating. “Brands of all sizes benefit from our deep technical knowledge and end-to-end management of every development detail—from formulation compatibility and stability testing to fill weight, sealing, and regulatory compliance,” says Jess Wackwitz, Marketing Manager at HCT by kdc/one. “Our dedicated teams across quality, regulatory, and raw materials ensure that every product meets performance, safety, and compliance standards,” she says.

HCT by kdc/one offers a true one-stop shop approach to managing the production process. “Our services allow brands to focus on building their identity, storytelling, and go-to-market strategy, while we handle the technical and operational side of product creation,” Wackwitz says. The supplier says that every product it develops for a brand’s collection will have a cohesive look, a high-performing formula, and will be optimized for scale.

HCT b y kdc/one has more than 30 laboratories and CMOs across Italy, Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, and the U.S. In addition to access its global packaging network, the supplier offers in-house formulation services and highly specialized LAB/CMO collaborations. 

Bayport Labs Delivers ‘Innovation That Scales’

Bayport Laboratories says it excels at agility and “innovation that scales.” The supplier works with all types of companies from large prestige players to emerging indie brands.

“We apply the same rigorous standard of operational excellence and R&D innovation, including strict GMP compliance, whether we are scaling a new color line for an established global entity or launching a founder’s first viral product,” says Bryson Manalang, Director of Social Media at Bayport Laboratories.

Bayport Laboratories’ most in-demand proprietary formulations are its Cosmeceutical Color Hybrids and Zero-Flashback Powder. “The hybrid category of makeup-with-skincare-benefits is driving the future of beauty,” Manalang says. 

Related: United States / North American Manufacturers

Bayport Laboratories’ pressed powder technology delivers next-generation powders with unique textures and high pigment levels. The supplier’s Studio Blush contains a proprietary blend of surface-treated pigments. These are processed to deliver extensive coverage with a smooth, even finish. “The combination of film-forming agents and emollients ensures even application and long-wear creamy comfort. There’s no dryness—just intense, vivid color in a single sweep,” Manalang says. 

Another innovation is Bayport Laboratories’ Chromaflex, a next-generation transparent polyurethane polymer system. It can transform pressed and baked powders with its unique “dry-to-wet sensory shift.” The powder makeup will apply with a silky dry feel before “melting into the skin with a smooth, wet-like glide,” says Manalang. 

Garrett Hewitt International’s Cost-Efficient Solutions

Garrett Hewitt International (GHI) delivers turnkey solutions for color cosmetics, skincare, and fragrance. “We excel in our ability to create these products on four different continents—North America, South America, Asia, and Europe. With the current tariff situation, we can offer the flexibility brands require,” says Jason Clerke, owner of GHI.

Clerke says that when working with a new brand, achieving a cohesive look for various skus can be an issue, while also meeting all required regulations. “We start the turnkey development process with a formula and package that has already been compatibility tested and meets all the regulatory requirements, including its secondary packaging. The process moves forward quickly,” Clerke explains. The team also handles shipping. “Smaller indie brands often don’t have the time, staff, or knowledge to ensure the process runs smoothly,” he adds.

GHI offers turnkey eyeshadow palettes with 12+ luxurious shades at an affordable price. “We’ve been able to produce turnkey palettes that give the profit margins needed at retail and also meet the pricing needed to service the subscription box business,” Clerke says. 

Federal Package’s Custom-Tailored Formulas

As a contract manufacturer, Federal Package handles formulation development, mixing, packaging, and quality control based on a brand’s specifications. “Our turnkey services enable a brand to scale production without investing in its own facilities,” says Melissa Niebes, CEO at Federal Package. “We create collections of innovative formulations to make product development easier, and tailor these formulations to a brand’s unique needs,” Niebes says.

The team at Federal Package has decades of brand experience selling into retail channels. “We understand inherently what you are going to need at every stage in not only the development process but also your product life cycle,” Niebes says. The supplier’s manufacturing facility is located on-site. “When everything is done under one roof, our chemists from research and development can communicate directly with our production team to ensure that what you get from the lab is what your customers will get in a bottle,” Niebes says.

Federal Package’s turnkey sunscreens are often requested. “We offer ready-to-launch sunscreens, so a brand can skip the six-month wait time for stability testing that OTCs require,” Niebes says. Coral SPF 30 is one of Federal Package’s popular mineral sun sticks, available in a smaller format for lips and a larger stick package for the body. “This is an anhydrous formula, without the white cast,” Niebes explains. 

Federal Package’s turnkey Marshmallow Fluff Body Cream is also popular. It’s formulated with licorice root, rice bran, and marshmallow root to enhance skin brightening and reduce hyperpigmentation. “It can be used in sun care formulations or comprehensive anti-photo-aging products to even skin tone and diminish dark spots,” Niebes says.

ICONS|Rauxel’s ‘Aussie Advantage’

ICONS Rauxel, an ICONS Beauty Group company located near Sydney, says it provides an “Australian advantage” for U.S. brands. “Under the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (CHAFTA), goods imported from China to Australia are duty and tariff-free. Exports from Australia to the U.S. benefit from low tariffs, which makes our ICONS Beauty Group turnkey services both seamless and cost-efficient,” explains Carmelo Nigro, VP of Operations at ICONS Rauxel.

The private label manufacturer is known for its full-service and turnkey products, including haircare, skincare, body care, lip care, self-tanners, and more. “We act as a true ‘one-stop shop,’ streamlining the entire process from concept to finished product, ensuring consistency, quality, and efficiency,” Nigro says. “Our love of Australian botanicals, natural extracts, and sustainable ingredients sets us apart,” he adds.

ICONS Rauxel’s Hair & Body Fragrance Mist formulations are often requested, the company says. The customizable mist formulations hydrate, soothe, and deliver a light scent to the hair and skin. The mists contain aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, chamomile extract, and panthenol. “When paired with the ICONS America Slow Release Sprayer, the experience is elevated with a fine mist that sprays evenly and has a luxurious sensory feel,” Nigro says. The company also offers a pillow spray, formulated with a calming blend of lavender, chamomile, and rose geranium botanicals to promote relaxation.

ICONS Rauxel’s Slow Release Sprayer dispenses a wide-angle 0.65ml dose with one single slow, even press. It has a 24/410 neck size and can pair with a variety of bottles in different fill sizes and shape. “It’s an ideal package for a range of formulations, especially hair care, body care, and ‘fragrance-adjacent’ products,” Nigro says.

The company’s network of ICONS sister companies offers synergistic capabilities. ICONS America has an extensive portfolio of primary packaging manufactured in Asia, while “made-in-USA” packaging is produced in its ICONS America headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Final Tips: Contract Manufacturers Offer Essential Benefits

Most suppliers agree that the benefits of enlisting the help of a turnkey supplier will far outweigh the costs, even for the smallest brands. But there are other benefits as well, which brands shouldn’t overlook, especially since the beauty industry is ultra-competitive. “Most importantly, partnering with an experienced contract manufacturer gives small indie brands access to advanced technologies that can fuel innovation,” says Federal Package’s Niebes.

HCT by kdc/one adds that it’s a lot easier to work with just one supplier partner. “The alternative is having to manage multiple vendors and timelines. Partnering with one trusted supplier to oversee every stage of development is a major benefit,” Wackwitz says.

ICONS|Rauxel’s Nigro also notes that formulation development, testing, packaging development, and logistics are complex, time-consuming processes to coordinate when you only have a small team. “Having end-to-end support can make all the difference between a stressful experience and a smooth, successful product launch,” he says.

Asquan’s Wong says Asquan Lab’s turnkey approach connects brands to top-tier partners. She offers indie brands the following advice, saying, “Leave it up to us to ensure your product’s performance and package’s reliability, so you can focus on building your brand.”