Cosmetics maker supplying salons and shops

Salons, spas, independent beauty and gift shops, and online retailers that stock your products.

Wholesale prices on repeat orders, plus some direct online sales at full retail price. Larger batches lower the cost per unit.

• Formulating and scaling up recipes
• Quality control and record keeping
• Selling to trade customers and managing orders

• UK cosmetics rules: check you need a safety report for each product, a named Responsible Person, and notification on the government portal before selling
• Good manufacturing practice, batch records and the ability to trace and recall a product if needed
• Product liability insurance, plus buildings and stock cover for the unit; employer's liability insurance if you hire
• Lease terms, business rates and whether the unit's use is permitted for manufacturing; check with the landlord and council
• Late-paying trade customers, so consider payment terms and deposits

Startup costs are estimated at typically around £8,000 to £30,000, depending on the unit, equipment, stock and insurance. Lease terms and business rates also affect your costs, so check them with the landlord and council.

Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around £3,000 to £15,000, depending on how many trade customers you win and your batch sizes. Late-paying customers can strain cash flow, so consider payment terms and deposits.

Check you need a safety report for each product, a named Responsible Person and notification on the government portal before selling. Also check good manufacturing practice, batch records and traceability, plus insurance and whether the unit's use permits manufacturing.