cosmetic product development for beauty brand owners

your in-house cosmetic NPD and R&D team, without the overheads.

for founders and brands who know their customer; we’ll bring your products to life.

what will my range actually cost?

free calculator. sign up to see costs by phase.

talk to wanda

not sure where to start? the starter pack sprint gets your range on paper in 1 week, for $1,600.

pink cosmetic texture swirled in a glass dish
foaming formula in a lab beaker with a spatula
a lip product applicator against a soft grey background
  • 16 yearsin personal care, from Aesop to the lab.
  • hundredsof launches across skin, nail, hair and sexual wellness.
  • award-winningproducts, at the Pure Beauty and Clean and Conscious Awards.
  • featured inRefinery29, Body+Soul, Beauty Independent and more.

who it's for

you know your brand. we know what goes in the bottle.

your product development team on speed dial, for founders and growing brands who'd rather run the business than run a lab.

  • you want to own it.

    you always own the IP for your formula,free to scale, switch manufacturers or sell your brand with it.

  • you don't have a lab, or you need more hands.

    we're your in-house NPD and R&D team. as much or as little as you need, at whatever stage you're at.

  • you want it market-ready.

    we develop with Australian, EU, UK and US requirements in mind, and flag regulatory considerations early, before they become costly.

  • you need the right partners.

    we connect you to our extensive rolodex of ingredient, certification and packaging suppliers, manufacturers and service providers, and manage them so you don't have to.

wanda chin, co-founder of extra shiny developments
hi, i'm wanda.working with brands in australia and beyond to bring products to life.

the proof

born and raised in the personal care industry.

  • award-winning products.

    Pure Beauty Awards, Clean and Conscious Awards.

  • 16 years in personal care.

    from Aesop, to head chemist, to technical sales for raw materials. every side of the supply chain, across australian and UK markets.

  • hundreds of launches.

    in formulation and advisory roles, across skin, nail, hair and sexual wellness.

brands i've worked with

✨ case study

from a brand idea to an award-winning range.

The Department of Bed Intentions · head of innovation and operations

a sexual wellness brand idea, looking for a reason to exist on shelf. i found the differentiator (prebiotic, microbiome-friendly) and built the range, the certifications and the sales channels around it.

the Bed Intentions range
  • a category first.a certified microbiome-friendly water-based lubricant. i sourced the labs to certify it and test its osmolality.
  • two award winners.their prebiotic water based lube, and their zero-waste arousal oil in dissolvable capsules.
  • a range that grew with the brand.a massage balm with a sleep-supporting active, bridging sex and sleep wellness as the brand evolved.
  • built to sell.wholesale and DTC channels built from zero, socials managed, and a UK launch underway.
visit Bed Intentions

“she listens intently to my concerns and feedback as well as customer feedback, and is passionate about creating products that truly make a difference in people's lives.”

Sophie McGrathfounder, Bed Intentions

certifications achieved by products and brands i've worked with

  • Australian Certified Organic
  • Cruelty Free International (Leaping Bunny)
  • MyMicrobiome
  • B Corp
  • Trace

products i've developed have featured in

  • Refinery 29 logo
  • Fashion Journal Logo
  • Body and soul Mag Logo
  • Broadsheet Media Logo
  • Beauty Independant logo
  • Pure Beauty Mag Logo
  • Viable Earth Mag Logo
  • Lifehacker Logo
  • Couturing Logo
  • Men's Health Magazine Logo
  • WHO magazine logo

what you get

everything between idea to launch, and after.

pick one service or hand us the lot.

  • 01

    product strategy.

    built from your brand, your customer and the market, with the right claims and circular design where possible.

    comes withstarter pack sprint
  • 02

    formulation.

    custom formulas from our queensland lab, including new textures and formats most labs won't attempt.

    pricingquoted per brief
  • 03

    suppliers and project management.

    we match you to the right formulator and manufacturer, then run development, sampling and approvals so launch dates are met.

    comes withoperational retainer
  • 04

    operations and commercial.

    the bulk of the spend lands before manufacture. we work with your finance team so you know what costs are coming, and cost your products.

    comes withoperational retainer
  • 05

    technical marketing.

    correct yet digestible, compliant technical copy for your website, social captions, articles and technical videos.

    comes withtechnical marketing retainer
  • 06

    content creation.

    quick yet eye-catching product photos and videos for before or after your launch. like the ones on this page.

    comes withmarketing retainer

the process

six steps, from brief to shelf.

every product is pressure-tested through three lenses: brand, culture and craft.

step 01 of 06

listen.

firstly, we listen to your brand story. we take the time to understand your whys and the ethos behind your brand.

step 02 of 06

analyse.

we read the culture around your customer (what they buy, believe and talk about), so the product feels current, not copied.

step 03 of 06

strategise.

we find where your brand and the market meet, and match the right claims to your ethos.

step 04 of 06

design.

we design the range from there. this is where the most impactful, sustainable decisions are made, so we design for circularity where possible.

step 05 of 06

develop.

we match you to the right formulator and manufacturer, then manage development, sampling and approvals, including IP, regulatory, certification and sustainability requirements.

step 06 of 06

adapt.

every business works differently and sits at a different stage. we adapt to your work style and personality, and communicate clearly and quickly the whole way.

step 1 of 6

how long it takes

plan for twelve months.

the number of products, the type of products and the claims you want to make all move the timeline. that's why we design as deeply as we can from the start, to get a clearer idea of how long (and how much!) it could take.

walk me through a detailed roadmap
  1. product development reportmonth 1
  2. supplier briefingmonth 2
  3. R&D and samplingmonths 3 to 5
  4. packaging designmonth 3
  5. packaging material samplingmonths 4 to 5
  6. stability, PET and compatibility testingmonths 6 to 9
  7. artwork designmonths 6 to 7
  8. final artwork samplingmonths 7 to 8
  9. apply for necessary certificationsmonths 8 to 9
  10. finalise artworkmonths 9 to 10
  11. technical writing and content generationmonths 9 to 12
  12. place order for raw materials, packaging and bulkmonths 10 to 12
developmentpackaging and artworkcertificationordering

pricing

pick your starting point.

two ways in: a fixed-price workshop sprint to get your range on paper, or retainer hours for ongoing work.

✨ initial NPD strategy workshop

starter pack sprint.

$1,600one-off workshop sprint, within 1 week

enquire about the workshop

walk away knowing what to make, who should make it and what it will take, before you spend on development.

the report includes

  • market and trend analysis
  • competitor and benchmark analysis
  • product range report
  • full technical product brief
  • manufacturer and supplier recommendations

already have your direction? choose ongoing support, from a minimum of 4 hours.

supplier and project coordination

operational retainer.

we manage the NPD process so deadlines are met: formulators, manufacturers, suppliers, logistics, testing and certification.

starting from

$160/ hour

volume rates available

view retainer details

technical copy and content

technical marketing retainer.

correct yet digestible technical copy and content for your website, socials and blog, without false or misleading claims.

starting from

$160/ hour

volume rates available

view retainer details

product photos and social content

marketing retainer.

general product content creation to fill up your social media feeds, before or after launch.

starting from

$160/ hour

volume rates available

view retainer details

custom formulation, quoted by email

formulation.

custom formulas built on your product strategy, with innovation and commercial viability in mind. you always own the IP. tell us your brief and we will come back to you with a quote.

ask about formulation

brand. culture. craft. formula. product. launch.

the journal

read this before you brief anyone.

resources and reports for building your beauty brand, written for founders.

all reports and resources
show 4 more articlesshow fewer articles

FAQs

good questions.

still wondering? ask wanda directly.

how do you come up with product strategies?

every product is pressure-tested through three lenses.

brand. every new product advances the brand story, designed so that new products can easily be added to a range whilst gaining coherence. product is the promise from brand.

culture. we design products that consider cultural currents and consumer behaviours. desire and commercial legibility are built in.

craft. we design from the constraints inward: ease of sourcing, regulations and manufacturability are all considered.

do you work with established brands?

yes. we help existing brands extend their range, reformulate, take products into new markets and keep technical copy accurate.

who do i need to liaise with during development?

development has many moving parts: raw material suppliers, formulators, manufacturers and packaging designers, to name a few. we bridge them, so no part of the project is held up by another.

how much does your service cost?

pricing scales to the size and stage of your business. we work in sprints or on retainer, whichever suits where you are.

our cost calculator estimates what it takes to start a skincare brand.

how long does it take to launch a range?

it depends on the number of products, their type and the claims you want to make. as a rough guide, allow around twelve months from product development report to ordering raw materials, packaging and bulk. every brief gets its own roadmap.

who owns the formula?

you do. the IP for your formula is always yours, whether organic, natural, for sensitive skin or high-science.

let's start growing your beauty empire.

start with the free cost calculator to see what your range could cost, phase by phase. or tell wanda what you're dreaming up.

what will my range actually cost?email or whatsapp wanda