Skincare Contract Manufacturer. Emulsion Specialists, Chemist-Led.
Serums, creams, oils, eye treatments, cleansers, masks, and balms — formulated and produced in Chicago by a degreed cosmetic chemist with 10+ years across retail and indie beauty.
Formulated, not just filled.
Skincare is where formulation chemistry matters most. Emulsion stability, active delivery, preservation efficacy, and sensorial performance all compete inside the same jar — and the chemist designing that system determines whether it holds together on shelf, performs on skin, and survives a 12-week stability protocol.
Formula 117 is a skincare contract manufacturer built around that chemistry. A degreed cosmetic chemist with 10+ years across major retail and indie beauty brands runs the formulation bench, not a production coordinator reading a recipe card. The difference shows up in active integration, emulsion architecture, and preservation system design — the technical work that separates a product that performs from a product that just fills a container.
Whether you are developing a custom formula development from scratch, bringing your own formula for production, or launching from private label skincare, every SKU routes through the same chemist-led process: bench formulation, stability, pilot validation, production.
Seven skincare categories, one lab.
Water-based, oil-based, and hybrid serums. Active-forward formulations — peptides, retinoids, vitamin C systems, niacinamide, AHAs/BHAs. Lightweight textures engineered for delivery.
O/W and W/O emulsions, silicone-in-water systems, barrier repair formulas. From lightweight day creams to rich night treatments. Emulsion architecture matched to claims framework.
Anhydrous systems — facial oils, cleansing balms, lip balms, body butters. Blend ratios, melt profiles, and sensorial finish tuned at the bench. No preservative system required; oxidative stability protocols apply.
Lightweight emulsions and gels for the periorbital area. Lower irritation thresholds, tighter active concentration ranges, and packaging compatibility testing specific to airless pump and tube formats.
What we can build.
Common questions.
What types of skincare products can a contract manufacturer formulate?+
Formula 117 covers seven skincare categories: serums, creams, oils, eye treatments, cleansers, masks, and balms. Within those categories, the formulation scope ranges from active-forward treatment serums to anhydrous oil blends to surfactant-based cleansers. The chemist designs each system against a brand brief — not from a fixed recipe library.
How long does skincare contract manufacturing take from concept to production?+
Timeline depends on the path. Custom formula development runs 19–30 weeks end-to-end (concept through stability and first production). Bringing your own formula compresses to 8–10 weeks. Private label — selecting from the existing library and customizing — runs 4–6 weeks. All paths include stability testing and pilot validation before the first commercial run.
What is the minimum order quantity for skincare manufacturing at Formula 117?+
500 units per SKU across all skincare categories. Per-unit manufacturing pricing settles at $2–$3+ once volumes reach 2,500–5,000 units in subsequent runs. Custom development is project-quoted (formulation scope, not per-unit). The MOQ applies to every format — serums, creams, oils, masks, cleansers.
Do you handle active ingredient sourcing for skincare formulations?+
Yes. Active sourcing is part of the formulation process — peptides, retinoids, vitamin C systems, botanical extracts, AHAs/BHAs, niacinamide. The chemist selects supplier-grade actives against the target performance profile and claims framework, handles substitutions if a preferred raw material is back-ordered, and documents everything in the master batch record.
Can I bring my own skincare formula for production only?+
Yes — that is the BYOF (Bring Your Own Formula) path. You supply the formula documentation, and Formula 117 handles tech transfer, pilot validation, raw material sourcing, and production at MOQ 500. The BYOF timeline runs 8–10 weeks. If the formula needs adjustment for manufacturing scale or ingredient substitution, the chemist handles that during tech transfer.
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